Copyright Lewiston Morning Tribune
Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories has launched expansion projects in Idaho and North Carolina, according to a Monday news release. The engineering company will be adding 370,000 square feet of new and expanded facilities in Moscow and Boise, as well as Charlotte, N.C. SEL will invest around $90 million over the next two years for these three capital projects. The news release indicates SEL will construct a 150,000-square-foot electronic device manufacturing facility on its Schwartz Campus on South Main Street in Moscow. The $50 million facility is expected to be complete in 2027. The structure will be located near SEL’s printed circuit board factory, which will significantly enhance manufacturing capabilities. Kate Wilhite, senior media manager at SEL, said the company is working toward securing permits at the Moscow site to begin grading in November. This phase will continue through April, with construction following immediately afterward. She added that SEL does not currently have a projection for new hires; however, the company is excited about the long-term potential that the expansion represents for their team and the region. In Boise, SEL plans to purchase and remodel a 170,000-square-foot building to expand and accommodate its growing team. The $25 million project is anticipated to be finished by 2026. SEL will be investing $15 million to support its growing panels and enclosures manufacturing operations in North Carolina. The company will construct a 50,000-square-foot office building adjacent to its current facility at 901 Center Park Drive that’s scheduled to be complete by 2027. “Despite the recent economic and political vitality related to trade and tariffs, we remain optimistic about the future,” SEL Founder Ed Schweitzer said in the news release. “Our teams have been making adjustments to our existing spaces to increase capacity, but we are at a point where larger capital investments are needed to continue inventing, designing and building products to meet the needs of our customers.” The news release indicates that the company evaluates where to grow based on a number of factors like analysis from the SEL Index of Freedom, an annual ranking which assesses the 50 U.S. states based on government efficiency, regulatory freedom and energy resiliency — three pillars the company considers essential for a thriving business environment. Pearce can be reached at epearce@dnews.com.
