Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc. (SEL) announced this year that it plans to hire more than 300 new employees this year as the company continues expansion worldwide.

SEL founder and president Ed Schweitzer said that the company plans to hire many of the new employees in Pullman. Over 100 positions are currently listed on the company’s website.

Driving SEL’s growth is its expansion into new markets, products, and countries, Schweitzer said. “Current economic conditions, especially where the Euro dominates, are providing additional opportunities for the company. Utility sales continue to remain very strong worldwide, and our sales in certain industrial sectors are very strong and growing, especially in the petroleum industry,” he added.

The completed expansion of SEL’s Pullman manufacturing facilities last fall is helping meet the increased demand for products and services, Schweitzer said. Capacity was doubled to more than 200,000 square feet allowing for the addition of new equipment and expanded lines. More than half of SEL’s employees in Pullman work in its manufacturing operations with recruitment ongoing for additional workers.

Schweitzer said he is “bullish” on the economy. “If Congress will pass a ‘real’ stimulus package – provide some deregulation and permanent tax cuts – we will see increased job creation and capital investment,” he said. “It will make an important difference for SEL.”

SEL serves the electric power industry worldwide through the design, manufacture, supply, and support of products and services for power system protection, monitoring, control, automation, and metering.