Philips Mulls Lamps Plant in Southern Africa

Posted 06 October 2006 @ 07:22 am EET     Print     Reprint     E-Mail     Comments

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Philips Electronics said on Thursday it was considering building factory to assemble energy-saving lamps in southern Africa.

"We are investigating the feasibility of building an assembly factory for compact fluorescent lamps in southern Africa the first of its kind in the region," Philips Chief Executive Gerard Kleisterlee said at a conference.

The plant would provide affordable and energy-efficient lamps a compact fluorescent lamp is more expensive to produce, but uses around one-sixth of the energy of a standard incandescent lamp and lasts several times as long.

Kleisterlee said Philips would proceed with the investment only if several countries, and preferably all countries of the Southern Africa Development Community, could agree on one technological standard and import levies, which currently hamper the export and import of parts and finished products. "We are working on this together with UNCTAD and local governments," Kleisterlee added.

Philips, which is the world's biggest lighting maker and a top three hospital equipment maker, is also preparing to introduce healthcare centres in Africa, similar to a pilot initiative in India where it is bringing its monitoring equipment to rural areas.