Manufacturing Campus

History

The WheelPad Manufacturing Campus is located at 211 Rte 9 West, in Wilmington Vermont. This site was the original location for GS Precision, who developed the site in 1964, and then afterwards housed WW Building Supply. In 2024, the Brattleboro Area Development Credit Corporation (BDCC) and WheelPad began exploring how they might partner to purchase the property owned by Druke-Fawcett LLC.

In 2022, Julie Lineberger approached Ed Druke, the then owner, about renting space on the property to build the first WheelPad® models, known as SuitePADs. Druke agreed, and was exceptionally generous with the lease terms. Since then, WheelPad and WW Building Supply have shared the space, both continuing to grow. WheelPad began renovations on the pole barn at the back of the property in 2023, adding insulation and a patent-pending radiant hemlock floor to create a temperature controlled manufacturing space. This building now houses the WheelPad’s manufacturing facility, where SuitePADs are constructed. The final renovations on this building are anticipated to be completed by the end of 2025.

Looking Ahead

In the near future the larger building at the front of the property, the former machine shop, will be renovated to include the Joshua Druke Local Labor Program, which will develop workforce skills in construction, electrical, plumbing, and caregiving, in addition to WheelPad’s office space. The local labor program is named in honor of Josh Druke, who was a champion for WheelPad in many ways over the years.

The site plan includes adding workforce housing, using WheelPad’s StudioPADs (universally designed studio-style modular housing living space), public EV charging stations, a rehabilitated trout pond, and a showroom set up for the various models that WheelPad has available for purchase. These models would also be available as short term rentals on the weekends, for prospective customers to try out and/or visitors to the area to have access to truly accessible overnight accommodations.

WheelPad anticipates hosting an open house and ribbon-cutting for the manufacturing facility in the fall of 2025, stay tuned for further details!