Above: Two workers at the Greenheck Fan Corp. in Schofield, Wisconsin, the state's 7th largest manufacturing company based on number of employees (image courtesy of Greenheck Fan Corp.)
Wisconsin's manufacturing sector is one of the most diverse and durable in the Midwest, home to a mix of global brands, family-owned enterprises and a skilled workforce that has powered the state's industrial economy for generations.. Home to 8,000+ manufacturing plants employing more than 560,000 workers, the Badger State ranks as the 9th largest state in the U.S. for the size of its manufacturing workforce.
This article will explore the latest facts on Wisconsin’s manufacturing sector and will provide details on the top manufacturing companies in Wisconsin.
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Key Facts on Wisconsin’s Manufacturing Sector
According to MNI, compiler of the industrial information that powers IndustrySelect, Wisconsin is currently home to 8,542 manufacturing companies employing 566,225 workers.
Milwaukee is Wisconsin’s largest city based on number of industrial jobs, with 40,597 workers, reports MNI.
Read more: Top Manufacturing Cities in the U.S.
Other top cities in Wisconsin include
- Green Bay (23,031 jobs)
- Madison (15,621 jobs)
- Appleton (14,957 jobs)
- Oshkosh (14,105 jobs)
Milwaukee County is Wisconsin’s largest in terms of manufacturing jobs, home to 80,179 workers. This is followed by Waukesha County with 65,584 workers, Dane County (39,888 jobs), Brown County (35,045 jobs) and Sheboygan County (27,291 jobs).
The industrial machinery sector ranks as Wisconsin’s largest based on number of jobs, employing 18% of the state’s industrial workers. This is followed by food products, with 13% of the state’s workforce and fabricated metals, with 12%.
Rubber and miscellaneous rubber products account for 8% of Wisconsin’s manufacturing jobs and the electronic and other electric equipment sector also accounts for 8%.
MNI reports there are 33,894 executive contacts among Wisconsin’s industrial companies, including 4,733 presidents, 3,143 owners and partners; 3,202 vice-presidents and 6,315 sales, marketing and purchasing executives.
Other facts to know about Wisconsin manufacturers, based on IndustrySelect’s advanced criteria available to subscribers, include ownership, distribution and other trends. Let’s take a look:
- 2% of Wisconsin manufacturers are women-owned
- 8% are publicly owned companies
- 12% import raw materials
- 27% distribute their products internationally.
Next, we’ll take a look at the state’s top companies.
Top 10 Manufacturing Companies in Wisconsin
| Company | City | State | Employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kohler Co. | Kohler | WI | 7,300 |
| Oshkosh Defense, LLC | Oshkosh | WI | 5,000 |
| Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc. | Arcadia | WI | 3,500 |
| Mercury Marine | Fond du Lac | WI | 3,100 |
| Abbott Cancer Diagnostics | Madison | WI | 3,000 |
| Rockwell Automation, Inc. | Milwaukee | WI | 3,000 |
| Greenheck | Schofield | WI | 2,500 |
| Briggs & Stratton, LLC | Wauwatosa | WI | 2,140 |
| GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc. | Waukesha | WI | 2,000 |
| Oshkosh Truck Corp. | Oshkosh | WI | 2,000 |
About the Top 10 Manufacturing Companies in Wisconsin
1. Kohler Co. (Kohler, WI)
Established in 1893 in the town of Kohler, Kohler Co. is a longstanding global leader in the manufacturing of kitchen and bath products, as well as engines and power systems, premier furniture, cabinetry and tile. 7,300 employees work at this 5.2 million square-foot facility, making it Wisconsin’s largest industrial site by number of employees.
2. Oshkosh Defense, LLC (Oshkosh, WI)
Oshkosh Defense, LLC, headquartered in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, is a global leader in the design, production, and sustainment of advanced military vehicles and mobility systems. Established in 1917, Oshkosh Defense has a rich history of delivering mission-critical technology and mobility solutions for military and delivery fleet operations.
3. Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc. (Arcadia, WI)
Employing 3,500 workers in the town of Arcadia, this Ashley Furniture location serves as the company’s headquarters and ranks as the state’s second-largest industrial employer. Established in 1945, Ashley Furniture is among world’s largest furniture manufacturers, with 12 locations in the United States and factories in China and Vietnam employing 35,000 worldwide.
4. Mercury Marine (Fond du Lac, WI)
Ranking third in the state for manufacturing employment, Mercury Marine’s Fond Du Lac location serves as the company’s divisional headquarters and produces recreational & commercial marine propulsion systems, including outboard, sterndrive & inbound engines, propellers, parts and accessories. Founded in 1939, this location employs 3,100 in the town of Fond du Lac and occupies a facility encompassing 2.4 million square feet.
5. Abbot Cancer Diagnostics (Madison, WI)
Abbot Cancer Diagnostics is a leading molecular diagnostics company based in Madison, Wisconsin. Founded in 1995, the company specializes in the early detection and prevention of cancer. Their flagship product, Cologuard, is a non-invasive stool DNA test for colorectal cancer.
6. Rockwell Automation (Milwaukee, WI)
Rockwell Automation is a global leader in products and solutions for applications in the oil & gas, pipeline and petroleum processing industries, including the manufacture of programmable controllers, motor controls, variable speed drives, and visualization and business connectivity software. Established in 1903, the company’s Milwaukee location employs 3,000 and operates out of a 1 million square-foot facility.
7. Greenheck Fan Corp. (Schofield, WI)
This Greenheck Fan Corp location in the town of Schofield serves as the company’s headquarters and is one of two Greenheck operations in the U.S. Employing 2,500, this location produces ventilation products and fans, including centrifugal and vane axial fans, kitchen ventilation systems, dampers, louvers, laboratory exhausts, and more from a 1.8 million square-foot facility.
8. Briggs & Stratton Corp. (Wauwatosa, WI)
Employing 2,300 in the town of Wauwatosa, this Briggs and Stratton location operates as the company’s headquarters and produces small gasoline engines, portable generators, pressure washers, lawn & garden, and turf care products. This 3.5 million square-foot facility was established in 1908 and distributes its products around the world.
9. GE Healthcare Global Parts Co., Inc. (Waukesha, WI)
Reporting annual sales of $4 billion, this HE Healthcare site in Waukesha is a major Wisconsin industrial employer, home to 2,000 workers. Established in 1973, this Waukesha location operates as the company’s divisional headquarters and produces diagnostic imaging medical equipment.
10. Oshkosh Truck Corp. (Oshkosh, WI)
Founded in 1917, Oshkosh Corp. is a manufacturer of specialty trucks, military vehicles, truck bodies, airport fire apparatus, and access equipment with roots in its namesake Wisconsin city. Its purpose-built vehicles serve defense, firefighting, refuse collection, construction, and airport operations across 150 countries, produced across more than 35 manufacturing plants worldwide.
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Editor's note: This article was first published in July 2022. It is updated annually to reflect new statistics in Wisconsin.