Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories
Newsroom
Oct 8, 2026
SEL Invests More Than $500 Million to Expand U.S. Manufacturing Capacity
SEL is undertaking a sweeping expansion of its U.S. manufacturing operations, investing more than half a billion dollars in new facilities, equipment and production capacity across four states to meet growing global demand for technologies that protect, monitor and control critical infrastructure.The investments, taking place between 2026 and 2028 across Idaho, Washington, Indiana, and North Carolina, include new electronic device manufacturing facilities in Moscow, Nampa, and Post Falls, Idaho; manufacturing expansions in Pullman, Washington, and West Lafayette, Indiana; and additional panel assembly space in Charlotte, North Carolina.The expansion comes amid growing investments in electric utilities, grid modernization, data centers and industrial infrastructure worldwide. As customers work to improve reliability, security and resilience across critical power systems, demand for SEL products and solutions has continued to increase, driving the need for additional manufacturing capacity.“These projects will expand our manufacturing footprint, strengthen our ability to serve customers worldwide, and create new career opportunities in the communities where we operate,” said Dave Whitehead, president. “They also reflect our long-term commitment to American manufacturing, innovation and serving customers for decades to come.”Major Manufacturing InvestmentsThe SEL manufacturing expansion includes the following projects:IdahoMoscow: Construction of a 305,000-square-foot electronic device manufacturing facility. The project represents an investment of more than $70 million and is expected to be operational by the end of 2027.Nampa: Purchase of a 103,000-square-foot facility that will be converted into an electronic device manufacturing facility. This $150 million investment in property, equipment and people will initially employ 250. Operations are expected to begin in early 2027.Post Falls: Purchase of a large commercial building that will be converted into an electronic device manufacturing facility. This $150 million investment in property, equipment and people will initially employ 250. Operations are expected to begin in late 2027.WashingtonPullman: SEL purchased and is converting a 135,810-square-foot facility and surrounding 11.5-acre site into a modern manufacturing operation. The facility is expected to begin operations in early 2027 and will support approximately 300 employees.IndianaWest Lafayette: A $25 million expansion of board assembly operations will increase production capacity by more than 35%. The project is expected to be completed in 2027.North CarolinaCharlotte: A $15 million project will add more than 50,000 square feet of custom panel assembly space to support continued growth. The expansion is expected to be completed in 2027.Beyond Buildings: Expanding Capacity Through TechnologyIn addition to new facilities, SEL is investing more than $100 million in high-efficiency manufacturing equipment. The investment will support the addition of more than 600 assemblers and new production shifts in Pullman and Lewiston, increasing electronic device output by an estimated 40% to 60%.Investing in People and Long-Term GrowthThe 100% employee-owned company recently increased manufacturing starting wages to $26 per hour for day-shift employees, $31 per hour for swing-shift employees, and $36 per hour for night- and weekend-shift employees as part of the effort to attract and retain the workforce needed to support continued growth.Building for the FutureCombined, these investments will strengthen domestic manufacturing capacity for products that help make electric power systems safer, more reliable, more resilient and more economical. The projects will create hundreds of jobs, expand production capacity across multiple states and support the long-term ability of the company to serve customers around the world.