Proud to be Wisconsin made

Wisconsin is a land of bountiful resources and a nationally-recognized work ethic.

It is a place where fertile fields, clear waters and the labor of farmers’ backs help feed the world. It is a place where minerals deposited millennia ago are mined and refined. It is a place where products from the field and the mines, tempered by innovation and molded by imagination, are transformed—through manufacturing and entrepreneurship— into thousands of goods that help make everyday life better. It is a place where dreams are cultivated and imaginations take flight, where sketches on a napkin can be turned into prototypes and engineered to meet the demands of the 21st century and beyond.

Wisconsin has been a national leader in manufacturing beginning early in its history, even before the region became a state. The state’s mines provided the resources to fuel industrial growth throughout the Great Lakes region and the heavy industry in the southern and eastern parts of the state continue to be major players in the state’s economy.

Wisconsin has maintained that entrepreneurial drive to the current day with innovation driving new manufacturing enterprises.

According to state and national labor statistics, about 466,000 Wisconsin residents work in manufacturing. This accounts for 15.78% of the state’s overall workforce. The economic impact of manufacturing on the state’s economy is even larger because manufacturers add value to the resources and products of the state’s farms and fields.

Nationally, manufacturing accounts for about 12.76 million jobs in the United States, or about 8.5 % of the total workforce. Wisconsin’s percentage is nearly double the national average and is in a dead heat with Indiana, another Great Lakes state, for the top spot nationally for manufacturing employment as a percent of total state employment. At the end of 2024, Indiana was at 15.83%. The economic impact of manufacturing tops $73.7 billion dollars in the state economy, up nearly $10 billion from during the pandemic.

Manufacturing in Wisconsin has deep roots. In 1851, the state adopted its current seal, which can be seen on every state flag. In the center of that seal is a shield divided into four areas representing agriculture (plow), mining (pick and shovel), manufacturing (arm and hammer), and navigation (anchor).

While the numbers tell an impressive story on their own, manufacturing is more than just output and economic impact statistics. Manufacturing is about putting the state’s most valuable resource — the creativity and drive of its workforce — into action. In the drive to push Wisconsin ever forward, and fulfill the challenge that past generations enshrined in the state’s motto, the talents and work ethic of Wisconsin residents continues to be the most important resource.

Manufacturing starts with a need and an idea of how to fill that need. Tinkerers, designers, and engineers then develop that idea, taking it from a sketch on the back of a napkin into mass production. Along the way they are called on to solve issues that arise, from sourcing materials to securing investors and attracting workers.

The items produced here in central Wisconsin are as diverse as the people who call this area home. There are woodworkers who take the resources of the forests and put them into furniture and cabinetry. There are those who take the fruit of fields and turn them into beverages to be consumed and shared. Others work behind the scenes, producing the equipment and providing the expertise to help other manufacturers succeed and grow.

This week, we celebrate Wisconsin’s manufacturing heritage with the annual Made In Wisconsin section. The section highlights products that are proud to be Wisconsin made. Join us in celebrating the products that are made here in Wisconsin.

The Tribune Record Gleaner editorial board consists of publisher Kris O’Leary and Star News editor Brian Wilson.