Philips factory in Newcastle produced almost all Australia’s electric lamps for 70 years

Dutch firm NV Philips Gloeilampenfabrieken exported its incandescent lamps to agents in Australia since 1912 until in 1931 it established its subsidiary Electric Lamp Manufacturers (Australia) Ltd (ELMA) in Newcastle in 1931, together with 3 other multinational companies that sold electrical lamps in Australia. Protected by high import barriers, ELMA and its parent companies dominated the Australian market for electrical lamps until the Australian government lowered import tariffs. Increasing competition from imports led to the closure of the ELMA plan in 2002.