(The Center Square) – Wisconsin manufacturers exported $24 billion worth of products in 2024 while making up 5% of the state’s total workforce, according to a new report from the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce.
The report again showed that Canada was the state’s top trade partner with nearly $8 billion worth of exports, followed by Mexico ($4.4 billion) and China ($1.6 billion).
The group claimed manufacturing added $73.7 billion to the state’s gross domestic product while Wisconsin manufacturers sold $209 billion in manufactured goods.
Nearly 150,000 Wisconsin workers are related to exports while more than 60,000 were supported by manufacture exports, nearly 89,000 were indirectly supported by exports.
The most recently available numbers also showed 75,900 jobs in Wisconsin manufacturing were with foreign-owned companies in 2022, double the total from 15 years prior.
“Wisconsin is a manufacturing state, so it is no surprise that manufacturers lead the way on exports,” WMC President & CEO Kurt R. Bauer said in a statement. “Wisconsin’s economy depends on manufacturing, and a growing number of manufacturers depend on exports.”
Despite the large quantity of exports, the state imported even more in 2024 with 29% of the state’s manufactured goods being imported over the past decade.
The top categories of exports were agriculture and construction machinery ($1.76 billion), computer equipment ($1.74 billion) and navigational and control instruments ($1.63 billion).
“Wisconsin has long played an important role in the national and global economy,” Bauer said. “We depend on internationally sourced raw materials and goods to then create components and products that we contribute elsewhere. It’s imperative we support this cycle through good policymaking, ensuring foreign and domestic markets are free, fair, and reciprocal.”
The top imports were pharmaceuticals ($4.80 billion), general-purpose machinery ($2.86 billion) and navigational and control instruments ($1.68 billion).
China was the top spot for manufactured imports ($6.42 billion), followed by Canada ($6.25 billion) and Mexico ($5.94 billion).
