Milwaukee Relocation and Moving Information

Greater Milwaukee Relocation Handbook
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Business & Industry

Southeast Wisconsin has a diverse economy rooted in manufacturing, strengthened by a rapidly growing service sector and stabilized by substantial investments in modern facilities and technology. Small businesses give the economy the flexibility it needs to adapt to rapidly changing conditions. More than 93 percent of Milwaukee-area businesses employ fewer than 50 people. Not that there aren't an abundance of large employers. According to The Business Journal Serving Greater Milwaukee, which tracks business data in the five-county area, more than 25 companies had more than 2,500 employees in 2005.

Thirteen Milwaukee-area companies are listed in Fortune magazine's compilation of the nation's largest publicly held companies - Harley-Davidson, Joy Global, Marshall & Ilsley Corp., MGIC Investment Corp., Northwestern Mutual, Rockwell Automation, A.O. Smith Corp. and Wisconsin Energy (Milwaukee); Johnson Controls and Manpower (Glendale); Kohl's Corp. (Menomonee Falls); Briggs & Stratton (Wauwatosa); and Fiserv (Brookfield).

Although Milwaukee's economy was built on beers and gears, the service sector has been the primary contributor to Milwaukee's economic growth in recent years. Service jobs now account for more than 80 percent of all nonfarm jobs in the metro area. Health care, social assistance, retail trade, accommodation, food services, finance and insurance are among the region's largest service-sector employers. Over the last 10 years, Milwaukee has become a leading center of e-commerce firms. It is home to Metavante Corp. and Fiserv, two of the world's largest data processing firms serving the financial community.

Milwaukee is also home to Kohl's, one of the nation's fastest-growing department store chains with more than 810 stores in 45 states coast to coast. The city is also home to the American Society for Quality, which is best known for the two awards it administers annually: the NASA Award for Excellence and the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.

Manufacturing

Manufacturing no longer dominates Milwaukee's economy, but remains one of its primary engines. Manufacturers produce $31 billion worth of goods and employ 21.5 percent of the area's labor force, which is the third-highest percentage in the country.

Milwaukee is a leader in the production of medical electronics, mining machinery, power trains, forgings, malt beverages, internal combustion engines and tanned goods.

It is home to several internationally known companies, including Badger Meter, W.H. Brady Company, Briggs & Stratton, GE Medical Systems, Harley-Davidson, Harnischfeger, Johnson Controls, Master Lock, Oilgear Company, Rockwell Automation, AO Smith and Universal Foods.

It is also a leading graphics arts center, employing nearly 21,000 people. The Milwaukee area is home to several of the nation's largest printers - Quad/Graphics, Golden Books Publishing, Arandell Corp. and Serigraph Inc.

Milwaukee's manufacturing base is diversified. Milwaukee leads the nation in the production of X-ray equipment and similar medical devices, accounting for more than half of all U.S. shipments. Other key areas include biochemistry, robotics, inventory control, industrial ceramics, factory automation systems, printed circuit boards, semiconductors, CAD/CAM processing, aeronautics and aviation.S.C. Johnson, located in Racine, is the world's largest manufacturer of home care products and CNH Global (formerly Case Corp.) is a leading farm implement manufacturer.

Exports have played a key role in the area's economy. As the state's leader in industrial manufacturing, Milwaukee has helped make Wisconsin one of the few states that can boast a positive foreign trade balance. Wisconsin firms export approximately $10.6 billion in goods and services, primarily to Canada, Great Britain, Japan, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Australia and the Netherlands. The Port of Milwaukee handles more than 3 million tons of commerce annually and is a principal export site for heavy machinery, foodstuffs, appliances, leather, canned goods and lumber.

Financial Institutions

Milwaukee is a leading money management center. One of the nation's largest bank-holding corporations - Marshall & Ilsley Corp. - is based in Milwaukee. It has $54 billion in assets and more than 280 locations in seven states. Several out-OT-state bank-holding companies also have a significant presence in the state, including US Bancorp, Chase and Wells Fargo & Co. Milwaukee is also home to more than a dozen mutual fund companies and Northwestern Mutual, the nation's largest provider if individual life insurance with $133 billion in assets.

Health Care

The metropolitan area is a leader in health care services and research. Two of the region's largest employers are health care systems - Aurora Health Care and Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare - and more than 4,000 people are employed at the Medical College of Wisconsin, a rapidly growing research and education institution.

For a more comprehensive description of the Milwaukee area's economy and business opportunities, please contact the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce and ask for the Business Resource Guide. Telephone: (414) 287-4100.

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