Throughout its 18 weeks on the road, the AEM Manufacturing Express has crisscrossed 13,500 miles and engaged more than 80 AEM member companies and their employees. The association’s largest and greatest initiative in its 100-year history has surely made an impact – drawing nearly 100 elected officials to engage in the manufacturing space, and over 9,000 in-person engagements from employees at events.
As the bus made its way back to AEM headquarters in Milwaukee for a final celebration of the equipment manufacturing industry, it made stops throughout Wisconsin including Racine, Menomonee Falls, Mukwonago, and Waukesha, celebrating the 2.3 million men and women of our industry along the way. Stops at CNH Industrial, Wacker Neuson, Super Products, and Husco highlighted the state’s rich manufacturing history, and commitment to the future of the industry.
The AEM Manufacturing Express began the week with a visit to CNH Industrial – a company with 180 years of manufacturing history in Racine. Case IH Agriculture’s Racine Experience Center, part of CNH Industrial, is a testament to a historically famous and longstanding tradition of innovation. This experience center gives the company opportunities to engage with the greater Wisconsin community. Built in 2018 and taking up over 20,000 square feet, the center hosts more than 6,000 guests annually.
Check out some photos from the event at CNH Industrial below, or visit the AEM Manufacturing Express Flickr gallery
Heading into Menomonee Falls to Wacker Neuson, employees enjoyed the crisp fall air as they played the “Manufacturing Challenge” game. A spirit of camaraderie was in the air as employees enjoyed a barbeque lunch. AEM President Megan Tanel and Wisconsin Lieutenant Gov. Sara Rodriguez made remarks centering around the company’s impact on the local community, as well as the employees that make it all possible.
Check out some photos from the event at Wacker Neuson below, or visit the AEM Manufacturing Express Flickr gallery
Continuing on its journey, the bus made its way to Super Products, in Mukwonago. Over 50 employees made their way to the event, sporting the company’s signature red shirts. The company has a history of charitable giving in the local area, and the AEM Manufacturing Express event included a fundraiser for the local food pantry. The company’s impact was felt on Wednesday, as over 100 employees came out to show support for local charities and the equipment manufacturing industry as a whole.
Check out some photos from the event at Super Products below, or visit the AEM Manufacturing Express Flickr gallery
On Thursday, the AEM Manufacturing Express made a final member company visit to Husco in Waukesha, as around 400 employees gathered to rally around equipment manufacturing. During the event, the company announced that it will hire approximately 250 more employees and continue to invest in its presence in Wisconsin. "Manufacturing kind of gets a bad rap in the United States. It’s a cool job to work with your hands and also do automation and robotics and AI. There’s a lot of exciting stuff going on that people don’t think enough about," said CEO of Husco, Austin Ramirez.
To finish off the monumental tour, AEM headquarters in Milwaukee hosted an event for employees, friends, and families, complete with a taco truck, raffles, and remarks from AEM President Megan Tanel. As attendees celebrated the tour's success, they enjoyed the warm weather and looked back on their hard work over the past 18 weeks.
While the bus tour has ended, the efforts of AEM and its member companies to secure the future of equipment manufacturing is never over. The association continues to engage with elected officials, manufacturing employees, and the manufacturers that employe them to ensure our industry is stronger than ever.
About the AEM Manufacturing Express
The most ambitious and impactful public engagement initiative in AEM’s 130-year history, the AEM Manufacturing Express is an interactive mobile tour that will cover 20 states and make stops at more than 80 equipment manufacturers’ facilities in the Midwest, South, Mid-Atlantic, and states around the Great Lakes this summer and into the fall. Stay in the know on all things AEM Manufacturing Express by visiting www.manufacturingexpress.org.
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