Oct. 3rd is Manufacturing Day in U.S./Oct. is Manufacturing Month in Wisconsin
Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC), the state’s manufacturers’ association and chamber of commerce, encourages media outlets to help celebrate Manufacturing Day in the U.S. (October 3) and Manufacturing Month in Wisconsin (October) by doing stories on What’s Made in Wisconsin.
Wisconsin has a proud manufacturing past and present. We also have a promising manufacturing future.
458,000 Wisconsinites work at 8,939 manufacturers; from machine shops, metal fabricators and foundries to large Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), like Briggs & Stratton and Ashley Furniture.
Manufacturing is Wisconsin’s top business sector. In fact, WMC refers to manufacturing as Wisconsin’s “super sector.” Here’s why…
- The manufacturing sector accounts for about 18% of Wisconsin’s GDP (compared to 11% nationally).
- 16% of Wisconsin’s workforce works in manufacturing.
- Average compensation for workers is $65,917, compared to $41,349 for non-farm sectors.
- Manufacturing jobs pay 19% more than non-manufacturing jobs.
- Manufacturing accounts for 33% of all wages and economic output.
- One factory job creates at least 2.5 jobs in other sectors, like banking, education, health care and retail.
- Wisconsin is tied with Indiana for the highest per capita concentration of manufacturing jobs.
- Milwaukee has the second highest concentration of heavy industry jobs, behind Houston.
- There are 113,105 manufacturing jobs in Milwaukee; 13.8% of total employment.
- Milwaukee is often called the Machine Tool Capitol of the World.
- Wisconsin has the fifth highest growth of manufacturing jobs in the U.S. since the Great Recession, according to CNBC.
- 94.6% of Wisconsin exports are manufactured goods.
- 20% of Wisconsin manufactured goods are exported.
National Public Radio just began a series called Made in America. WMC encourages media outlets to follow NPR’s lead and do stories on What is Made in Wisconsin. From fire trucks, to army trucks, to fishing rods and high end shoes, to farm tractors and luxury yachts, to motorcycles and socks…Wisconsin manufacturers make really cool things and their story needs to be told.
For more information about Manufacturing Month, visit www.wimanufacturingmonth.org.
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