Madison NBC 15 News: VOTE: 3 local companies move up in the Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) – Three local companies are still in the game. You have until 5 P.M. on Tuesday, Oct. 5, to help them.

The Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) and Johnson Financial Group is holding its annual Coolest Thing in Wisconsin contest. After a round of nominations, 16 finalists were reduced to 8 in a bracket competition.

Three of the eight are from our corner of Wisconsin: Outboard motors by Mercury Marine in Fond du Lac, aircraft propeller glasses from BenShot of Appleton, and a 140-ton Navy crane by Broadwind Heavy Fabrications in Manitowoc. Voting is underway at www.madeinwis.com.

Local manufacturers knocked out in the round of 16 were American Excelsior Co. of Sheboygan with its Power-Stop Archery Targets, Pulaski’s BayTek Entertainment Skee-Ball, Drexel Building Supply of Campbellsport for its Off-site Construction Residential Building and Krier Foods of Random Lake’s Jolly Good Soda.

The eight finalists are lined up this way:

  • Cat Electric Rope Shovel (Caterpillar Global Mining, Milwaukee) vs. Badger Pro + Flight Display (Astronautics Corporation of America, Oak Creek)
  • Glazer Donuts (Kwik Trip, La Crosse) vs. Sea-Doo Switch (BRP US Inc., Sturtevant)
  • V12 600hp Verado Outboard Engine (Mercury Marine, Fond du Lac) vs. Aircraft Propeller Glasses (BenShot, Appleton)
  • WiNDR (Absolut Manufacturing, Ashland) vs. 140 Ton Navy Crane (Broadwind Heavy Fabrications, Manitowoc)

Voting is now open, with bragging rights on the line.

This is the sixth year for the competition organized by WMC and Johnson Financial Group. Previous winners include Oshkosh Defense’s military Joint Light Tactical Vehicles and the Sea Salt Caramel Pecan Kringle from Uncle Mike’s Bake Shoppe.

To read more: www.nbc15.com. 

Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin