16 coolest things made in Wisconsin
What do a firetruck, a cargo ship and a bag of popcorn have in common?
All were voted into the top 16 products in Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce’s annual Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin contest.
WMC’s Manufacturing Madness tournament will continue until a winner is chosen in October. Nearly 50,000 votes were cast in the first round, WMC spokesman Nick Novak said.
Voting in the next round, at madein wis.com, ends at 5 p.m. Tuesday with the winner announced Oct. 19. Here are this year’s top 16 products:
1. Pierce’s electric fire truck: The Volterra Pumper is the first in-service, zero-emissions firetruck in North America. It is produced by Pierce Manufacturing Inc. in Appleton.
2. ETC Inc.’s wireless spotlight: The Source Four LED Series 3 has a custom color array designed to flatter a wide range of skin tones. It is produced in Madison.
3. Plexus’ real-time PCR test: The Quidel Savanna can detect COVID-19, influenza or RSV in less than 25 minutes. It is produced by Plexus Corp. in
Neenah.
4. Columbia Vehicle Group’s Beachcomber: The Tomberlin E-Merge Beachcomber is a street-legal electrical vehicle that can transport your coolers and beach gear. It features Cool Touch Seats and is produced in Reedsburg.
5. Fincantieri’s cargo ship: The M/V Mark W. Barker is a 639-foot cargo ship capable of carrying 26,000 deadweight tons. The first freighter built on the Great Lakes in nearly four decades, it was produced by Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay.
6. Midwest Product’s embroidery hoop: The Mighty Hoop is a magnetic hoop that secures fabric in place for embroidering. It is produced in Germantown.
7. H&S’s harvesting dump cart: The Loadmaster 2X can carry 60,000 pounds of product. It is produced by H&S Manufacturing in Marshfield.
8. Krier’s Jolly Good Soda: Jolly Good Soda‘s flavors include sour pow’r, blue raspberry and cream soda. It is produced by Krier Foods in Random Lake.
9. KI’s folding chairs: WWE is among the entertainment companies that use 600 Series folding chairs for seating at its events. The chairs can be custom screenprinted with logos and mascots. They are produced in Bonduel.
10. Robbins’ sports flooring: NBA teams are among Robbins Sports Surfaces’ customers. It produces its floors in White Lake.
11. Ariens’ Mammoth tractor: The Mammoth 850 is a multipurpose fourwheel tractor that can cut through deep snow. It is produced in Brillion.
12. Hentzen’s airplane coating: The Aerozen Advanced Performance Coating System coats the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels planes. Its products for industry, defense and aerospace use are produced by Hentzen Coatings Inc. in Milwaukee.
13. Komatsu’s electric rope shovel: The P&H 4800XPC Electric Rope Shovel weighs about 3.6 million pounds and is used for surface mining. It is produced in Milwaukee.
14. WiLL’s outdoor lighting system: The WiLLsport Outdoor Lighting System can light up sports facilities. It is produced by Wisconsin Lighting Inc. in Appleton.
15. BethRick’s Great Plate: The microwaveand dishwasher-safe Great Plate can hold food and a wine glass. It is produced by BethRick Inc. in Oshkosh.
16. Minocqua Popcorn and Puff’s gourmet popcorn: Minocqua Popcorn and Puffs produces 30 flavors of popcorn and puffs. Produced in Minocqua, the company’s products are available in stores across the state.