About SEL

Making Electric Power Safer, More Reliable, and More Economical

About SEL

SEL specializes in creating digital products and systems that protect, control, and automate power systems around the world. This technology prevents blackouts and improves power system reliability and safety at a reduced cost. A 100 percent employee-owned company headquartered in Pullman, Washington, SEL has manufactured products in the United States since 1984 and serves customers worldwide.

As part of our commitment to designing and manufacturing reliable, high-quality products, we research, design, build, test, distribute, teach, and support each of our technologies at SEL facilities. Assembled SEL products travel directly from our hands to where they need to be, so we feel confident that you and your customers can rely on them to keep critical systems fully operational.

“Put simply, we keep the lights on.”
Dr. Edmund O. Schweitzer IIISEL Founder, President, and Chief Technology Officer

Our Mission

Every day, we work to make electric power safer, more reliable, and more economical. This is something all of our employee owners take to heart because when electric power is safe, reliable, and economical, it changes people’s lives. From generation to consumption, our products and solutions are critical at every stage of the electric power system. They prevent blackouts and restore power faster; add cybersecurity, automation, and communications; and incorporate new, cutting-edge technologies that we invent, design, and manufacture right here at SEL.

Show Me How

Our Culture

As a 100 percent employee-owned company, we take pride in doing what is right for our employees, customers, power systems, and communities all over the world.

We know that none of our customers have a responsibility to ever buy another one of our products. Therefore, it is our job to keep them coming back by providing the highest quality products, forming genuine partnerships, and never stopping at “good enough.” Part of this driving force comes from the values that define our company and the principles we live by every day.

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories

Founder

 Dr. Edmund O. Schweitzer III

Headquarters

Pullman, Washington, USA

Incorporated

1982

Offices

100+ worldwide

Employees

5000+ worldwide

Product Locations

168 countries

Ownership

 100% employee owned (ESOP)

Mission

 We make electric power safer, more reliable, and more economical.

Our Leaders

We are proud to call the following individuals our leaders. They share a collective responsibility for quality, innovation, service, and doing right by our customers, employees, communities, and environment. As we continue to expand our reach in power systems around the world, we do so with their valuable insights, expertise, and guidance.

Edmund O. Schweitzer, III

Edmund O. Schweitzer, III

President and Chief Technology Officer


Dave Whitehead

Dave Whitehead

Chief Executive Officer


David Costello

David Costello

Chief Sales and Services Officer


Joey Nestegard

Joey Nestegard

Chief Business Officer and Chief Financial Officer


Ryan Bradetich

Ryan Bradetich

Senior Vice President of Research & Development


Stacey Doty

Stacey Doty

Chief People Officer


Leith Sorenson

Leith Sorenson

Senior Vice President of Manufacturing


Our History

Innovation is the heart of SEL. Inspired by his research as a doctoral candidate, Dr. Schweitzer invented the first microprocessor-based digital protective relay, the SEL-21, which revolutionized the electric power industry and provided new functionality in power system protection. He made his first sale to Otter Tail Power Company in 1984.

The grit, passion, and creativity that drove SEL from a basement with a handful of employees to a worldwide company with over 5,000 employees continue to be a driving force and source of inspiration today.

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SEL devices are manufactured in our four U.S. manufacturing centers, and our products are integrated into panels in regional assembly factories. We also have offices around the world so we can stay close to our customers.

Features

  • North and South America

  • Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia

  1. Pullman, WA

    Headquarters and Electronic Device Manufacturing

  2. Lewiston, ID

    Electronic Device Manufacturing

  3. Lake Zurich, IL

    Electronic Device Manufacturing

  4. West Lafayette, IN

    Regional Panel Assembly Factory

  5. Charlotte, NC

    Regional Panel Assembly Factory

  6. San Luis Potosi, Mexico

    Regional Panel Assembly Factory

  7. Bogota, Colombia

    Regional Panel Assembly Factory

  8. Campinas, Brazil

    Regional Panel Assembly Factory

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Videos

SEL Manufacturing

SEL builds the highest quality products in the industry by continually investing in manufacturing with high-tech automation and process improvements.

SEL Employee Owned

SEL is focused on making electric power safer, more reliable, and more economical. See how being 100 percent employee-owned has contributed to creating a world-class work environment for our employee owners.

SEL—30 Years of Innovation

SEL leaders provide an overview of the company’s innovations, from SEL’s introduction of the world’s first all-digital protective relay to the SEL ICON. We stand committed to innovation and customer service with our ten-year worldwide warranty.