Generac to Further their Expansion with $53M Investment

Generac Holdings Inc. is an American manufacturer of backup power generation products for residential, light commercial, and industrial markets. Based in Waukesha, Generac has plans to expand their presence in Wisconsin by adding 700 new jobs and investing $53 million in its operations as the company seeks to meet the ever rising demand for their power products.

Generac also has operations in South Carolina, Vermont, and Maine. The planned expansion will rely on $19 million in state tax credits obtained by meeting certain hiring and capital investment goals. As long as these goals are met by 2024, Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. will supply the $19 million in enterprise zone tax credits.

“Generac is experiencing phenomenal demand and growth as the combination of an aging (electricity) grid and extreme weather are resulting in more frequent and longer-lasting power outages,” said Aaron Jagdfeld, president and CEO of Generac. “We are proud to continue to expand our presence in Wisconsin as we work to meet the incredible market demand.

Tom Pettit, COO of Generac, said of the 700 new jobs, 300 will be in sales, marketing and customer service at their new facility in Pewaukee.

“That is going to free up space in our corporate headquarters to move some people here and to add more in research and development and corporate staff,” Pettit said. “That research and development will continue to ideate and develop more new products to continue that amazing growth and investment in our community.”

This move comes shortly after Generac announced the opening of a large manufacturing and distribution facility in South Carolina. This 421,000 sqft. Facility was needed to support increased demand for standby generators and associated energy technologies while serving as a distribution center to consumers. 

Aside from the energy infrastructure and extreme weather events, Pettit mentioned the trend of more people working from home as another factor behind the increased demand for energy.

“If you can’t charge your phone, you don’t have the ability to have contact,” Pettit said. “This is an essential appliance, not just a suggested appliance.”

As work from home continues to expand, we may see even more expansions from Generac in the future.

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