Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce launches voting on Monday to determine the “Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin”, and there are plenty of entries from our area.
The annual contest, sponsored this year by Johnson Financial Group, highlights the state’s nearly $72 billion manufacturing industry and the nearly half-million high-tech, high-skill and high-pay career opportunities available.
WMC Vice President of Communications & Marketing, Nick Novak, said that Wisconsin’s many innovative manufacturers “make some truly cool products”, and of the 130 nominees this year, six are from Sheboygan County and another five are within the immediate region.
Plymouth’s Carbliss, which makes zero-sugar, zero-carb canned cocktails, made the list a month after being ranked by Inc-dot-com as number-7 out of the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in the US. Carbliss is a repeat nominee, as are Hankscraft AJS and Krier Foods, both of Random Lake, makers of Tap Handles and Jolly Good Soda respectively. Also making the list this year are Cranberry Soda from Plymouth’s Hi-Ho Soda, the Traditional Beef Pasty from Sheboygan Pasty Company, and Bravura Low Lightweight Socks from Wigwam of Sheboygan.
Regional entries include Cedar Valley Cheese of Belgium, Crescent Woolen Mills of Two Rivers, Kestell Furniture of New Holstein, Manitowoc Grey Iron Foundry, and Pine River Pre-Pack Inc. of Newton.
Online voting begins Monday at madeinwis.com, with the top 16 advancing in a bracket-style tournament that names the winner on October 17th in Madison.