Nominations are being accepted starting August 16!
This marks the 6th year of this annual contest, celebrating the novel and needed products manufactured by people in our hometowns.
Wisconsin Manufacturing
Manufacturing is a part of Midwestern heritage. And Wisconsin companies make an impressive and incredibly diverse list of products. Top goods include food and beverage products, as well as machinery and fabricated metal products - these categories alone account for nearly 1/2 of the state's manufacturing employment. Our state’s manufacturing industry employs nearly 1 in 5 Wisconsinites. And in 2018, 87% of our state's exporters were small businesses.
Coolest Thing Made In WI Contest
Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC), along with Johnson Financial Group, have partnered together for the Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin contest. Last year the Mobile Autonomous Robotic Cart (MARC) from MuL Technologies in Mequon was crowned the winner. Nearly 50,000 votes were cast in the final round of the contest. Other finalists from 2020 included: Caterpillar Global Mining in South Milwaukee, C.C. Moo LLC in Stoughton and Kimberly-Clark in Neenah.
Previous Contest Winners
2 years ago the Big Boy All-Weather Rifle by Henry Repeating Arms, manufactured in Rice Lake, rose to the top of nearly 150 products nominated. Previous winners have included the Sea Salt Caramel Pecan Kringle from Uncle Mike's Bake Shoppe (De Pere) and Oshkosh Corporation's Lite Tactical Vehicle (Oshkosh). With the inaugural winner being Harley-Davidson's Milwaukee-Eight engine assembled at their Pilgrim Road plant in Menomonee Falls.
Contest Nominations
“Wisconsin has a diverse and innovative manufacturing industry, and our finalists portray that,” said WMC President & CEO Kurt Bauer. “From diapers and children’s clothing to industrial machinery and robotic carts, we congratulate... all of our nominees in this year’s contest.” Products nominated in the past have ranged from motorcycles, military vehicles, cheese products, boats, generators, food carts, iron castings, beer, all-terrain vehicles, snow blowers and more.
Contest Details - Manufacturing Madness
The contest will follow a progression similar to last year, where over 125,000 votes were cast over multiple rounds. Beginning with a popular vote to determine the Top 16 products. From there, the Top 16 will be placed into a bracket-style tournament called "Manufacturing Madness." At this point products will compete against one another in head-to-head match-ups. Those products receiving the highest votes in each match-up will advance to the next round. This year's winner will be announced Thursday October 14th.
- You can vote for your favorite daily.
- Remember to come back starting September 15th to vote on your favorite to get into the Top 16.
Congratulations to all the nominees and Good Luck!
Lets celebrate Wisconsin and increase
the buzz around Manufacturing Month!!
ISE & Paper-Less have been helping local manufacturers succeed for more than 30 years! Find out how we can help your enterprise through Visibility & Velocity.
