Expanding Milwaukee manufacturer
Global Power Components received initial approval Tuesday night from the Village of West Milwaukee to occupy and expand a 476,000-square-foot facility, which could eventually employ up to 1,000 people.
Global Power, which makes fuel tanks, enclosures and other equipment for the power generation industry, is planning to convert the former
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel printing plant at 4101 W. Burnham St. and expand it by 230,000 square feet.
At the Tuesday Plan Commission meeting, Global Power leadership confirmed that the West Milwaukee facility will be an expansion of the company's operations, which currently spans five facilities in the Milwaukee area.
Most of Global Power's operations are based out of a facility at 2300 S. 51st St., located on Milwaukee's south side, which is planned to remain in operation after the West Milwaukee facility opens. Most of the company's other facilities are warehouses, some of which could be consolidated as part of this expansion, but plans for that have not been finalized, according to chief operating officer
Mike Watkinson.
With more than 1,200 employees currently, the West Milwaukee facility would operate three shifts with 1,000 employees of its own, though Global Power leadership did not explicitly state if all of those jobs would be new and what types of positions they would be.
West Milwaukee Plan Commission members noted the rarity of a manufacturer expanding with such job density. The commission discussed the possibility of traffic jams during shift changes, which is something they haven't had to consider in many years, commissioners jested.
"Look back to the 1960s and '70s when manufacturers had more significant employment, and during shift changes, the cars would back up. It's exciting to get back to that," said
John Stalewski, village president.
The Plan Commission approved Global Power's site plan, which allows the company to move forward on discussions and approvals from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and other partners.
"The recommendation made by the West Milwaukee Plan Commission is a great step forward as (Global Power) looks to grow here in the region," Watkinson said in a statement after the meeting. "This proposed facility, in addition to our current facilities in the City of Milwaukee, will help us serve our customers with industry-leading innovation and design."
Pending a smooth process, the company hopes to break ground early next year, company leaders said.
The Burnham Street facility was built in 2003 and housed the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel printing operations until 2022, when the newspaper's parent company,
Gannett, shut the plant down. Later that year, the facility was
sold to a subsidiary of another newspaper conglomerate for $26 million.
The property is currently listed for sale for $22.5 million or for lease by commercial real estate firm
Colliers. It borders a site where frozen pizza manufacturer
Palermo’s is
building a new 200,000-square-foot production facility.
