WAUKESHA – Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) – the combined state chamber and manufacturers’ association – will be celebrating the state’s top industry throughout the month of October. Each year, WMC declares October as Manufacturing Month and the first Friday of the month as Manufacturing Day.
Manufacturing is the number one contributor to Wisconsin’s economy. The diverse industry produces nearly $65 billion in economic output each year – close to 20 percent of the state’s total gross domestic product (GDP). This is all thanks to nearly half a million people who work at Wisconsin’s roughly 8,000 manufacturers.
“Manufacturing is without a doubt the backbone of the state’s economy,” said WMC President & CEO Kurt Bauer. “In the face of COVID-19, our state’s manufacturing workers showed up to the shop floor each and every day to make the items we all needed here in Wisconsin, across the country and around the globe. The hard work and resiliency of Wisconsin’s manufacturers should be celebrated today and every day.”
To celebrate Manufacturing Month, WMC has partnered with Johnson Financial Group to host the sixth annual Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin contest. The competition, which runs from mid-August through October, has highlighted hundreds of products manufactured in Wisconsin since it began 2016. The winner will be announced on Thursday, Oct. 14 at WMC’s Business Day event in Pewaukee.
WMC will also be touring manufacturing companies across Wisconsin during October to highlight the diversity and excellence in the state’s top industry. To celebrate Manufacturing Day, WMC met with leaders from Eaton Corporation in Waukesha on Friday and toured their expanding production facility.
“With five facilities, 1,700 employees and a state-supplier spend of $214M in Wisconsin, Eaton makes a significant mark on manufacturing in the state. Manufacturing is the cornerstone of vibrant economic development in Wisconsin and Eaton is proud to be a part of that bright future,” said Eaton Corporation Power Systems President, Jon Wehrli. “This year, Eaton has invested $34 million into our Wisconsin operations and we are hiring. As manufacturing continues to thrive, it’s more important than ever to attract talent to Wisconsin and highlight the career opportunities in the trades.”
Additionally, WMC will be promoting various Manufacturing Month events, engaging in a robust social media campaign and releasing a number of videos throughout October.
More information about Manufacturing Month is available at WIManufacturingMonth.org.
Manufacturing Facts:
- Wisconsin manufacturers produce $65 billion in economic output each year
- Nearly 475,000 people – 1 in 6 workers – work in manufacturing in Wisconsin
- The average compensation for manufacturing workers in Wisconsin is over $74,000 per year – almost 50% more than the average
- Wisconsin exports nearly $20 billion worth of manufactured goods each year
- Due to labor shortages, 2.1 million manufacturing jobs could go unfilled by 2030 across the country
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