ABB has inaugurated a new $100 million campus in New Berlin, Wisconsin, designed to expand its production of electric drives and enhance its alignment with the Build America Buy America Act (BABAA) requirements. The new facility aims to support ABB’s growth in its largest market, the United States, by producing electric drive technology for sectors including power, industrial, transport, and construction. The site will serve as a manufacturing hub while also featuring a digital Customer Experience Center, an Innovation Lab, and an on-site warehouse, which ABB reports will reduce transportation costs and emissions.
The phased opening event, attended by ABB employees, government officials, educators, and media representatives, highlighted the sustainable design features of the campus. Among them are geothermal heating, modern HVAC systems, and solar energy, which are expected to help ABB meet its 2030 sustainability objectives. ABB projects that these features will reduce energy usage by over 45% and eliminate reliance on natural gas by recycling wasted heat.
According to Brandon Spencer, President of ABB’s Motion Business Area, the facility’s investments enable ABB to leverage a skilled workforce, support localized supply chains, and remain close to U.S. customers. Tuomo Hoysniemi, ABB’s U.S. Motion Business Area President, emphasized that the facility is a step towards ABB’s goal of reducing emissions and advancing sustainability in the sectors it serves, as well as in its own operations.
The campus is set to employ over 700 workers, with plans to create an additional 100 jobs over the next three years. ABB aims to support the development of the U.S. workforce in collaboration with educational institutions, as underscored by Kelly Kling, Drives Site Leader for ABB U.S. Motion Business, who noted the need for STEM education to prepare workers for roles in electrical and mechanical engineering, contracting, and automation.
