White County Scrambling for Alternative to Plant Closure

Officials in White County are scrambling to find some way to keep a nearly 50-year-old plant up and running. Technology giant Philips has notified state labor officials of plans to lay off all 270 employees at its fluorescent light operation in Sparta.

The layoffs would take place over the next 17 months, but not if White County executive Herd Sullivan gets his way. He’s approaching potential investors, the Tennessee Valley Authority and even state officials. He wants to hatch a plan that keeps the plant operating and building fluorescent lamps.

“It’s hard to find another job right now, and of course those 270 people who are working down there, they would be most appreciative of us finding an alternative solution where they could keep their job.”

Many of the Philips employees are nearing retirement age, Sullivan says, which makes retraining for another career impractical.

A spokesperson for Philips says the Sparta plant closure is due to the continued slump in construction and other factors.