State Rep. Warren Petryk

Every October, Wisconsin takes time to recognize our incredible manufacturing industry that supports our state's economy.  In fact, with over $68 billion in annual economic output, or 20% of the state's total gross domestic product, manufacturing is the largest contributor to our economy. This is because of our state’s rich and proud tradition that continues to be one of the reasons our state is a top destination for businesses to locate to Wisconsin.

These businesses include multinational corporations like Rockwell Automation, Kohler Company, Mercury Marine, and Oshkosh Corp. Nearly 1 in 6 people employed in our state are employed in manufacturing thanks in part to these businesses. The U.S. Census Bureau consistently ranks Wisconsin as one of the states with the highest jobs per capita because of this. Additionally, these jobs on average typically pay over $66,000 a year in Wisconsin.

Also, one of our state’s strengths comes from the variety of our local businesses and manufacturing industry. This variety is showcased during the annual "Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin" competition hosted by Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce. These companies compete in a bracket-style competition to see which one is the "Coolest." This year, a number of local businesses were selected to participate in the competition, including:

• All Natural Cheddar Cheese Curds, Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery, Ellsworth
• Direct from the Cheese Curd Capital of Wisconsin, Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery's award-winning Cheese Curds taste like no other because they are crafted with only rBST free milk from their 250 family farms throughout Wisconsin and Minnesota.
• The Merchants Bridge, Veritas Steel, Eau Claire

o   Veritas is fabricating the bridge trusses to help rehab the 130-year-old Merchant Bridge in downtown St. Louis which handles an average of 38 trains daily. With the update the bridge will see an increase of 49% in rail tonnage.

• EV Belt Loader, Wollard International, Eau Claire

o   Wollard provides the aviation industry with the tools ground personnel need to excel in safety, reliability, and performance. Their zero emission EV belt loader helps safely load and unload baggage and cargo from aircrafts.

And as Chair of the Assembly Workforce Development and Economic Opportunities Committee, I know that to support our manufacturers we need to continue to invest in the workforce of our manufacturing sectors. We can do this by continuing to support programs like Youth Apprenticeship, which help get students a chance to work and learn about this important industry. We need to continue to support our Registered Apprenticeship program, which provides people an opportunity to earn while they learn. In addition, supporting programs like Tech Education Equipment grants help expose students in high school to the amazing opportunities that this sector provides will help spark more interest in staying and working in our wonderful state.

As the session continues, I look forward to working on expanding the opportunities for our manufacturers, small and large, in our state.