The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), Astec, and the Wisconsin Concrete Pavement Association hosted United States Congressman Bryan Steil (WI-01) for an I Make America event at Astec’s facility in southeastern Wisconsin where they manufacture RexCon brand equipment. The event, which featured a tour of the facility and a meeting with employees, highlighted the importance of American equipment manufacturing and celebrated the men and women who work hard every day to build a better and brighter future for themselves and their communities.

“Our manufacturing industry provides thousands of family-supporting jobs for workers and families in Southeast Wisconsin,” said Congressman Bryan Steil (WI-01). “Thank you to the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, the Wisconsin Concrete Pavement Association, Astec, and their team in Burlington for giving me the opportunity to see firsthand the work that they do. We must continue to support our workers and ensure that we keep manufacturing jobs right here in Southeast Wisconsin."

I Make America, AEM’s national grassroots campaign, advocates for the policies that are critical to the industry’s long-term growth and prosperity. Earlier this year, AEM launched Year of Action, a groundbreaking initiative designed to educate and engage the 2.8 million men and women of the equipment manufacturing industry in support of pro-manufacturing policies.Rep. Steil (WI-01) met with many of Astec’s employees and talked about the importance of the equipment manufacturing industry to Wisconsin and the need to promote pro-manufacturing policies to support the state’s 187,000 equipment manufacturing workers – including the bipartisan infrastructure bill that is currently being considered by the House of Representatives as well as supply chain challenges that continue to have a severe impact on equipment manufacturers.

“It was a pleasure to host Congressman Steil to discuss the challenges and opportunities we have at Astec and in the industry. The bipartisan infrastructure bill represents a tremendous opportunity,” said Jaco van der Merwe, Infrastructure Group President for Astec Industries. “The investment into upgrading our roads and bridges would benefit everyone while also securing jobs and the long-term growth of our industry.”

“Equipment manufacturers like Astec make the products that help build, power, and feed Wisconsin,” said Kip Eideberg, AEM’s Senior Vice President of Government and Industry Relations. “But they need our elected officials to advance pro-growth and pro-manufacturing policies to ensure that they can continue to compete and win in the global economy. We greatly appreciate Representative Bryan Steil’s leadership on our industry’s top policy priorities, from infrastructure investment to a competitive tax code, and his steadfast focus on advancing commonsense and bipartisan solutions to our nation’s toughest challenges.”

Equipment manufacturers support 187,700 jobs in Wisconsin, contribute $17.8 billion a year to the state’s economy, and generate 1.3 billion a year in tax revenue for Wisconsin.

If you would like to get involved with the I Make America campaign and help us advocate for the policies that are critical to the equipment manufacturing industry’s long-term growth and prosperity, please contact Wade Balkonis (wbalkonis@aem.org).