After about 40 years in Woodland, WECO is packing up its headquarters and heading a few miles south to Davis, bringing roughly 75 jobs and its manufacturing operations to the city’s Willowbank industrial area. The company plans to occupy about 60,000 square feet inside a 107,000 square foot building at 3808 Faraday Avenue, and expects to spend approximately $2 million on tenant improvements to get the space production ready. City officials estimate the move will generate between $50,000 and $60,000 in new annual revenue for Davis, and say harvesting equipment could begin to be moved in by mid September. The relocation lands right in the middle of Davis’ push to attract advanced manufacturing and ag tech employers near UC Davis.
The move was first reported by The Sacramento Bee, which noted the relocation follows Davis City Council approval of an economic development plan earlier in March. According to the Bee, WECO will put about $2 million into tenant improvements and is set to take the bulk of the Faraday Avenue facility, which was developed by Buzz Oates and still has roughly 47,000 square feet available for lease. City staff told the Bee they have already begun initial permit streamlining to speed WECO’s buildout and equipment installations, part of a broader effort to make Davis more competitive for light manufacturing and ag tech firms.
What WECO Does
WECO (Woodside Electronics Corp.) builds optical color and defect sorting machines and moisture detecting systems used across fruit, nut and vegetable processing lines. Duravant completed its acquisition of WECO in 2020 and described the brand as a complement to its existing inspection and sorting portfolio. Industry profiles trace WECO’s roots back to the early 1980s and highlight its decades of work with packers and harvest operations worldwide, according to CB Insights.
Why Davis?
City officials told The Sacramento Bee that WECO checks several boxes on Davis’ target industry list, and that council approval of the new economic development plan gave staff the backing to launch permit streamlining tailored to the move. Public planning documents for the 3808 Faraday Avenue property describe the site as planned light industrial and business park and include an initial study and mitigations for the project, according to city records. Developer materials for the building point to lab capable features and rooftop solar, amenities the city says help make the site attractive for advanced manufacturing and R&D tenants, per the Buzz Oates listing.
Timeline and Local Impact
WECO and city staff expect the move to roll out in phases, starting with enough retrofitting to shift harvesting equipment into the Faraday building by mid September, followed by additional work to set up service and support functions. The company is bringing about 75 roles to Davis, many tied to equipment service, assembly and field support, and officials say proximity to UC Davis strengthens the local talent pipeline. The Faraday building still has space for another tenant, which developers say could further boost employment and activity along the university corridor.
For Davis, WECO’s arrival represents both a modest payroll boost and a sign that the city’s recent economic development push is beginning to land manufacturers connected to the region’s agriculture and university research ecosystem. City staff and the developer say they will continue working through permits and tenant improvements over the spring and summer as WECO prepares to start operations later this year.
