Milwaukee Region:
Business & Industry Powerhouse
Strategic Hub for Business Growth & Investment
The Milwaukee region stands as a diversified economic powerhouse with over 39,000 private nonfarm business establishments spanning manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, and emerging technology sectors. Home to global leaders like Northwestern Mutual, Rockwell Automation, and GE Healthcare, our region demonstrates remarkable resilience and growth across multiple industries.
Milwaukee’s business landscape features a balanced mix of established Fortune 500 corporations and innovative startups, creating a robust economic ecosystem. The region has shown particular strength in healthcare, professional services, and advanced manufacturing, with significant growth in these sectors between 2010-2021.
For business leaders considering expansion or relocation, Milwaukee offers exceptional workforce talent, strategic location advantages, and a business-friendly environment backed by strong public-private partnerships.
Private Nonfarm Business Establishments
| Private Nonfarm Business Establishments (11) | 2010 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 38,424 | 38,620 |
39,057 |
| Goods-producing | 5,787 | 5,504 | 5,512 |
| Natural resource & mining | 48 | 45 | 46 |
| Construction | 3,200 | 3,160 | 3,217 |
| Manufacturing | 2,539 | 2,299 | 2,249 |
| Service providing | 32,637 | 33,116 | 33,545 |
| Trade, transportation & utilities | 8,290 | 7,799 | 7,885 |
| Wholesale trade | 2,471 | 2,146 | 2,127 |
| Retail trade | 4,714 | 4,418 | 4,421 |
| Transportation, warehousing & utilities | 1,105 | 1,235 | 1,337 |
| Information | 618 | 638 | 641 |
| Financial activities | 4,113 | 4,059 | 4,108 |
| Finance & insurance | 2,781 | 2,521 | 2,502 |
| Real estate, rental & leasing | 1,332 | 1,538 | 1,606 |
| Professional & business services | 6,663 | 6,533 | 6,636 |
| Professional & technical services | 3,892 | 3,742 | 3,799 |
| Management of companies | 408 | 381 | 356 |
| Administrative & waste services | 2,363 | 2,410 | 2,481 |
| Educational & health services | 5,410 | 6,113 | 6,267 |
| Educational services | 580 | 591 | 579 |
| Health care & social assistance | 4,830 | 5,522 | 5,688 |
| Leisure & hospitality | 3,705 | 4,175 | 4,237 |
| Arts, entertainment & recreation | 594 | 684 | 692 |
| Accommodation & food services | 3,111 | 3,491 | 3,545 |
| Other services, excluding public | 3,794 | 3,754 | 3,738 |
| Unclassified & auxiliary | 44 | 45 | 33 |
| Private establishments 1,000+ employees | 51 | 44 | 40 |
HQ Milwaukee
Major companies with headquarters or significant operations in the Milwaukee region
| Company Name | Website | Revenue | Description | Local FTEs | Global FTEs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foley & Lardner LLP | foley.com | $1.2 billion | Full-service law firm | 425 | 2,200 |
| Milwaukee Tool | milwaukeetool.com | $10.0 billion | Global leader in delivering innovative solutions to the professional construction trades that increase productivity and safety; retail leader in hand-held, cordless power tools | 3,700 | 21,000 |
| SC Johnson | scjohnson.com | $10.0 billion | Global manufacturer of household cleaning products and products for home storage, air care, pest control and shoe care, as well as professional products | 2,500 | 13,000 |
| Kohl’s Corporation | kohls.com | $17.5 billion | Omnichannel retailer offering national and proprietary brands in apparel, footwear, accessories, beauty and home | 4,800 | 96,000 |
| Fiserv Inc. | www.fiserv.com | $19.1 billion | Provider of financial services and payments technology worldwide | 600 | 42,000 |
| GE Healthcare | www.gehealthcare.com | $19.9 billion | Medical technologies and services, including imaging, software, patient monitoring and diagnostics | 6,000 | 54,000 |
| West Bend Insurance Co. | thesilverlining.com | $2.1 billion | Provider of property and casualty insurance | 1,327 | 1,606 |
| Baird | www.rwbaird.com | $2.9 billion | Employee-owned, international wealth management, asset management, investment banking/capital markets and private equity firm | 1,817 | 5,274 |
| ManpowerGroup | www.manpowergroup.com | $20.7 billion | Global workforce solutions and services company | 550 | 25,000 |
| Johnson Controls International | www.johnsoncontrols.com | $23.6 billion | Global leader in building technologies and solutions | 1,790 | 101,000 |
| Quad | www.qg.com | $3.0 billion | Global marketing solutions company that helps brands re-imagine their marketing to be more streamlines, impactful, flexible and frictionless | 4,800 | 13,000 |
| Northwestern Mutual | www.northwesternmutual.com | $36.0 billion | Helping clients build financial security, in partnership with a financial advisor, through a unique planning experience that integrates insurance and investments | 8,200 | 8,200 |
| Snap-On Inc. | www.snapon.com | $4.7 billion | Manufacturer and marketer of tools, equipment, diagnostic, repair information and system solutions for professional users | 4,800 | 13,000 |
| Harley-Davidson Inc. | www.harley-davidson.com | $5.8 billion | Heavyweight motorcycles, parts and accessories; riding and fashion apparel | 2,280 | 6,400 |
| WEC Energy Group | www.wisconsinenergy.com | $8.9 billion | Electric, natural gas and steam utility | 3,000 | 7,000 |
| Rockwell Automation | www.rockwellautomation.com | $9.1 billion | Industrial automation, power, control and information technologies and services used by manufacturers globally | 3,290 | 29,000 |