Wisconsin Manufacturers Named Contest Finalists
The state's top four manufacturing finalists compete for the 2026 title in a bid to highlight local industry careers.
Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Manufacturing
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Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce and BMO have identified the four finalists for the 11th annual Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin contest. The winner will be unveiled at the Business Day event in Madison on October 27, 2026.
Why it matters
This competition serves to showcase the economic scale of the state's $73.8 billion manufacturing sector. It highlights career opportunities in a competitive labor market by drawing attention to diverse local product engineering.
Over 100 products were nominated for the 2026 contest, with the field narrowed to four finalists after three rounds of voting. The state's manufacturing industry accounts for $73.8 billion in annual economic value.
The players
Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce
The state chamber of commerce that advocates for business interests and organizes industry workforce initiatives.
BMO
A financial services institution that acts as a partner for the contest's outreach.
Komatsu
A heavy equipment manufacturer with significant operations in Milwaukee.
AriensCo
An outdoor power equipment manufacturer based in Brillion.
Cardinal IG
A glass manufacturer and fabricator with facilities in Tomah.
The details
The contest aims to promote manufacturing and engineering capabilities through public engagement. Finalists include Komatsu's 4800XPC Electric Rope Shovel, AriensCo's Gravely ZT HD STEALTH 60, Cardinal IG's CliC Smart Privacy Glass, and Vortex's M157 Small Arms Fire Control. Voting is open to the public, with one vote allowed per email address per day.
Timeline
October 14, 2026: Announcement of the contest finalists.
October 15, 2026: Final round voting begins at 8 a.m.
October 27, 2026: Voting ends and the winner is announced at the Business Day event.
Market Landscape
This event continues the 11-year pattern of using industry-specific competitions to engage the public and promote regional manufacturing career paths. It serves as a promotional bridge for manufacturers looking to raise brand visibility amid ongoing regional labor competition.
Operators can leverage the visibility of such programs to assess how peers market specialized product lines to end users. Consider whether public engagement campaigns could serve as an effective recruitment tool for your own workforce needs.
The takeaway
Manufacturing competitions create unique opportunities to publicize technical product innovation and local industry prestige. Operators should monitor the winning entries to track which categories of product design and engineering hold the most interest in the current consumer and business market.
What happens next
Final round voting concludes on October 27, 2026, at 12:00 p.m., followed by the winner announcement at the Madison Business Day event.
Further reading
Learn more about local industrial sector developments at Manufacturing.
More information
For contest updates and voting procedures, visit the official contest information portal.
Live Poll
Do you believe local manufacturing contests help promote career opportunities in your community?
