Prolec GE Waukesha

About Prolec GE Waukesha and the Waukesha Brand®

Waukesha® transformers, service and components are synonymous with quality and reliability. For over 50 years, the company has invested in research, technology, new product design, engineering expertise, and plant and field service equipment, while remaining focused on improving industry standards and leading innovations to meet the evolving needs of its customers.

Technical and Quality Standards

Recognized as one of the largest U.S. manufacturers of power transformers from 5 to 1200 MVA, up to 345kV, the company designs, builds and tests its transformers according to IEEE, ANSI, NEMA and ISO 9001:2015 technical and quality standards. The company provides complete transformer service solutions and components that consistently receive high customer satisfaction ratings. The Service Group’s capabilities include installation, oil processing, field testing, engineering assessments, retrofits and repairs for Waukesha® transformers and other competitively branded products. The Components Group offers load tap changer failure analysis, reverse engineering and a variety of manufacturers’ load tap changer (LTC) replacement parts, Transformer Health Products® and comprehensive LTC maintenance courses for all skill levels. We employ approximately 1,000 people throughout the United States and operate manufacturing facilities at our headquarters location in Waukesha, Wisconsin, as well as Goldsboro, North Carolina, and Dallas, Texas.

Waukesha® Manufacturing Facilities

Waukesha® Transformers

Prolec GE Waukesha designs, manufactures and tests a complete line of medium and large power liquid-filled transformers top rated from 5 to 1200 MVA, with primary voltages through 345kV.

Our modern transformer manufacturing operations utilize sophisticated computer-controlled equipment and test systems, complemented by a well-trained, experienced work force to produce high quality power transformers that meet stringent customer demands. Prolec GE Waukesha also has one of the shortest production cycles in the industry, which allows the company to respond quickly to customer delivery and installation requirements.

Waukesha, Wisconsin Manufacturing Facility & Headquarters – 516,000 sq. ft.

Originally opened in 1970, the Waukesha facility’s capabilities have evolved through two significant expansions. In 2001, Prolec GE Waukesha added a large power transformer line to increase capabilities to produce units with ratings up to 200 MVA. To meet growing industry needs, a 144,000 square foot expansion was completed in 2012 that enables the manufacturing of units with a power rating up to 1200 MVA and testing capabilities up to 500,000 volts.

Goldsboro, North Carolina Manufacturing Facility – 171,500 sq. ft.

Prolec GE Waukesha’s Goldsboro transformer manufacturing plant contains state-of-the-art manufacturing and computerized scheduling systems that enable production of medium power transformers that meet the highest industry standards. The engineering team, using 3-D computer-aided design tools, develops innovative designs that meet changing utility and industrial product needs.

Power Transformers

Waukesha® Service

Prolec GE Waukesha can provide complete transformer service solutions for almost any manufacturer’s units including installation, relocation, testing and engineering assessments; oil processing, dryouts and retrofills; corrective and preventative maintenance; load tap changer field retrofits and repairs. With a growing number of mobile vacuum oil purification units, several pieces of auxiliary equipment and semi tractor/crane combination vehicles, the Waukesha® Service team maintains one of the largest fleets of specialized transformer service equipment in the United States. This large, modern equipment base along with our vast number of skilled personnel located strategically across the country, allow us greater flexibility, faster response times, reduced installation hours and lower costs while helping us provide efficient, safe and high quality service to our customers.

Services

Waukesha® Components & LTC Training

Prolec GE Waukesha’s Components Group operates a 33,000 square foot manufacturing, testing and training facility in Dallas, Texas, as a leading manufacturer and supplier of components for most major current and obsolete load tap changer (LTC) and oil circuit breaker brands as well as being the original manufacturer of a line of Transformer Health Products®. Additionally, we offer a variety of LTC services including maintenance training, failure analysis reporting and complete overhauls at this location. By demonstrating a continued commitment to utilizing new materials and technologies to fuel the development of new products and solutions, the Waukesha® Components team has also built a strong reputation as an industry leader in reverse engineering and design enhancement.

Comprehensive training classes for today’s engineering and technical field personnel also take place at our Dallas facility. By taking a hands-on approach, our customers experience technical procedures, practices and problem-solving techniques on the actual equipment they will later encounter in the field. We strive to keep a correct balance between classroom studies and hands-on interactive activities, to understand the why as well as the how, to build confidence and expertise in the students that are entrusted to us.

High Voltage Components

 

OUR STORY

1967
Hevi-Duty Electric Moves to New Facility
Hevy Duty Electric Sign

Hevi-Duty Electric, in business since 1915, moves to its newly constructed manufacturing facility and headquarters office building in Goldsboro, North Carolina, where Hevi-Duty Electric continues to produce both dry-type and liquid power transformers. The first three liquid transformers manufactured by the new plant are put in service to power the…
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1970
​​RTE-ASEA, Inc. Established

RTE-ASEA, Inc. established as a power transformer manufacturing company in Waukesha, WI.

1971
​​First RTE-ASEA Transformer Ships

First RTE-ASEA Transformer Ships.

1977
​​Hevi-Duty Electric Becomes General Signal

Hevi-Duty Electric becomes a unit of General Signal Corporation.

1979
​​15,000 Sq. Ft. Hevi-Duty Addition

15,000 sq ft, 72 ft high bay addition with a 150-ton crane opens at Hevi-Duty's facility to increase output capabilities.

1983
​​RTE Sells Interest in RTE-ASEA
ASEA Electric Sign and flags

RTE sells its interest in RTE-ASEA and the company becomes known simply as ASEA Electric, Inc.

1987
​​ASEA and Brown Boveri Merger
1970s Engineering Black and White

ASEA and Brown Boveri merger takes place; company name changes to ABB Electric, Inc.

1990
​​$7.6M Expansion Doubles Hevi-Duty Electric/General Signal Plants

$7.6M expansion doubles Hevi-Duty Electric/General Signal plant's power transformer manufacturing capacity in Goldsboro, North Carolina, and transitions plant away from dry-type transformers to all liquid power.

​​Magnetek Purchases ABB Electric’s Waukesha Operations
Magnetek building in 1990

Magnetek purchases ABB Electric’s Waukesha operations, and the company name is changed to Magnetek Electric, Inc.

1995
Waukesha Electric Systems, Inc. is Established
General Signal logo

Magnetek sells Magnetek Electric to General Signal Corporation and Waukesha Electric Systems, Inc., is established for transformer manufacturing facilities in both Waukesha, Wisconsin, and Goldsboro, North Carolina.

1998
SPX Corporation Acquires General Signal
Waukesha External Photo at sunset

SPX Corporation acquires General Signal and becomes the parent company of Waukesha Electric Systems, Inc.

1999
​​North American Transformer is Purchased
Milptas employees in front of a transformer

North American Transformer in Milpitas, California, is purchased to launch the company into the large power market, name changed to Waukesha Electric Systems.

2000
Waukesha Purchases High Voltage Supply
High Voltage Supply Logo

Waukesha purchases High Voltage Supply, a components manufacturer in Dallas, Texas, as the first step in expanding Waukesha’s transformer company offerings.

2001
Manufacturing Expansion Grand Opening

Grand opening ceremony held for Wisconsin plant’s 100,000 sq ft manufacturing addition for large power transformers which broke ground in late 2000.

2002
Waukesha Buys Transformer Service Assets
Waukesha Service Oil Processing Rig in 2002

Waukesha buys transformer service assets to expand Waukesha Service.

Milpitas Plant Manufacturing and Test Equipment Moves

Milpitas plant manufacturing and test equipment moved to North Carolina and Wisconsin facilities as necessary to expand those plants’ capabilities.

2007
​​Headquarters Moves to New Office Tower
Waukesha building

Headquarters moves to new office tower in Waukesha, Wisconsin.

2009
Modernization of Waukesha® Service Fleet

$1.7M investment over two years to modernize the Waukesha® Service vehicle fleet culminates with the last of four new semi tractor/crane combination units being put into service.

Key Capital Expenditure Projects Completed
GEORG mahince with cut core steel

Key capital expenditure projects completed at the Waukesha, Wisconsin, manufacturing facility to further enhance our ability to build larger power transformers.

2010
Large Power Transformer Expansion

SPX announces a $70M expansion of the Waukesha, Wisconsin, facility to enable increased production of very large, high voltage transformers.

High Voltage Supply is Rebranded

High Voltage Supply is rebranded Waukesha® Components to align all groups under the same company brand.

Large Power Facility Breaks Ground
Large Power Facility Groundbreaking with shovels

Large power facility expansion project breaks ground.

2011
​​Certificate of Occupancy is Secured
Waukesha Electric Aerial Photo 2011

Certificate of occupancy is secured for 144,000 sq ft large power addition.

Waukesha Electric Systems, Inc. Changes Name
SPX logo

Waukesha Electric Systems, Inc., changes name to SPX Transformer Solutions, Inc., to build on the growing strength of its parent company and acknowledge SPX’s substantial investment in the company’s growth; Waukesha® brand remains integral part of business.

2012
Large Power Facility Grand Opening
Large Power Facility Grand Opening 2012 with 500 Ton Crane

Grand opening for large power facility expansion.

2014
SPX Corporation Spin-Off of Flow Business

SPX Corporation Board of Directors approves plan for tax-free spin-off of its flow businesses with anticipated completion within 12 months.

2015
​​Spin-Off is Completed
SPX Logo 2015

Spin-off of SPX Flow businesses into a new, standalone, publicly traded company is completed; SPX Transformer Solutions, Inc., remains part of SPX Corporation with its new mission: Creating infrastructure solutions for a smarter, more productive future.

2021
Prolec GE Acquires SPX Transformer Solutions, Inc.
Prolec GE Logo

Prolec GE acquires SPX Transformer Solutions, paving the way for Prolec GE to offer a broader portfolio of innovative and sustainable solutions in support of the evolving power grid, including Waukesha® transformers, service and components.

2022
SPX Transformer Solutions, Inc. Changes Name

SPX Transformer Solutions, Inc. changes name to Prolec-GE Waukesha, Inc.

2024
Prolec GE Waukesha Acquires Full Ownership of Menk USA
Building of Menk USA

Prolec-GE Waukesha, Inc., acquires the remaining equity stake in Menk USA LLC, a leading North American manufacturer of cooling radiators for power grid transformers. Having been a partial owner of the company since 2002, Prolec GE Waukesha has now acquired complete ownership of Menk USA from Germany-based Menk-Schmehmann Group. This…
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