MADISON – Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) and BMO announced on Wednesday the Top 16 products advancing in the 11th annual Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin contest. Thousands of votes were cast to determine which of the 100+ Wisconsin-made nominated products will go head-to-head in Manufacturing Madness, a tournament-style bracket competition.
“Wisconsin manufacturers continue to lead through innovation, producing world-class products that make a difference both here and around the globe,” said Kurt R. Bauer, President/CEO of WMC. “This contest celebrates the creativity, craftsmanship and problem-solving that fuel our state’s manufacturing success. We’re excited to shine a spotlight on these outstanding products and the people behind them.”
The Top 16 products were announced by WMC via video on social media. The announcement video can be viewed by clicking here.
2026 Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin Top 16:
#1 Seed: 4800XPC Electric Rope Shovel
Komatsu | Milwaukee
#2 Seed: Comfort Unite Back Support
Permobil Inc | New Berlin
#3 Seed: Gravely ZT HD STEALTH 60
AriensCo | Brillion
#4 Seed: CliC Smart Privacy Glass
Cardinal IG | Tomah
#5 Seed: ORION Cellular Endpoint
Badger Meter | Racine
#6 Seed: Meltaway Candy Bars
Seroogy’s Chocolates | De Pere
#7 Seed: 4-Post FreeSpan Shelving
Spacesaver Corporation | Fort Atkinson
#8 Seed: LU-Series Lightweight Electric Torque Pump
Enerpac Tool Group | Milwaukee
#9 Seed: Giddings & Lewis Vertical Turning Centers
Fives Giddings & Lewis | Fond du Lac
#10 Seed: Aspex Printed Wall Protection / GrooveLine
Inpro | Muskego
#11 Seed: Barrel Collection
Muza Sheet Metal Co. | Oshkosh
#12 Seed: Custom Pool Cues
Jacoby Custom Cues | Nekoosa
#13 Seed: Scag Turf Tiger
Metalcraft of Mayville | Mayville
#14 Seed: Carmex
Carma Laboratories, Inc. | Franklin
#15 Seed: M157 Small Arms Fire Control
Vortex | Barneveld
#16 Seed: Help Alert Staff Protection Pendant
RF Technologies | Brookfield
Voting in this first round of the Manufacturing Madness tournament begins at 8:00am on Thursday, Oct. 1 and goes through 5:00pm on Tuesday, Oct. 6. Manufacturers, consumers, and the public are encouraged to vote once per day per email address to help determine the Top 8, which will be announced Wednesday, Oct. 7. Ultimately, this year’s Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin will be announced at WMC’s Business Day event in Madison on Oct. 27. Learn more and vote at www.madeinwis.com.
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