Wisconsin
is
well-integrated into the global economy. In 2005 Wisconsin
firms
shipped over $15 billion worth of products to other
countries.
Click here
for information on what Wisconsin exports and where those products
go.
Internationally-known
firms like Harley-Davidson, Johnson Controls, GE
Healthcare, S. C. Johnson, and Trek Bicycle call Wisconsin
home.
A number of firms headquartered outside of the United States have
chosen Wisconsin for production and distribution sites, including Bodum
A/S, Fiat Auto S.P.A., Fiskars Corp., Kerry Group Plc., Kikkoman Corp.,
Merck KGaA, Nestlé SA, Robert Bosch GmbH, Siemens AG, and
Sony
Corp. For information on these and additional international
firms
that have
investment in the state, click here.
You can view a
5-minute video on Wisconsin's business
advantages, narrated by Gov. Jim Doyle by clicking on one of the
appropriate links below or to save the video to your hard
drive,
right click on the link below and select Save As.
56K
(1.44
MB)
Broadband
(10.24
MB)
Manufacturing
Evolution of the
state's large manufacturing sector
began in the 19th
century in response to the growing needs of Midwestern forestry,
mining, and agriculture. Milwaukee emerged as the major center for the
production of non-electrical machinery industry in Wisconsin. The state
leads the nation in production of small horse-powered gasoline engines,
power cranes, shovel hoists, mining machinery, and other types of
industrial equipment.
Other
industry groups that
have grown to national prominence include electrical machinery and
equipment, transportation equipment, fabricated metals, paper and
allied products, printing and food processing. Manufacturing activity
is concentrated largely in the southeastern and east-central regions of
the state. Northern Wisconsin, however, retains the majority of
forestry-based manufacturing plants.
Currently,
the
manufacturing sector provides approximately 572,000 jobs in Wisconsin,
the second-largest of any industrial sector. The manufacturing sector
is also strong in terms of income generation, contributing 20 percent
of Wisconsin's personal income. Between 1984 and 1994, Wisconsin has
increased its share of national manufacturing employment.
The Wisconsin
Department of Commerce works
with the state's manufacturers to
increase their export sales and involvement with the global economy.
Agriculture
Cash receipts
from
farm products totaled $5.623 billion in 2004 (this
excludes production that
remains on the farm). Dairy products provide nearly 50 percent of the
income
received by state farmers. Long known as "America's Dairyland,"
Wisconsin is the national leader in the production of milk, cheese,
butter, and many dry and condensed milk products. A second source of
farm income, roughly 23 percent, is from the sale of cattle, calves,
hogs, poultry, eggs, and other livestock. A third source of farm income
is cash crops, including vegetables for processing. The state usually
leads the nation in the production of sweet corn, green peas, snap
beans, beets, and cabbage for kraut. The state is also a large producer
of cranberries, lima beans, cucumbers for pickles, and
potatoes. More information on the state's
agricultural
economy is available from the Wisconsin
Department of
Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.
Tourism
Besides its
industry,
Wisconsin is popular as a vacation land. Endowed with many lakes,
streams, forests, and places of natural beauty and historic interest
and
complemented
with urban culture and nightlife,
the state is ideal for recreation and tourism. With the growing
popularity of skiing and snowmobiling, outdoor recreation is a
year-round activity. According to the 2004 Wisconsin tourism economic
impact study, tourism generated $1.917 billion in state and local
revenues. Information about Wisconsin's tourism promotion
programs and services is
available from the Wisconsin
Department of Tourism.
The
remaining economic sectors are mining, construction, and trade;
transportation, communication, and public utilities; and finance,
services, and government. These sectors account for nearly 70 percent
of all Wisconsin jobs. The fastest-growing sectors in recent years are
the trade, financing, and service sector. Within these three sectors,
business services employment is the fastest-growing industry, while
medical services and eating and drinking establishments provide the
greatest number of jobs.
Translated
by: International
Communication by
Design
