Milwaukee Tool Announces New WI Hand Tools Plant

A little more than a month after announcing a $100+ million expansion in south central and southeastern Wisconsin, Milwaukee Tool on Friday announced further expansion in the dairy state in the form of a new $26 million plant that will make hand tools.

The company said the vertically integrated manufacturing plant will be built in West Bend, about 20 minutes from Milwaukee Tool's global headquarters. The company expects to break ground on construction in April of this year, with production to begin in early 2021.

The plant will produce hand tools for professional electricians and utility linemen.

"With a focus on core users in the Electrical, Plumbing, and Mechanical trades, our strategy for hand tools from the beginning has been to disrupt the market with superior performance, quality, and user-driven feature sets," said Tim Albrecht, Milwaukee Tool president of hand tools. "As we continue with that strategy, we are thrilled to invest in state-of-the-art technology and equipment, and a skilled labor force — right in the heart of Wisconsin — to deliver the next wave of hand tool innovation to the industry."

On Dec. 18, Milwaukee Tool announced that it will invest $100+ million in a new campus at Menomonee Falls, WI and spend $7.5 million to expand its Imperial Blades production facilities in the Madison suburb of Sun Prairie.

"We will continue to invest, we will continue to grow, and we will continue to change the game," said Steve Richman, group president of Milwaukee Tool. "In 2020 alone, we will invest over $100 million, and create 350 jobs in the United States to diversify our operations and better serve the professional trades."

The company currently has US manufacturing and distribution operations in Mississippi locations of Greenwood, Olive Branch and Jackson, as well as Mukwonago and Sun Prairie in Wisconsin. Along with the new West Bend plant, the company said Friday its other 2020 expansion plans include operations in Cookeville, TN for power tool manufacturing and assembly; Sun Prairie for accessories manufacturing; and in Olive Branch for a new 766,000-square-foot distribution facility.

Milwaukee Tool stated that the company has grown from 190,000-square-feet and 300 jobs in Brookfield, WI in 2011 to 390,000-square-feet and 1,400+ jobs this year. 

"While US Manufacturing and distribution are an integral part of Milwaukee Tool’s global footprint, the disruptive innovation for the trades all start at the Global Headquarters in Brookfield, WI," the company said. "With an additional 329,500-square-feet of space slated to open in 2020 and a recent announcement of 65 acres of land purchased in Menomonee Falls, WI, Milwaukee Tool is positioned to stay in the heart of Wisconsin long-term."