Made in Summerville: Incandescent Lightbulbs

It shouldn't be surprising that it took a lightbulb manufacturer to spotlight a way to continue providing homes with an incandescent lightbulb alternative to the compact fluorescent bulb, which has been slowly replacing the bulb of Thomas Edison's era due to a new federal energy law.

Beginning Nov. 1, Aamsco Lighting Group will provide an American-made lightbulb legally and within the new EPA regulations. The Summerville company makes the bulb out of its Mullins factory.  

"We're trying to keep the people working in South Carolina as much as possible and provide a product that has been around for 100 years and is tried and true," President Bob Rosenzweig said.

His company is working from within the federal regulations to produce the bulb.

Rosenzweig said his company can continue to produce the bulbs since the law does not regulate "rough service" bulbs, which is what Aamsco makes. It also only gives guidelines for energy use.

"What we've done is done it legally," Rosenzweig said. "We looked into the federal energy law. It says they are not outlawing incandescent bulbs ... but they want them to be more efficient."

He likened it to increased demands on vehicle fuel economy by the government.

Aamsco's bulb costs less than the compact fluorescent at $1.68 per bulb and has a longer life of 10,000 hours, Rosenzweig said. In comparison, compact fluorescent bulbs cost $1.98 per bulb and only have 3,500 life, he said. And the incandescent produces a softer glow, has dimming capability and doesn't contain mercury, he added.

"It will last longer than those compact twisty things, and there's no mercury and it's made in America," Rosenzweig said.

Rosenzweig's company does not produce any compact flourescent bulbs.

The company, which was founded in 1975 and moved to Summerville in 2001, will produce the bulbs under the name Ferrowatt, which pays homages to Rosenzweig's family's company in Austria, before its doors were shuttered during the Holocaust. Ferrowatt currently produces the company's antique lighting sources.

As of mid October, Aamsco produces less than 1,600 lightbulbs per day out of its Mullins factory, but Rosenzweig said the factory has the capability to produce 16,000 bulbs per day — something that may be needed if incandescent lovers patron Aamsco, which is one of only two American manufacturers producing the bulb. 

Rosenzweig said he's aware that his bulbs may have also found a place in politics — among conservatives who view the new EPA regulations as needless government. After all, he fields emails from them several times a month.

"The people that are buying these bulbs are the rightwing, tea party," Rosenzweig said. "They would buy anything to be defiant of the government."

But the bulbs aren't just for them, he said. 

"Most people would be just as happy to stay with incandescents," Rosenzweig said. 

"Made in Summerville" is a regular feature on Summerville Patch. If you know of a unique Summerville product that should be highlighted, email your idea to lindsay.street@patch.com.