Three Waukesha manufacturers are betting big on the city's industrial future, moving ahead with expansion projects that together signal a serious manufacturing upswing in the county. Lifeway Foods is continuing a multi-phase plant upgrade and hiring push, INNIO is adding assembly work at its Waukesha site, and Aries Industries, a longtime local maker of pipeline-inspection equipment, is preparing capacity moves of its own. City leaders say the activity highlights steady demand for skilled manufacturing jobs even as industrial space across the region keeps tightening.
Milwaukee Business Journal first reported on the trio of planned projects and noted that the work ranges from multimillion-dollar production upgrades to new engine assembly lines. Local officials and company statements add detail on timelines and staffing as the projects roll forward.
Company Plans And Timelines
Lifeway's Waukesha plant is in the middle of a four-phase, $45 million upgrade that the company says will roughly double production capacity once finished. According to a company release on PR Newswire, Phase Two, a cooling-system and bottling upgrade, launched with a ribbon-cutting in November and is part of work the company expects to complete in 2026. Lifeway CEO Julie Smolyansky called the investment "a celebration of growth, innovation and community," and the company says the project will expand production hours and staffing.
INNIO Adds Assembly And Skilled Hires
INNIO's job postings spell out the plan clearly. The Waukesha site will increase utilization and begin assembling Jenbacher engines in 2026, with new electrical assembler roles that require specialized training. The INNIO careers listing explains that new hires will travel for a 2 to 3 month training program in Austria before helping staff the U.S. line, a sign that the work will demand higher-skill technicians. See the company posting on INNIO for openings and training details.
Aries Industries' Local Footprint
Aries Industries, headquartered in Waukesha and known for video pipeline inspection and rehabilitation gear, was also listed among companies planning capacity work. The Waukesha County Business Alliance has highlighted Aries' recent growth and dealer expansions, and the company maintains manufacturing operations in the city. For background on the firm and its local presence, see Aries Industries and the Waukesha County Business Alliance release.
Local Market Context
All of this is playing out while industrial space in southeast Wisconsin stays tight, with developers planning new spec buildings as vacancy rates in Waukesha County remain low. A regional industrial market report points to constrained availability and several build-to-suit projects, which helps explain why local manufacturers are choosing to expand in place rather than relocate. The report is available from Founders3 (Southeast Wisconsin Industrial Market Report, Q1 2025).
County and business leaders have welcomed the investments, saying the expansions should bring jobs and training opportunities. Amanda Payne of the Waukesha County Business Alliance praised Lifeway's commitment in a company release, per PR Newswire, and INNIO's hiring push suggests other new roles will follow. Officials say the projects will be phased in over the coming months, with Lifeway aiming to complete its upgrades by the end of 2026.
For now, Waukesha looks set to keep growing its manufacturing base as companies reinvest in local capacity. We will monitor permit filings, job posts and company updates. Detailed reporting on the filings and plans is available from Milwaukee Business Journal.
