Primary Industries in Milwaukee
Milwaukee’s strongest manufacturing sectors — and the precision parts we machine for each.
Robotics & Automation
Milwaukee is synonymous with industrial automation — Rockwell Automation's global headquarters drives factory-floor robotics integration worldwide, while Kuka's North American service network, Fanuc authorized integrators, and dozens of systems houses build robotic cells for the region's food-processing, metalworking, and packaging industries. Johnson Controls (now JCI) in Glendale automates building systems, and Rethink Robotics' legacy cobots remain deployed across Wisconsin manufacturers.
Explore Robotics & Automation in MilwaukeeIndustrial Equipment
Milwaukee is one of America's most concentrated industrial equipment manufacturing centers. Rexnord (now part of Zurn Elkay) produces power-transmission components and conveyor equipment. A. O. Smith Corporation in Milwaukee manufactures commercial water heaters, boilers, and water-treatment products. Briggs & Stratton (Wauwatosa) builds power equipment, while Nordyne and Johnson Controls maintain major HVAC operations in the metro. Rockwell Automation's headquarters in Milwaukee drives demand for industrial control components, and the region's deep toolmaking heritage supports Tier 2 machining for pumps, valves, and gearboxes.
Explore Industrial Equipment in MilwaukeeDefense
Milwaukee's defense contribution flows through its industrial manufacturing base — Oshkosh Defense builds tactical vehicles like the JLTV just up I-41, General Electric's aviation operations serve engine programs, and a deep network of precision machining shops feed ground vehicle, naval, and aviation supply chains.
Explore Defense in Milwaukee