Top 16 contenders for Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin named, voting opens Thursday (2024)

MADISON - Can you feel the bracket-based madness in the air, Wisconsin?

We're not hyping a Milwaukee Brewers' playoff run or the Green Bay Packers' early season success. No, early fall is all about highlighting the neat stuff made in the state.

Voters cast more than 40,000 votes to narrow the initial list of 130 products nominated for the title Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin down to 16 finalists. Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce and Johnson Financial Group on Wednesday announced the finalists and the Manufacturing Madness bracket which sets up the first of two rounds of head-to-head voting matchups.

Voting in this round opens at 8 a.m. Thursday and runs through Oct. 1. You can vote in each of the eight matchups once per day per device. The eight finalists that advance to the next round will be announced on Oct. 2.

The final 16 products are seeded based on the number of votes they received in the initial, open round of public voting. Here's a look at the first round matchups.

Top 16 contenders for Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin named, voting opens Thursday (1)

No. 1 Door County Candle vs. No. 16 Medalcraft Mint

Door County Candle Co.'s Ukraine Candle garnered the most votes of any product nominated and earned the top spot in the round of 16 vote. The candle has garnered national attention and sales of it have so far raised $1 million for the nonprofit Razom for Ukraine.

It will face Medalcraft Mint Inc.'s military medals and insignia. The company makes die-struck military medals in Green Bay.

Top 16 contenders for Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin named, voting opens Thursday (2)

No. 5 PS Seasonings vs. No. 12 Sellars Absorbent Materials

PS Seasonsing's The Works Burger Blend garnered the fifth most votes among all nominees. The seasoning, made in Iron Ridge, combines all the classic burger flavors including ketchup, mustard, pickles, cheese, bacon and onion.

It will face the 12 seed, Sellars Absorbent Materials' Bravo paper towels. Made in Milwaukee, Bravo paper towels are a high-performance paper towel made from 90% curb-side recycled materials.

The winner of the 1 vs. 16 and 5 vs. 12 matchups will face each other in the round of 8 vote for one of four finalist spots.

No. 8 Classic Gears and Machining vs. No. 9 Production Grinding and Machining

This year's 8 vs. 9 matchup pits two machine shops against one another.

The No. 8 seed belongs to Classic Gears and Machining's Southpaw Rod Holder. Made in Denmark, outside Green Bay, the Southpaw is a spring-loaded rod holder machined and assembled in Denmark, southeast of Green Bay.

The rod holder will face the No. 9 seed, Production Grinding and Machining which produces custom-designed and built metal benches in Monroe.

Top 16 contenders for Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin named, voting opens Thursday (3)

No. 4 Thorogood vs. No. 13 Jolly Good Soda

This early round face-off pits a 2023 Coolest Thing finalist against an always popular contender that also made a run last year.

The No. 4 seed goes to Thorogood Boots & Shoes for its 6-inch tobacco safety work toe boot, which is manufactured in Merrill.

The boots will face Jolly Good Soda which has made root beer, blue raspberry and other sodas in Random Lake, between Sheboygan and Milwaukee, since 1966.

The winner of the 8 vs. 9 and 4 vs. 13 matchups will face each other in the round of 8 vote for one of four finalist spots.

Top 16 contenders for Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin named, voting opens Thursday (4)

No. 2 Smoky Lake Maple Products vs. No. 15 Good Ass Hair Day

The product that got the second-most votes is Smoke Lake Maple Products' Dauntless Evaporator. Made in Hilbert, in Calumet County, the Dauntless is a maple syrup evaporator designed for hobbyists.

In the No. 15 seed this year is Good Ass Hair Day's dry shampoo. Good Ass Day is based in Eau Claire and makes a dry shampoo that uses only six natural ingredients.

Top 16 contenders for Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin named, voting opens Thursday (5)

No. 6 Domtar vs. No. 11 Vulture Systems

Rothschild-based Domtar's Cougar Paper garnered the No. 6 seed. The premium luxury paper has been used for White House correspondence and luxury brand marketing. It's made exclusively in Wisconsin.

In the No. 11 seed is Vulture Systems' Revo ice fishing monitor. Manufactured in Menomonee Falls, Revo is an ice fishing monitor that features wireless communication and alerts.

The winner of the 2 vs. 15 and 6 vs. 11 matchups will face each other in the round of 8 vote for one of four finalist spots.

Top 16 contenders for Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin named, voting opens Thursday (6)

No. 7 Sturgeon Spirits vs. No. 10 John Deere

Sturgeon Spirits garnered the No. 7 seed for its Oaks Chocolate Liqueur. The Oshkosh-based premium spirits distiller used chocolate from another Oshkosh institution, Oaks Candy, to create this liqueur.

The distiller will face John Deere, which garnered the No. 10 seed for its X739 Signature Series Lawn Tractor, which is manufactured in Horicon.

Top 16 contenders for Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin named, voting opens Thursday (7)

No. 3 Carbliss vs. No. 14 Minocqua Popcorn & Puffs

The final matchup in the Round of 16 vote pits seeds 3 versus 14. In this case, it's drink versus food.

Plymouth-based Carbliss garnered the third-most votes of all nominees to earn the No. 3 seed. The company produces a line of sugar-free, gluten-free, 100-calorie ready-to-drink cocktails made with tequila, vodka or rum.

Minocqua Popcorn and Puffs, makers of more than 30 flavors of popcorn and potato puffs, garnered the No. 14 seed.

The winner of the 7 vs. 10 and 3 vs. 14 matchups will face each other in the round of 8 vote for one of four finalist spots.

Top 16 contenders for Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin named, voting opens Thursday (8)

Past Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin winners include Harley engine, kringle, EV fire truck

WMC since 2016 has crowned eight different products the Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin as part of an effort to highlight the state's manufacturing industry. Northeastern Wisconsin companies currently are on a three-year winning streak.

The past winners are:

  • 2016: Harley-Davidson'sMilwaukee Eight Engine
  • 2017: Oshkosh Corp.'sJoint Light Tactical Vehicle
  • 2018: De Pere-basedUncle Mike's Bake Shoppe sea salt caramel pecan kringle
  • 2019: Rice Lake-basedHenry Repeating Arms' Big Boy all-weather rifle
  • 2020: Mequon-based MūL TechnologiesMobile Autonomous Robotic Cart (MARC)
  • 2021: Manitowoc-based Broadwind's140-ton Navy Crane
  • 2022: Appleton-based Pierce Manufacturing'sVolterra electric fire truck
  • 2023: Fox Valley-based Plexus Corp.'sBevi Bottleless Water Dispenser

Contact Jeff Bollier at (920) 431-8387 orjbollier@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JeffBollier.

Top 16 contenders for Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin named, voting opens Thursday (2024)

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