Governor Heralds Newly Announced West Burlington GE Plant Expansion

The General Electric Plant in West Burlington is expanding, with a new product line that will bring an estimated 128 jobs to the area.

Those plans were announced today by GE Officials, who were joined by Governor Terry Branstad to celebrate the expansion announcement. Hundreds of employees gathered to hear the announcement.

Branstad says, “Because of you all and because of your work ethic and what you’ve done, that we’ve been able to convince GE; they made the decision but we’ve been their partner and we’re proud to support and encourage their growth here.”

The State of Iowa, along with West Burlington, Burlington, and Des Moines County, are pitching in around $1 million to help GE with the $7.4 million expansion. Some of that money will be used to assist Burlington and West Burlington in expanding an upgrading Agency Street to accomodate further Truck Traffic. The money is contingent on creating at least 120 jobs within three years, and keeping them for at least two years afterward.

The new product coming to the facility is a state of the art, medium voltage switchgear box. Stewart Thompson is a GE Spokesman.

“The new designs and modular in construction, they are ready for automation, not only are they arc resistant but they also have an intelligent digital interface to the product as well.” Says Thompson, “The product can be integrated for the industrial internet and can also be integrated for the smart print solutions that utilities are looking for around the world.”

Thompson says that GE plans to partner with Southeastern Community College in an attempt to get local workers trained to create the new products.

West Burlington was competing with three other GE plants for the product line.

Gov. Terry Branstad at the GE plant in West Burlington.  Image by Rob Sussman

Gov. Terry Branstad at the GE plant in West Burlington. Image by Rob Sussman