Manufacturing

The Milwaukee Region is a national leader in precision manufacturing and the production of sophisticated industrial controls and medical imaging equipment. It’s skilled workforce, engineering support and manufacturing heritage have also made it the nation’s leading producer of mining machinery, hoists, monorails, speed changers, drives and gears.

Sixteen percent of the region’s workforce is employed in manufacturing, producing everything from basic foundry parts to low-emission engines, advanced aviation systems and sophisticated industrial controls. The region is especially noted for engine and equipment manufacturing, automation and advanced manufacturing and medical technology.

Eight locally based manufacturers are on the Fortune 1000 list – A.O. Smith, Briggs & Stratton, Harley-Davidson, Johnson Controls, Joy Global, Modine Manufacturing, Rockwell Automation and Snap-On. Five additional manufacturers are on the Forbes list of 500 leading privately held companies – the Everett Smith Group, Grede Foundries, Jockey International, JohnsonDiversey and SC Johnson.

The region's technical colleges and universities provide critical training and research support, including applied technology centers that manufacturers can use to test their designs and create prototypes and technology transfer programs that help companies turn ideas into marketable products.

FORTUNE 1000 AND FORBES 500 MANUFACTURERS

COMPANY	EMPLOYEES	PRODUCTS
A.O. Smith	16,700	Fractional horsepower, hermetic and integral horsepower electric motors; commercial and residential water heating equipment; and copper-tube boilers
Briggs & Stratton	7,700	Air-cooled engines
Everett Smith Group	5,900	Automotive leather, sheet metal, rubber, thermoplastics, urethanes and electronic assemblies
Grede Foundries	4,000	Iron and stainless steel castings
Harley-Davidson	9,500	Motorcycles and accessories
Jockey International	5,100	Sports and leisure wear
Johnson Controls	120,000	Automotive seating, batteries and industrial controls
JohnsonDiversey	12,200	Commercial cleaning, sanitation and hygiene solutions
Joy Global	7,700	Mining equipment and services
Modine Manufacturing	9,000	Thermal management technology
Rockwell Automation	21,000	Industrial controls and software
SC Johnson	12,000	Household products
Snap-on	11,500	Tool, diagnostic and equipment products

REPRESENTATIVE APPLIED TECHNOLOGY CENTERS

CENTER	SPONSOR	SERVICES
Applied Technology Center	Milwaukee School of Engineering	Assists design, development and evaluation of products, processes and manufacturing systems
Center for Biomolecular Modeling	Milwaukee School of Engineering	3-D molecular models
Center for By-Products Utilization	University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee	Researches technology that can be used to find environmentally and economically effective uses of industrial byproducts and consumer waste
Center for Energy Studies	Marquette University	Research and development of processes and equipment for effective, economic utilization of fuel and energy resources
Center for Industrial Processes and Productivity	Marquette University	Research and development of processes and equipment for effective, economic utilization of fuel and energy resources
Center for Intelligent Systems, Controls and Signal Processing	Marquette University	Assists in the development of intelligent systems
Fluid Power Institute	Milwaukee School of Engineering	Fluid-power component and system evaluations
High Impact Materials and Structures Center	Milwaukee School of Engineering	Development of blast-resistant containers
Rapid Prototyping Center	Milwaukee School of Engineering	Applies proven technologies to compress the production cycle
Thermofluid Science and Energy Research Center	Marquette University	Research and development of energy conversion systems and heat/mass exchange equipment

Forbes 500

Greater Milwaukee is home to

8 of the Forbes 500

top privately held companies.