LAST AMERICAN FIREWORKS MANUFACTURER CELEBRATES 80TH BIRTHDAY

LAST AMERICAN FIREWORKS MANUFACTURER CELEBRATES 80TH BIRTHDAY

(Youngstown, OH)-Diamond Sparkler, the only remaining manufacturer of sparklers in the United States, is celebrating 80 consecutive years of producing American made sparklers.

The company started in 1922 as Acme Sparklers in Chicago. It was purchased in 1985 by Phantom Fireworks of Youngstown, Ohio where the plant operates under the name of Diamond Sparkler. Diamond Sparkler is the distributor of sparklers to Phantom Fireworks, a national chain of consumer fireworks stores, with American-made sparklers in various sizes and colors.

"I was only a boy when I started working at Acme Sparkler," said 80-year-old Larry Callen, son of the company's founder. "I can't tell you how pleased I am that these wonderful 4th of July products continue to be made with American pride."

The years of employing 150 American workers and producing as many as 1.5 million sparklers a day are long gone. Retailers have been able to import China-made sparklers at much lower wholesale prices for years. Compounding the problem has been the illegal dumping of foreign produced sparklers in America.

"Diamond Sparkler struggles each year to make a profit," said Bruce Zoldan, President of Phantom Fireworks. "But I just can't envision something as American as sparklers, with its association with the 4th of July, not being made in this country."

Diamond Sparkler, through Phantom Fireworks, can also be found in national retail store chains such as Kmart and Rite Aid. Diamond Sparklers are also purchased year-round though fireworks.com.

People primarily think of sparklers for the 4th of July but people buy them for birthdays, graduations, New Years and many other occasions.

"They're very big at weddings now," added Zoldan. "Martha Stewart's web site recommends fireworks.com as the place to find Diamond Sparklers when planning a wedding."

Of course, the 4th of July is the prime season for sparklers. This year Phantom Fireworks' Diamond Sparkler will sell over three million sparklers.

"You can't celebrate America's birthday without American sparklers," declared Callen.