► American Family moving 400 jobs to Downtown Milwaukee
► Milwaukee Tool adding 800 jobs in Menomonee Falls in major expansion
► Amazon completing third distribution warehouse
Milwaukee has been a center of commerce since the Potawatomi Indians first settled along the shores of the Menomonee River and Lake Michigan hundreds of years ago. It was a leading Great Lakes port in the 1800s, the “Beer Capital of the World” and the “Toolbox of America” in the 1900s, and is now a global center for advanced manufacturing, electronic commerce, financial services, food and beverage producers, printing and green technologies. The region’s research facilities and manufacturing plants are now paving the way for new medical technologies, battery-powered cars and alternative power solutions and the "Internet of Things". Similar innovation is occurring in the service sector. Southeastern Wisconsin is a leader in the development of e-commerce financial services, logistics software and health care integration.
The seven-county Milwaukee Region flourishes with more than 50,000 businesses, 1 million employees and a gross economic product of $100 billion. It is fueled by a healthy balance of long-time manufacturing icons and next-generation companies. The metro region is home to 14 Fortune 1000 companies, which is high for a region its size.
There are many reasons why so many multi-national companies call the Milwaukee Region home, why entrepreneurs choose Milwaukee to set up shop, and why Forbes magazine has ranked Milwaukee one of the top ten communities for young professionals. It also has one of the nation’s highest concentrations per capita of best companies to work for, according to the Great Places to Work Institute. The region promotes diversity. The Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce’s Region of Choice initiative, for example, seeks to increase the minority talent employed at area companies.
Manufacturing remains a very important engine for the region’s economy. The region is a national leader in the production of industrial controls, steel foundry parts, engines and mining machinery. It also is a leader in the production of medical diagnostic equipment.
Several Milwaukee-based industrial companies have revenues greater than $3 billion: Harley-Davidson (Milwaukee), the legendary motorcycle manufacturer; and Rockwell Automation (Milwaukee), an global leader in industrial controls and Internet of Things (IoT) solutions; Quad (Sussex), an integrated marketing company and one of the world's largest printing companies; and SC Johnson (Racine). The region is also home to the U.S. operations of Johnson Controls, a global leader in industrial and building control systems. Other manufacturers with major operations here include: MolsonCoors, a leading brewer; Modine Manufacturing, a global leader in thermal management; and Rexnord, which manufactures power, control and information technologies.
The Milwaukee Region is home to several internationally recognized medical technology and biotech firms. GE Healthcare, a global leader in medical imaging and information technologies, patient monitoring systems and health care services, employs nearly 6,000 people at multiple facilities in the region. In addition to GE Healthcare, southeastern Wisconsin is a base for several medical technology firms, including Vesta, Welch Allyn Cardiology; Criticare Technologies, Alcami Corp., and Bradshaw Medical.
Service-providing jobs account for more than 80 percent of all nonfarm jobs in the area. Health care and social assistance, professional and business services, retail trade, hospitality and food services, and finance/insurance are among the largest service-sector segments in the region. Five Milwaukee-area service companies are ranked as Fortune 500 companies: ManpowerGroup, Northwestern Mutual, and WEC Energy Group (Milwaukee), Kohl’s Corp. (Menomonee Falls) and Fiserv (Brookfield).
Several national banks have a major presence in the Milwaukee Region, including Bank of America, BMO Harris, JPMorgan Chase, US Bank and Wells Fargo. The region is home to significant operations for several large state and regional financial institutions, including Associated Bank, The Equitable Bank, Johnson Financial Group, Landmark Credit Union, PNC Bank, Summit Credit Union, Tri-City National Bank and UW Credit Union.
Health care is a major service employer. Southeastern Wisconsin is home to major operations for two of the nation’s largest integrated health care systems – Advocate Aurora Health and Ascension Wisconsin. Advocate Aurora Health has 10 hospitals in the region. Ascension Wisconsin operates nine hospitals in southeastern Wisconsin. The region’s other major health care providers are Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin, which operates three hospitals in conjunction with an academic medical center, and ProHealth Care, which operates three hospitals in Waukesha County.
The Milwaukee Region has become a magnet for software engineers and development firms because of its high quality of life, affordable housing and advanced educational offerings. The region employs more than 75,000 technology workers and expects to add at least another 30,000 jobs within the next few years.
Forbes magazine ranked the city as one of the nation's up and coming tech centers, thanks to a solid infrastructure that includes:
The Technology Innovation Center, on of the largest high-tech incubators in the country
Wisconsin's Center for Technology Commercialization, which provides one-on-one assistance to early-stage emerging technology businesses.
Local research universities that are working with businesses to develop new technologies and create new businesses. The University of WIsconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) is a Tier 1 doctoral research institution. Other technology initiatives include: The Milwaukee School of Engineering's technology program, which focuses on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cloud computing and robotics; and Northwestern Mutual's Data Science Institute, which is working with UWM and Marquette University to expand data science technology in the region.
Wisconsin is home to nearly 1,200 food and beverage manufacturers, ranking fifth in the nation. Southeastern Wisconsin accounts for the largest concentration of food and beverage manufacturers in the state with more than 250 companies employing nearly 15,000 people. The region’s legacy brands include: Gardetto’s, Gehl’s, Johnsonville, Klement’s, Leinenkugel’s, Molson Coors, Pabst, Palermo’s, Patrick Cudahy, Sargento and Usinger’s. FaB Wisconsin is a statewide organization that supports and promotes the development of food and beverage manufacturing.
The Water Council, headquartered in the Global Water Center near Downtown Milwaukee, drives economic, technology and talent development to support the global water industry. Located next to the world’s largest freshwater system and home to one of the most influential freshwater technology hubs in the world, The Water Council is recognized as a global center for advancing water technologies and stewardship. That hub includes more than 238 water technology businesses and a diverse network of 200 members from around the world.
In addition to driving economic development, attracting and connecting world-class talent and supporting water-focused technology innovation, The Water Council seeks to help secure global freshwater resources by driving solutions to the industries that need and use a large amount of water. thewatercouncil.com
