Governor Josh Stein has announced a significant expansion for Prolec-GE Waukesha, Inc., a leading power transformer manufacturer. The company plans to create 330 new jobs and invest $140 million in a new manufacturing facility in Goldsboro, Wayne County.
“Prolec GE’s expansion in North Carolina further solidifies the state as a manufacturing powerhouse across all sectors,” stated Governor Stein. He emphasized the state’s robust economy and workforce as key factors in attracting such investments.
Prolec GE Waukesha, headquartered in Waukesha, Wisconsin, is part of GE Prolec Transformers, Inc., a joint venture between Xignux and GE Vernova. The company focuses on engineering and producing power transformers for various industries. The expansion aims to address the growing demand for power grid capacity by doubling production at the Goldsboro site with advanced equipment.
Juan Ignacio Garza Herrera, CEO of Xignux and Chairman of Prolec GE, highlighted the importance of collaboration among government, industry, and community leaders to drive growth in manufacturing. “This $140M investment reflects our long-term commitment to creating sustainable value for North America’s energy market,” he said.
Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley noted that Prolec GE’s decision reflects confidence in North Carolina’s workforce training and infrastructure improvements. “It’s not a coincidence that another energy company is deepening its roots in North Carolina,” he remarked.
The average annual salary for the new positions is projected at $71,912, surpassing Wayne County’s average of $46,211. This could result in an annual payroll impact exceeding $23.7 million locally.
The expansion will be supported by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) from North Carolina’s Economic Investment Committee. Over 12 years, the project is expected to contribute $1.05 billion to the state economy. The JDIG agreement allows potential reimbursement of up to $4,696,000 based on performance metrics related to job creation and investment targets.
Senator Buck Newton expressed support for the expansion: “On behalf of Wayne County…the investment into our county will bring economic growth and stability.” Representative John R. Bell IV also praised the collaborative effort leading to this development: “With the partnership and diligence of our state and local officials…we’re able to inject another surge of energy into our regional economy.”
Key partners include the North Carolina Department of Commerce, Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, Wayne Community College, Duke Energy among others.
