The Weidmann Electrical Techology plant in St. Johnsbury is undergoing a $44 million expansion. Photo courtesy of WeidmannLongtime Caledonia County employer Weidmann Electrical Technology has begun construction on a $44 million expansion of its St. Johnsbury plant, which the global company says will add another 67 jobs to its current local workforce of about 300.The plant, established in 1969 just off Route 5 between St. Johnsbury and Lyndon, manufactures an insulation material designed for large power transformers. According to Francis Fisher, Weidmann’s head of group marketing, the company is the sole manufacturer of the material in the United States. “With near certainty, every consumer of electricity in the USA benefits from power that has passed through a transformer insulated by material produced at our St. Johnsbury plant,” Fisher said in an email.The Weidmann Electrical Techology plant in St. Johnsbury is undergoing a $44 million expansion. Photo courtesy of WeidmannSwitzerland-based Weidmann is experiencing significant demand for its products due to the construction of renewable energy facilities, the replacement of aging infrastructure and the construction of power-intensive data centers, said Fisher.The expansion project — dubbed the “Power Transformer Center of Excellence” — will expand Weidmann’s St. Johnsbury plant by 21,500 square feet. It will also include the construction of a new 10,000-square-foot warehouse and the installation of new equipment.The project makes use of the U.S. Treasury’s New Markets Tax Credit program, which promotes investment in lower-income communities. The program provides tax credits to those who invest in intermediary “community development entities” which then provide loans or direct investments in local projects.The Weidmann expansion has been allocated just over $43 million in tax credits by regional community development entities including Evernorth Rural Ventures, Mascoma Bank and Mid-City Community CDE.“This project is about more than expanding capacity — it’s about building a world-class Center of Excellence, supporting the Vermont community, and ensuring energy security for generations to come,” stated Bill Stimpson, general manager of the St. Johnsbury facility, in a press release. According to a November press release, the project has support from local officials, who have undertaken substantial public infrastructure investment including a $12 million upgrade to the town water treatment plant “enabling St. Johnsbury and Weidmann to grow in tandem with each other.”According to Fisher, Weidmann is working on a five-year timeline to recruit the necessary workforce for the plant expansion, including investing in apprenticeships for local students, implementing training and development programs and proactively reaching out to residents in the broader Northeast Kingdom.In addition, Fisher said, the company is partnering with state and local representatives who are actively working on solutions to housing challenges that new employees could face. The company expects to complete the project in March 2026.Read the story on VTDigger here: Major Caledonia County employer at work on $44M expansion.