Our new, 95,000-square-foot, MILWAUKEE manufacturing plant in West Bend, Wisconsin is a US$55 million state-of-the-art facility located only 20 minutes from our MILWAUKEE North America headquarters. The advanced technology and equipment within the facility allows us to manufacture hand tools in the USA for the first time ever. The facility is committed to producing high-quality tools for professionals and consumers in electrical, power utility, plumbing, and mechanical trades. It has created 150 new jobs and is the first development in the City of West Bend’s newest 216-acre industrial park - the West Bend Manufacturing Center. Our facility has incorporated proactive ergonomic, safety, and sustainability considerations into the design of the facility. With the highest level of innovation in its class, this factory enables us to achieve better control and efficiency in our operations while setting a new benchmark for safety, efficiency, and innovation.
Safety & Ergonomics
When laying out the facility and processes, ergonomic design principles were incorporated into each workstation. Height-adjustable worktables are used to ensure our team members can position work in their comfort zone. Self-adjusting pallet risers are used to keep parts and bins at an optimal position for lifting and handling thereby reducing the risk of injury and increasing efficiency. Pick-and-place robots are also used in machining centers, eliminating highly repetitive tasks that can lead to repetitive motion injuries over time. We also have machine guarding with safety circuitry being used on all automated systems to ensure the safety of our team members.
Environmental & Sustainability
In addition to a strong focus on ensuring the safest work environments, our MILWAUKEE business and our West Bend facility are highly committed to energy efficiency, using advanced technologies and processes to minimize our impact on the environment. Sustainable operations are an important part of our culture. By using technologies such as high efficiency HVAC /process equipment and occupancy sensors for the LED facility lighting, we are able to operate while reducing our impact on the environment. Our MILWAUKEE business is continually exploring new methods of eliminating waste from our operations. When process scrap does occur at the West Bend facility, we search for ways to reuse and/or recycle these waste streams in a sustainable and environmentally friendly method. The robust recycling methods will help us to further increase our waste diverted from landfills. Our new West Bend facility highlights our commitment to environmental and sustainable progress.