Western Products, a Douglas Dynamics brand, recently celebrated 75 years of U.S.-based manufacturing and innovation at its Milwaukee facility. This milestone honors WESTERN’s legacy of innovation, quality, and service, a tradition that has helped shape the snow and ice control equipment industry since 1950.
Nearly 500 employees, retirees, families, dealers, and suppliers joined the celebration. Guests toured the Milwaukee plant for a behind-the-scenes look at snowplow manufacturing and got a first-hand look at a broad display of WESTERN equipment. Outside, attendees enjoyed family-friendly activities, including live music, games, face painting, a welding simulator, and a dunk tank featuring Douglas Dynamics President and CEO Mark Van Genderen and Work Truck Attachments President Chris Bernauer.
Western Products’ story began in 1950 when Douglas Seaman purchased Western Welding & Manufacturing, a small machine shop in Milwaukee. Just two years later, the company introduced its first snowplow in response to growing demand for light trucks. In 1966, Western Products moved to its current North Side Milwaukee location, where it continues to design and manufacture reliable snow and ice control products that help keep communities safe.
As part of the Douglas Dynamics family, we’re proud to celebrate WESTERN’s legacy of hard work and innovation, and we’re looking forward to the next 75!
Today, Douglas Dynamics employs over 1,600 people nationwide and has been named a Top Workplace in Southeastern Wisconsin for 15 consecutive years.
