Wauwatosa-based Briggs & Stratton will more than double its production of standby generators following record power outage events nationwide and other trends prompted by the coronavirus pandemic, the manufacturer announced today.
Briggs plans to expand standby generator production to its facilities in Auburn, Alabama, the home of its engine plant as well as the company’s 400,000-square-foot distribution hub.
In addition to power outage events, families are working and learning from home, which translates to a greater demand for home and backup power, Briggs & Stratton standby power president Tom Rugg said in a statement.
Briggs currently produces standby generators in Wauwatosa. By expanding standby generator production to Alabama, the manufacturer can cut lead times with production taking place closer to the region it primarily serves, according to a press release.
“We are making this investment in our future because of the phenomenal demand for standby generators,” Rugg said in a statement. “Reducing lead times for our customers is a key priority for our business, and we’re excited to be investing in additional manufacturing capabilities and new product development.”
The manufacturer expects to increase production of standby generators at its Alabama plant in May.
Briggs is not the only Wisconsin-based manufacturer to capitalize on the growing demand for home standby generators. Town of Genesee-based Generac Power Systems also recently announced that it would open a 421,000 square-foot manufacturing and distribution facility for standby generator production in South Carolina.
The new location allows Generac to be much closer to its southeastern United States customers while providing the manufacturer with access to a new labor force.
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