Wisconsin Manufacturers Advanced Eight Products to Voting Round

The state's manufacturers are narrowing the field in a public competition to highlight local production.

Updated on Oct. 7, 2026 in Manufacturing

Wisconsin Manufacturers Advanced Eight Products to Voting Round

Live Poll

Do you believe supporting local products in contests helps your community's economy?

Eight Wisconsin-made products have moved to the next phase of the Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin contest following an online public vote. Organized by the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, the competition started with 100 entries and aims to showcase the state's manufacturing sector.

Why it matters

The contest provides a platform for businesses to increase brand visibility through public engagement. Operators across the state monitor these showcases to gauge industry trends and consumer interest in domestic manufacturing capabilities.

The contest began with 100 submissions, was trimmed to 16, and now lists eight finalists moving into the next bracket. Public voting for the next round is limited to one entry per day per email address.

The players

Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce

The state's largest business association representing manufacturing interests and regional industry advocacy.

Komatsu

A global manufacturer of mining and construction equipment with significant operational footprints in Milwaukee.

AriensCo

A family-owned manufacturer of outdoor power equipment based in Brillion.

Fives Giddings & Lewis

A specialized provider of high-precision vertical turning centers for industrial manufacturing.

Inpro

A Muskego-based manufacturer of specialty interior protection and building products.

The details

The competition utilizes bracket-style public online voting to filter participants through successive rounds. Products ranging from heavy machinery to specialty food items must maintain daily engagement to advance. The process culminates at a live event in Madison where a final winner is selected from the remaining top contenders.

Voting for the next round begins at 8 a.m. on Oct. 8, 2026.
Voting for the next round ends on Oct. 13, 2026.
The winner will be announced at the Business Day event in Madison on Oct. 27, 2026.

Market Landscape

This development follows the established pattern of the Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin annual competition to promote state-wide industrial pride. The contest serves as a benchmarking exercise for local manufacturers to assess brand resonance against diverse peer products.

Business owners should review how public-facing contests can be leveraged for regional marketing and recruitment. Engaging your staff to participate in voting rounds can also serve as a simple team-building exercise during the active voting window.

The takeaway

Visibility in high-profile industry contests can drive measurable brand interest and validation for specialized product lines. Monitor the final bracket results in late October to see which specific manufacturing features resonated most with the public audience.

What happens next

Public voting for the next round of the competition opens on Oct. 8, 2026, and closes on Oct. 13, 2026. The final winner will be declared during the Business Day event held in Madison on Oct. 27, 2026.