Success Stories

Blue7 Solutions

Blue Star Infotech of India and Trisept Solutions of Bayside have announced a joint venture, Blue7 Solutions, that will create 250 new jobs in Bayside over the next five years at an average salary of $60,000. This marks Milwaukee 7's largest foreign direct investment project to date.

Blue7 Solutions will be a “Travel Services Center of Excellence” serving the customers of Blue Star and Trisept. Blue Star Infotech, based in Mumbai, India, is an IT firm that operates seven software development centers in Mumbai and Bangalore. Trisept Solutions, headquartered in Bayside, has 180 employees worldwide and provides technology services for vacation packages and travel agencies, facilitating 3.5 million travel packages annually. Wisconsin was in competition with four other states for the operation, including Michigan, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia.

Paul Davis Restoration

Paul Davis Restoration is moving its headquarters,
training facility, and 100 jobs to Milwaukee’s south side in a new 40,000 square-foot building. Paul Davis Restoration is a series of local franchises owned by The Franchise Company
out of Toronto, Canada. The company provides insurance and disaster recovery services including construction, restoration and stabilization, data and record recovery, and equipment restoration. 

Paul Davis will make a capital investment of $10 million in equipment and a new headquarters building to be located in Milwaukee along I-94 north of Becher, and will create approximately 100 jobs over the next six years. The company considered other cities including Houston, Omaha and Indianapolis for its national headquarters and training facility before choosing Milwaukee.

Milwaukee Electric Tool

Milwaukee Electric Tool is expanding its research and development center, and creating more than 100 new jobs. The company, which is headquartered in Brookfield, manufactures heavy-duty, portable
electric power tools and accessories for professional users worldwide.

In the next few years, Milwaukee Electric Tool plans to add 103 jobs including project engineers, research and development personnel and marketing managers. The company's facility in Brookfield has more than 400 employees. Milwaukee currently employs approximately 1,000 people globally.

Inesa

Inesa has located its flagship North American operation in Milwaukee’s Menomonee River Valley.  The company manufactures electric panels for customers serving a variety of industrial markets. Inesa is a joint venture between Grupo Elektra and Ine, both headquartered in Spain.  The company will occupy 5,700 square feet of space at the Canal Street Commerce Center, where it will assemble and test panels.  The company will initially employ five people at the Milwaukee location.

“Milwaukee was on our radar screen because Ingeteam and Talgo, which are already customers, are located here,” said Iñigo Lopetegui, Operating Manager for Inesa.  “But we quickly realized that Milwaukee’s deep manufacturing assets, such as a highly skilled workforce, would support the long-term objective of growing our U.S. customer base.  This is an excellent place for manufacturers like us.” 

Bostik

Bostik is consolidating its R&D operations and planning a $10 million expansion at its U.S. headquarters in Wauwatosa,
resulting in the creation of 76 new jobs. Bostik has 164
employees in Wauwatosa and is among the largest manufacturers of
adhesives and sealants in the world. Bostik is part of Bostik worldwide, which is based in France. Bostik has operations in eight other U.S. states and 40 countries, with worldwide employment of 4,600. 

Wauwatosa will become a Bostik Global Center of Excellence for adhesives technology. Other locations were strongly considered for the operation. “We looked at consolidating our R&D facilities in Paris, Shanghai or Wauwatosa,” said Bob Marquette, Bostik president and CEO.

Baptista's Bakery

Baptista’s Bakery is planning a major expansion that will nearly double the size of its baking facility in Franklin. The $75 million project will add
new equipment and about 120,000 square feet of additional space. The contract manufacturer of baked snacks currently has 160 employees and plans to add more than 200 new full-time jobs when the expansion is completed. The City of Franklin is providing a $500,000 grant in conjunction
with $2.26 million from a state tax credit program to support the expansion.

Stella & Chewy's

Stella & Chewy’s, a producer of natural pet food for dogs and cats, is moving from Muskego to a larger location in Milwaukee. The company produces high-end pet food for dogs and cats from 95% all-natural meat and organic fruits and vegetables that is frozen or freeze-dried, which maintains the taste and nutritional benefits. Stella & Chewy's currently has 26 employees and plans to add
eight or nine more with the expansion, which includes $6 million in
capital investment.

Thomas Magnete

Thomas Magnete, a German manufacturer of fluid power devices for the automotive and machinery markets, has selected Brookfield for its first production facility in the U.S. to better serve and expand its American customer base.

Thomas Magnete USA is owned by Thomas Magnete GmbH, headquartered in Herdorf, Germany, with operations in Europe and Asia. The company will spend $3 million to buy equipment and renovate a 20,000-square-foot leased building, and expects to create 27 new jobs by 2015. The State of Wisconsin, Waukesha County, the City of Brookfield and M7 worked collaboratively to secure this project. The company chose the Milwaukee Region based on its workforce, location, educational system and infrastructure that all directly support manufacturing.

Sic Lazaro

Spanish firm Sic Lazaro, a producer of industrial
counterweights, is establishing its first manufacturing operation
in North America on Milwaukee’s far north side. The company
will occupy a 138,000-square-foot manufacturing facility at
7044-7100 N. Teutonia Ave. Sic Lazaro expects to open in fall
2011 and hire about 30 employees within a year.

The company targeted Wisconsin as a location because of the state’s manufacturing heritage and base. “We think Milwaukee is an excellent location for manufacturing and an ideal place from which to serve the U.S. market,” said Cliff Ratza, who will manage the company’s Milwaukee plant.

Quad/Graphics

Quad/Graphics will create as many as 1,300 jobs in southeast
Wisconsin as it merges operations following the acquisition of World Color Press Inc. in 2010 for $1.3 billion. “Milwaukee 7
was instrumental in helping us early on in our process of
deciding where to put these 1,300 jobs,” said Joel Quadracci,
Quad/Graphics chairman, president and CEO.

Now the second-largest printer in the Western Hemisphere, Sussex-based Quad is receiving $46 million in state assistance through Enterprise Zone tax credits to create the new jobs and retain 5,500 existing jobs in Wisconsin. The merged company has combined sales of $5.1 billion and 30,000 employees, with about 6,000 workers in Wisconsin at five plants.

Bucyrus International

Bucyrus International is expanding its mining equipment operations and
will create 515 jobs as a result of growing demand and the acquisition of the mining division of Terex Corp. South Milwaukee-based Bucyrus is investing $44 million for the project, including $5 million for worker training and $39 million in capital investment to rehab the former Midwest Airlines headquarters in Oak Creek that will serve as its headquarters. The state is providing $20 million in the form of Enterprise Zone tax credits to
support the company’s consolidation and expansion.

Caterpillar, the world's largest construction equipment maker, recently announced it has agreed to buy Bucyrus for $7.6 billion to greatly expand its mining machine manufacturing footprint, adding large shovels and drills to its range of smaller mining machinery. Peoria, Ill.-based Cat will locate its global mining division headquarters at Bucyrus' new headquarters in Oak Creek.

Seda International Packaging Group

Seda International Packaging Group, a world leader in paper
converting for the food industry, is locating its North American
packaging facility in Racine County, creating 189 new jobs. The state
is providing $4.2 million in tax credits and a $1.5 million Community Development Block Grant forgivable loan. Italy-based Seda chose Wisconsin for its first North American location over Toronto and Pennsylvania.

“Wisconsin’s well-trained workforce and Gov. Doyle’s personal pitch to our company are among the major reasons we are locating our manufacturing operations in Wisconsin, and we look forward to a long and successful relationship with the state,” said Gianfranco D'Amato, managing director of Seda International Packaging Group. The Seda Group produces packaging for ice cream, beverages and fast food containers.

Waukesha Electric Systems

Waukesha Electric Systems is breaking ground on a $70 million plant expansion that is expected to add up to 250 jobs. One of the largest manufacturers of power transformers in the U.S., Waukesha Electric is preparing to build bigger power
transformers that can cost up to $10 million each and weigh hundreds of tons.
The company considered sites in Turkey, China, India and other parts of the U.S.

Telcom & Data

Telcom & Data, a 15-year-old provider of
telecommunications products, has selected Bay View on Milwaukee’s south side for its new location. The company chose Milwaukee because it wanted to escape the expense of Chicago, but stay in a vibrant community. “Milwaukee is like Chicago in that we’re by the lake, it’s got a lot of great places like Chicago, but it’s not like Chicago in that it’s much more affordable to live here (and) rent space here,” said Telcom President Ricardo Trinidad. The company plans on hiring 20 workers with room to expand up to 30.

American Micro Detection Systems, Inc.

American Micro Detection Systems, Inc., a water technology company, announced it has chosen Milwaukee as the location for its manufacturing and support operations. AMDS, headquartered in Stockton, Cal., manufactures sophisticated analytical instruments used to detect contaminants in water and other fluids. The company will initially employ around 10 people when it opens in, but hopes to have several hundred employees in five years.

AMDS' decision to locate in Milwaukee is another example of how water technology is becoming a strong driver of economic development in southeast Wisconsin. AMDS considered two other U.S. cities before selecting Milwaukee for its operations. Key factors in the company's decision were the region's focus on water technology and our core group of companies and academic institutions, including UW-Milwaukee's School of Freshwater Sciences; a deep pool of manufacturing talent; assets that support manufacturing; and investment by Badger Meter.

Helios USA

Helios USA has chosen Milwaukee's Menomonee Valley as the site for its first photovoltaic manufacturing plant serving the growing North American market. The first solar module manufacturer in Wisconsin, Helios will begin full production in the fourth quarter of 2010 and utilize an advanced, automated production platform to serve both the commercial and residential markets.

Helios selected Milwaukee based on its energy-related manufacturing heritage and its skilled labor pool. The company expects to hire 10 to 20 people by the end of 2010 and more than 50 by the following summer. Multiple entities collaborated to lure Helios to Milwaukee, including the Milwaukee 7, City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee Economic Development Corporation, Wisconsin Department of Commerce and BizStarts.

Talgo

Spanish train manufacturer Talgo, Inc. is locating its first U.S.
assembly plant in Milwaukee.  Talgo, based in Madrid, had
considered a half dozen sites for its U.S. plant. The 134,000-square-foot Milwaukee facility will assemble Talgo high speed trains for the entire United States and create up to 125 jobs initially.

Last year, Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle made a bold commitment to purchase two 14-car trains for $47 million from Talgo for Amtrak's Milwaukee-to-Chicago line.

Ingeteam

Ingeteam Inc., a Spanish manufacturer of wind turbine
generators, will bring 275 jobs to a new factory to be built in Milwaukee that will serve as the company’s North American headquarters. The new 50,000-square-foot plant will be constructed in the Menomonee Valley, a former brownfield that has received national awards for its revitalization. The Zamudio, Spain-based company selected Milwaukee from 80 sites.

“Milwaukee has a labor pool experienced in electrical manufacturing…the area also boasts prestigious universities with some of the highest-ranked engineering departments in the country," said Aitor Sotes, CEO of Ingeteam Inc.

Another lure was a new state tax credit provided to companies that create full-time jobs.

Republic Airways

Republic Airways Holdings Inc., parent company of
Midwest Airlines, plans to move 800 jobs to Milwaukee and Oak Creek, including the relocation of at least 300 jobs from Frontier Airlines, comprising 200 heavy-maintenance positions now located
in Denver and about 100 call-center employees now stationed in
Las Cruces, N.M. Republic acquired Frontier in a deal that closed Oct. 1.

The consolidation plan will retain 800 jobs and create up to 800 more. Job functions include flight crews, heavy aircraft maintenance and technical support and reservations call center. “We are pleased that Republic Airlines chose to expand in Milwaukee County,” Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker said. “This is a big win for the Milwaukee 7 and for General Mitchell International Airport.”

C&D Technologies

C&D Technologies, a manufacturer of industrial batteries headquartered in Pennsylvania with a plant
in Milwaukee, was having workforce and permitting issues here. Milwaukee 7 spearheaded a regional response, which helped establish 50 additional jobs. Additional assistance helped secure a federal earmark for the company that led to an initial commitment to bring a multimillion-dollar lithium-ion battery research facility and up to 150 new jobs to Milwaukee, beating out Pennsylvania and Shanghai, China, for the plant.

Clifton Gunderson

Clifton Gunderson, one of the nation’s largest certified public accounting and consulting firms, relocated its corporate headquarters from Peoria, Ill. to Wauwatosa on June 1, 2009. 

The move was made in conjunction with the promotion of Krista McMasters to CEO. Only the fourth CEO in Clifton Gunderson’s nearly 50 year history, McMasters also is the first and only female to serve as CEO among the nation’s top 25 certified public accounting firms in the history of the profession.

“Milwaukee is a vibrant city, rich in culture and history, and locating our firm headquarters here reinforces our commitment to Wisconsin and to our local clients.” said McMasters. “This decision will allow us to better support and meet the needs of our Milwaukee-area clients while continuing to provide the high level of quality and service they have come to expect from us.”

Gehl Corporation

Gehl Corporation, the West Bend manufacturer of construction and agricultural equipment, considered relocating to another state. At risk were 190 high
paying headquarter jobs, and the potential of more
than 80 new R&D positions. Thanks to a regional
response coordinated by the Milwaukee 7 that
included $7 million in state, county and municipal incentives, Gehl built a new $20 million headquarters
and R&D facility that stabilizes and anchors West Bend.

Tech Upgrade

DAN KLASEN

Dan Klasen, president of Tech Upgrade, Inc., wasn’t expecting to relocate his business from Chicago to Milwaukee. But thanks to a helping hand from the Milwaukee 7 economic development team, the State of Wisconsin and resources like the ChooseMilwaukee.com web site, Klasen’s business is now thriving in downtown Milwaukee.      Learn more...
 

Patient Care

Jane Cooper

Jane Cooper never intended to leave New Orleans. “I took off from my house to go jogging, went around the corner, and saw the water. I turned around and went back to my house, my husband and I packed up what we could, and we got out.”

Hurricane Katrina ensured that she would not return, leaving behind not only her home, but a successful business – Patient Care – that she started in 2001. Learn more...