Expansion at Eaton Cooper Power will create 200 jobs

Published on: 3/4/2014

A major expansion totaling $54 million at a manufacturing facility in Waukesha received preliminary approval at the city's Plan Commission meeting last week.

Eaton Cooper Power Systems is looking at a 52,000-square-foot addition to its building and will renovate a 60,000-square-foot unused warehouse at 2300 Badger Drive (just north of West Sunset Drive and northwest of the Fox Run Shopping Center and Genesee Road).

Community Development Specialist Jeff Fortin said the expansion will create 200 jobs.

The item was on the agenda for final approval last week, but the city's planning department wanted to work with the company more on adding landscape islands in the facility parking lot and recommended installing curb-and-gutter around the parking lot for the fabrication center addition.

"The applicant asked if we could waive the curbing and landscape," Fortin said.

Adam Artz, the civil engineer on the project, said adding these requests could limit further expansion in the future.

"We focused on landscape in other areas," Artz said. "We're not objecting to it; we're just presenting an alternative idea."

Plan Commissioner Joan Francoeur said she is looking forward to the addition.

"They turned in a green sustainable checklist, and I encourage everyone to come to an agreement on where the landscape is," Francoeur said. "So let's see where we can find a place where we can agree. Everyone is thrilled about the expansion and jobs."

Eaton, based in Dublin, Ireland, acquired Cooper Industries in November 2012.