Manufacturer Drops Muskego Relocation Plans

A proposal that drew excitement for the possibility of more jobs in the city and a boost to Muskego's tax base is no more. 

Technical Metal Specialties, which had received approval to relocate to the former Salentine Buick dealership on Janesville Road, has changed course and will instead move to a bigger space in New Berlin, according to a Milwaukee Business Journal report. 


Owner Tom Sheahan told the newspaper it made more financial and practical sense to lease the 108,000-square-foot building in New Berlin rather than purchase the 60,000-square-foot Salentine building, which would have required renovation and reconfiguration. 

Communication between TMS and Muskego had broken off in recent months, Community Development Director Jeff Muenkel said. 

Muskego officials tried reaching out to TMS over the last few months, to see how things were going and if they needed any help moving forward, but never heard back, he said. Muskego was also not told about the move to New Berlin.

"In all, we wish them the best," Muenkel said. 

Sheahan previously told the Muskego Plan Commission it planned to bring about 50 jobs to the city and double its business within the next five years. 

TMS is a key supplier of munitions pallets to the government and also does illuminated menu boards, point-of-purchase display systems, motorcycle components and many other metal projects. 

Salentine Buick closed in February after 90 years in Muskego. The Common Council approved a rezoning of the property to industrial, which allows for many types of commercial uses, Muenkel said. 

"The property is ready for a variety of uses relating to industrial or commercial purposes, and we hope as a city to continue advocating for those uses and getting the property operating again soon," Muenkel said.