Derse Inc. Expands to Oak Creek: A New Chapter in the 80-Year History of the Milwaukee-Based Company

Derse Inc., a Milwaukee-based company that specializes in designing and building events and exhibition displays, is planning to relocate its headquarters to a new facility in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. The development, located at OakView Business Park near West Oakwood Road and South Howell Avenue, will also house a relocated operation from Waukegan, Illinois. The company has submitted plans to develop the 31-acre site, which is owned by the city of Oak Creek. The city will review the proposal this summer, and Derse could close on its site purchase in late 2025. Construction is expected to begin in 2026, with completion in the fourth quarter of 2027. "The proposed facility is the largest single investment in Derse's nearly 80-year history," said Brett Haney, CEO of Derse, in a statement. "This facility is about building capacity for growth." The development plans are still in the works, and the size of the building remains "a moving target," said Stacey Nelson, vice president of marketing. However, the new facility will be substantially larger than the current Waukegan and Milwaukee facilities combined. Derse is a family-owned company with nearly 600 employees. The company's relocation to Oak Creek is seen as an impactful community and corporate partner for the city, and Andrew Vickers, city administrator, expressed his excitement to welcome Derse to the area. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee manufacturer Derse moving to new Oak Creek facility.