Our History

Prolec GE Waukesha has a rich history spanning more than 50 years. With familiar industry names like Hevi-Duty and ABB in our timeline, our roots are firmly planted in the power industry. Flourishing from our humble beginnings in small warehouses with only a few pieces of equipment to one of the largest U.S. manufacturers of power transformers and valued supplier of transformer service solutions, we currently employ over 1000 people nationwide between our three manufacturing facilities, field service team and sales organization.

Our Story

1967
December 1

Hevi-Duty Electric Moves to New Facility

Hevy Duty Electric Sign
Hevi-Duty Electric, in business since 1915, moves to its newly constructed manufacturing facility and headquarters office building in Goldsboro, North Carolina, where Hevi-Duty Electric continues to produce both dry-type and liquid power transformers. The first three liquid transformers manufactured by the new plant are put in service to power the…
1970
February 8

​​RTE-ASEA, Inc. Established

RTE-ASEA, Inc. established as a power transformer manufacturing company in Waukesha, WI.
1971
December 10

​​First RTE-ASEA Transformer Ships

First RTE-ASEA Transformer Ships.
1977
May 12

​​Hevi-Duty Electric Becomes General Signal

Hevi-Duty Electric becomes a unit of General Signal Corporation.
1979
December 4

​​15,000 Sq. Ft. Hevi-Duty Addition

15,000 sq ft, 72 ft high bay addition with a 150 ton crane opens at Hevi-Duty’s facility to increase output capabilities.
1983
June 15

​​RTE Sells Interest in RTE-ASEA

ASEA Electric Sign and flags
RTE sells its interest in RTE-ASEA and the company becomes known simply as ASEA Electric, Inc.
1987
August 21

​​ASEA and Brown Boveri Merger

1970s Engineering Black and White
ASEA and Brown Boveri merger takes place; company name changes to ABB Electric, Inc.
1990
August 22

​​$7.6M Expansion Doubles Hevi-Duty Electric/General Signal Plants

$7.6M expansion doubles Hevi-Duty Electric/General Signal plant’s power transformer manufacturing capacity in Goldsboro, North Carolina, and transitions plant away from dry-type transformers to all liquid power.
September 6

​​Magnetek Purchases ABB Electric’s Waukesha Operations

Magnetek Sign
Magnetek purchases ABB Electric’s Waukesha operations, and the company name is changed to Magnetek Electric, Inc.
1995
July 21

​​Waukesha Electric Systems, Inc., is Established

GS Logo
Magnetek sells Magnetek Electric to General Signal Corporation and Waukesha Electric Systems, Inc., is established for transformer manufacturing facilities in both Waukesha, Wisconsin, and Goldsboro, North Carolina.
1998
October 9

​​SPX Corporation Acquires General Signal

SPX Transformers sign at night
SPX Corporation acquires General Signal and becomes the parent company of Waukesha Electric Systems, Inc.
1999
February 20

​​North American Transformer is Purchased

Large shot of SPX employees
North American Transformer in Milpitas, California, is purchased to launch the company into the large power market, name changed to Waukesha Electric Systems.
2000
October 18

​​Waukesha Purchases High Voltage Supply

HVS Logo
Waukesha purchases High Voltage Supply, a components manufacturer in Dallas, Texas, as the first step in expanding Waukesha’s transformer company offerings.
2001
September 12

Manufacturing Expansion Grand Opening

Grand opening ceremony held for Wisconsin plant’s 100,000 sq ft manufacturing addition for large power transformers which broke ground in late 2000.
2002
January 24

​​Waukesha Buys Transformer Service Assets

SPX Transformers Trailer
Waukesha buys transformer service assets to expand Waukesha Service.
December 6

​​Milpitas Plant Manufacturing and Test Equipment Moves

Milpitas plant manufacturing and test equipment moved to North Carolina and Wisconsin facilities as necessary to expand those plants’ capabilities.
2007
December 19

​​Headquarters Moves to New Office Tower

SPX Transformers building lit up at night
Headquarters moves to new office tower in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
2009
October 21

Modernization of Waukesha<sup>®</sup> Service Fleet

$1.7M investment over two years to modernize the Waukesha® Service vehicle fleet culminates with the last of four new semi tractor/crane combination units being put into service.
December 15

Key Capital Expenditure Projects Completed

SPX Transformers machinery in use
Key capital expenditure projects completed at the Waukesha, Wisconsin, manufacturing facility to further enhance our ability to build larger power transformers.
2010
May 14

Large Power Transformer Expansion

SPX announces a $70M expansion of the Waukesha, Wisconsin, facility to enable increased production of very large, high voltage transformers.
October 7

​​High Voltage Supply is Rebranded

High Voltage Supply is rebranded Waukesha® Components to align all groups under the same company brand.
November 2

​​Large Power Facility Breaks Ground

Groundbreaking of SPX Transformers Building
Large power facility expansion project breaks ground.
2011
November 18

​​Certificate of Occupancy is Secured

Skyview of SPX Transformers building
Certificate of occupancy is secured for 144,000 sq ft large power addition.
November 18

​​Waukesha Electric Systems Inc. Changes Name

SPX Color logo
Waukesha Electric Systems, Inc., changes name to SPX Transformer Solutions, Inc., to build on the growing strength of its parent company and acknowledge SPX’s substantial investment in the company’s growth; Waukesha® brand remains integral part of business.
2012
April 12

Large Power Facility Grand Opening

Large Power Facility Grand opening
Grand opening for large power facility expansion.
2014
October 15

​​SPX Corporation Spin-Off of Flow Businesses

SPX Corporation Board of Directors approves plan for tax-free spin-off of its flow businesses with anticipated completion within 12 months.
2015
September 25

​​Spin-Off is Completed

SPX Vertical Logo
Spin-off of SPX Flow businesses into a new, standalone, publicly traded company is completed; SPX Transformer Solutions, Inc., remains part of SPX Corporation with its new mission: Creating infrastructure solutions for a smarter, more productive future.
2021
October 4

PROLEC GE ACQUIRES SPX TRANSFORMER SOLUTIONS

Prolec GE
Prolec GE acquires SPX Transformer Solutions, paving the way for Prolec GE to offer a broader portfolio of innovative and sustainable solutions in support of the evolving power grid, including Waukesha® transformers, service and components.
2022
January 4

SPX TRANSFORMER SOLUTIONS, INC. CHANGES NAME

SPX Transformer Solutions, Inc. changes name to Prolec-GE Waukesha, Inc.