Yaskawa America Inc. has announced plans to expand its manufacturing facility and relocate its North American headquarters in Franklin, Wisconsin. The company, which produces industrial robots, motion control products, AC drives, and solar inverters, is investing at least $180 million and will create more than 700 new jobs. 

The expansion project will consolidate Yaskawa’s existing Illinois and Wisconsin operations into a single campus in Franklin over the next 8 to 10 years. The new campus will include a headquarters, training and lab building, manufacturing and packaging facilities, and robotics and semiconductor production operations, covering over 800,000 square feet. The company will begin manufacturing robots in Franklin that will be shipped directly to customers or integrated into production lines at its Ohio facility. 

The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) is supporting the project by authorizing up to $18 million in performance-based Enterprise Zone tax credits, contingent upon job creation and capital investment milestones. 

What people are saying 

In a recent quote, Mike Knapek, CEO of Yaskawa America, said, “The Drives & Motion Division of Yaskawa America, Inc. is proud to announce the unification of all its current manufacturing and office locations in Wisconsin and Illinois into a single, consolidated campus in Franklin. We take pride in our cutting-edge technology, our commitment to quality, and our world-class manufacturing, and we look forward to a strong future of growth and innovation in Franklin.” 

Governor Tony Evers, Governor of Wisconsin, added, “I am really excited to be celebrating Yaskawa’s decision to relocate its headquarters to Wisconsin and expand its footprint here in the Badger State, bringing with them millions of dollars in capital investment in Southeastern Wisconsin and hundreds of high-quality, family-supporting jobs. Companies from across the globe are choosing Wisconsin to grow and expand because they know we have the best workers making the best products. Wisconsin is continuing to strengthen our position as a leader in advanced manufacturing, and we’re glad to help support this expansion and Yaskawa’s continued success in our state.” 

Manufacturers investing in Wisconsin 

Angelalign Technology to open 52,000-square-foot clear aligner manufacturing facility in Wisconsin
The new facility is slated to create nearly 200 jobs and will feature automated, proprietary 3D printing technology.

ABB invests $100M to open industrial electric drive manufacturing campus in Wisconsin
The new campus will employ 700 workers, with an additional 100 new jobs being created over the next three years. 

XeteX breaks ground on air handling equipment manufacturing facility in Wisconsin 
The new factory will allow XeteX to double its capacity, and production is expected to begin in 2025. 

Investing in American manufacturing in 2025 

This map shows where manufacturers are choosing to invest their resources, whether they are building new production facilities or expanding existing plants.