(WFRV) – On Wednesday, the Top 16 products were determined for the 10th annual Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin contest after over 15,000 votes narrowed down the products for the Manufacturing Madness bracket.
The final 16 products were announced by the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) and Johnson Financial Group and following a four-round bracket-style tournament, the ‘coolest’ Wisconsin-made product will be announced in just over three weeks.
“Manufacturing is the largest industry in Wisconsin and a key driver of our economic growth,” said Kurt Bauer, President and CEO of WMC. “These products reflect the vibrancy and diversity of the industry, which is exactly why we hold this contest. We’re excited to showcase these innovative products and recognize the hardworking people in manufacturing who play such a vital role for our state.”
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Six of the 16 final products are made in northeast Wisconsin. Last year’s winner was Jolly Good Soda, which is manufactured by Krier Foods in Random Lake, Sheboygan County.
2025’s #1 seed is also manufactured in Sheboygan County, and is Carbliss in Plymouth.
2025 Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin Top 16: (* – Manufactured in northeast Wisconsin)
- #1 Seed: Carbliss*
- Carbliss in Plymouth
- #2 Seed: Genesis Work Boots
- Thorogood in Merrill
- #3 Seed: Search and Rescue 1000 Island Airboat*
- 1000 Island Airboats in Marion
- #4 Seed: XUV 845M Gator™ Utility Vehicle
- John Deere in Horicon
- #5 Seed: Comfort Custom Seating System
- Permobil in New Berlin
- #6 Seed: Brawny 3-Ply Paper Towel*
- Georgia-Pacific in Green Bay
- #7 Seed: The Maple Shot 10 pack carton
- The Maple Dude in Granton
- #8 Seed: 38 VTR*
- Cruisers Yachts in Oconto
- #9 Seed: Milorganite Fertilizer
- Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District in Milwaukee
- #10 Seed: Massive Generator Enclosure
- EK Machine in Fall River
- #11 Seed: Sargento Natural American Sliced Cheese*
- Sargento in Plymouth
- #12 Seed: Turntable Swing Gate*
- Pack Air Inc. in Neenah
- #13 Seed: Kikkoman Soy Sauce
- Kikkoman Foods, Inc. in Walworth
- #14 Seed: Model 60 Slant Ice Merchandiser
- Leer Inc. in New Lisbon
- #15 Seed: Extrication Tools
- TNT Rescue Systems in Hartland
- #16 Seed: Toro Dingo Compact Utility Loader
- The Toro Company in Tomah
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First round voting kicks off at 8 a.m. on Thursday, October 2, and goes through 5 p.m. on October 7. The winner will be announced in Madison on October 23.
The announcement video for the Top 16 can be viewed here. Learn more about the contest here.
