Lisbon, NH – With about 200 employees watching, New England Wire Technologies (NEWT) officials, construction leaders, guests and friends looked on as a large green ribbon was ceremoniously cut in half with a huge pair of scissors wielded by company President Tom White, to mark the official opening of yet another expansion of this popular business that has been growing here along Main Street since coming to Lisbon in early 1899.
The opening and dedication of this 38,000-square-foot addition are but one of many expansions that NEWT has undergone since its founding in Cheraw, South Carolina, by George T. Nichols, Ernest Palmer, and William Price, all of Providence, Rhode Island.

In January 1899, the Lisbon, New Hampshire, Board of Trade offered the company a new plant plus a $20,000 loan if the company would relocate to Lisbon. (Palmer’s family was from Lisbon!) They relocated and, in April 1899, the two-story plant began shipping wire. By the end of the year, it employed 30 people.
By 1902, the company, New England Electrical Works, had over 300 customers and was already established as a specialty wire company. The original building was located on Main Street, 100 yards from where the new addition is situated.

That original building was constructed beside the railroad tracks, which provided easy loading and unloading of finished products leaving the plant and raw materials entering for manufacture. This handsome white structure can still be seen today, directly behind the brick-fronted administration building along Main Street. It is used for office space and storage. A third floor was added to the building in 1915.

NEWT President Tom White led the opening comments of the ceremony, which concluded with the cutting of the green ribbon stretched across the door to the new facility. The building was nicely decorated with the fall harvest, all featuring a theme of colorful mums, pumpkins, and squash. They reflected the Fall-colored spectrum for the opening day of the Autumnal Equinox, in the bright sunshine and 70-degree temperatures that all added to the festive air of the happy occasion for this successful company.
In his remarks, President White extended compliments and thanks to the employees, whose teamwork has enabled NEWT to become the world leader in wire technology. He also thanked the town of Lisbon for all they have done in the past to support the efforts of NEWT over the years it has been in town.
He noted that the company is a leading supplier of high-quality specialty wire products worldwide and that its reputation is well-earned. Medical technology, robotics, alternative energy, military and defense, and communications are just a few of the markets to which they supply specialty wire.
He also thanked architect Jay Barrett and the Trumbull-Nelson Construction Company, who built the addition. President White also thanked the Building Committee members, which included Rick Jesseman, Wendall Jesseman, Robert Meserve, Peter Gaudette, Jay Barrett, Emily Costigan, Dave Rising, Greg Jesseman, Tom White, and Tony Instasi.

Also speaking to the gathering were Chairman Wendell Jessmann and Vice President Robert Meserve.
Continuing with additional comments were the State of New Hampshire’s Division of Economic Development Agent, Benoit Lamontagne; Trumbull-Nelson Project Superintendent, Dave Rising; and Architect, Jay Barrett.

Then, with President White readying the large scissors, he sliced the ribbon in two, signaling the official opening of the newly completed addition that had been groundbreaking in August 2023.
The new building will ensure that NEWT can accommodate their expected ongoing future growth opportunities and better support customers’ needs with new manufacturing space on the riverside of the business.
The company indicated earlier that they were “excited to realize significant capacity expansion of their extrusion department and also to look forward to opening up additional space in other manufacturing areas to permit continued growth and capability enhancements.

In an on-site interview with The Bridge Weekly, Human Resources Manager Meghan Fulford said that the expansion added 38,000 square feet to the current structure. The event brought together the company, the State of New Hampshire, and town officials, and the community, highlighting not only the growth of the company, but the excitement of what the future brings to the North Country of NH. The addition, she also said, allows for the expansion of silicone rubber processes, an on-site machine shop, and specialty braiding capabilities.

New England Wire Technologies is a privately held, employee-owned company with an exciting history that dates back to its incorporation in 1898. Facilities in Lisbon consist of 377,000 square feet of manufacturing, quality/testing, tooling, machine fabrication, and office space.
They have more than 400 employees operating three shifts, five days a week.

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