“What’s next?” for the former Bucyrus campus is quickly being answered — and the news continues to be exciting for the future of our city.
The latest addition is Dawn Equipment, an Illinois-based maker of innovative farming equipoment that has chosen to expand operations in downtown South Milwaukee.
The manufacturer joins Steele Solutions — which recently signed a lease for more than 200,000 square feet — and Badger Industries as next-generation uses of the campus in the heart of our city.
And there is more exciting news in the pipeline for the campus — and around the city, especially downtown.
Find more details about Dawn’s expansion in Farm Equipment and in today’s Milwaukee Business Journal (subscription required). From the trade publication …
“The interesting thing about Milwaukee is there’s such a legacy of heavy equipment manufacturing,” he says. “You have all the pieces you need right here, in terms of steel, heat treating and the labor pool. It’s a really amazing ecosystem of manufacturers.
“I’m in awe of the scale of the location we’re moving into” he says. “The shovels that dug the Panama Canal were built right on that same floor. You have that legacy of American manufacturing that we can bring back to life by building something big again in these historic plants.” Bassett plans to run a research and development site on the premises as well, allowing Dawn to run tractors and validate equipment.
The facility has 75,000 square feet, with Bassett planning to have 25 employees at the plant by 2022 …
Bassett gives credit to the Milwaukee 7 Economy Development Group for helping get Dawn settled in southeast Wisconsin. “The Milwaukee 7 Economy Development Group has been super helpful, in terms of connecting us with different suppliers and people who are helping with recruiting and interfacing with Milwaukee and Wisconsin economic development groups,” he says.
And here is my quote, which didn’t make the Business Journal story, but I mean every word of it …
“We are excited Dawn Equipment has chosen to grow in South Milwaukee. With businesses large and small deciding to relocate or expand in our city, there is a really positive story being written right now across South Milwaukee, especially downtown. Dawn Equipment is the latest chapter in that. The fact that Dawn has chosen the former Bucyrus campus makes this even more special. This location has been an innovative manfacturing hub throughout our city’s history, and Dawn will help carry on that legacy.”
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