Update: Local product advances to round of 16
Update:
Genesis Work Boots by Thorogood has advanced to the round of 16 in the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce’s Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin contest. This product is made by Weinbrenner Shoe Company in Merrill, a member of the Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce, and was one of more than 100 nominated from around the state.
Voting in the round of 16 is now open and will continue through Tuesday, October 7. Individuals can vote once per device, per day on MadeInWis.com.
The Thorogood product is paired off against the extrication tools produced by TNT Rescue Systems of Hartland.
“For WMC, declaring a winner isn’t the actual goal,” said Kurt R. Bauer, President and CEO of WMC. “The real purpose is to showcase Wisconsin’s thriving manufacturing sector, which accounts for just under 20 percent of the state’s GDP and directly employs 480,000 Wisconsinites, or one in six workers.”
The other products nominated this year from among the Chamber’s membership included:
- Modular Engine Room - Bassett Mechanical, Kaukauna
- Kolbe Windows & Doors Featuring LuxWall Enthermal Glass – Kolbe & Kolbe Millwork, Wausau
- Flexx Modular Floating Dock – Tommy Docks, Weston
- Norfolk Southern Railway Bridge - Veritas Steel LLC, Eau Claire
- Removable Adhesive Vinyl Wallpaper - Wausau Coated Products Inc, Wausau
WMC and Johnson Financial Group have partnered for the tenth time in 2025 to determine the Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin. The competition aims to highlight the state’s vibrant manufacturing industry.
Original post:
Six products from members of the Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce have been nominated in the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce’s (WMC) Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin contest. These products are among the more than 100 nominees from around the state.
Voting in the competition will open on Monday, September 22 in a bracket-style tournament called Manufacturing Madness. During each of the rounds of the competition, the public is invited to vote once per day, per device at MadeInWis.com.
The Chamber members’ products nominated this year include:
- Modular Engine Room - Bassett Mechanical, Kaukauna
- Kolbe Windows & Doors Featuring LuxWall Enthermal Glass – Kolbe & Kolbe Millwork, Wausau
- Flexx Modular Floating Dock – Tommy Docks, Weston
- Norfolk Southern Railway Bridge - Veritas Steel LLC, Eau Claire
- Removable Adhesive Vinyl Wallpaper - Wausau Coated Products Inc, Wausau
- Genesis Work Boots by Thorogood – Weinbrenner Shoe Company, Merrill
“For WMC, declaring a winner isn’t the actual goal,” said Kurt R. Bauer, President and CEO of WMC. “The real purpose is to showcase Wisconsin’s thriving manufacturing sector, which accounts for just under 20 percent of the state’s GDP and directly employs 480,000 Wisconsinites, or one in six workers.”
WMC and Johnson Financial Group have partnered for the tenth time in 2025 to determine the Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin. The competition aims to highlight the state’s vibrant manufacturing industry.
EXPLORE MORE
- Learn about the 2025 Small Business of the Year Award finalists
- Learn about the 2025 Excellence in Business Leadership Awards Night
- Learn more about upcoming Chamber events
Blog Posts
2026 Small Business of the Year Award recipients named
The Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce named a pair of recipients of the 2026 Small Business of the Year Awards at a ceremony held at the Business EXPO on Thursday, April 16.
Business EXPO 2026 is largest of its kind in nation
The annual Business EXPO is the largest Chamber tradeshow in the country. Thousands will visit hundreds of exhibitors at the event.
Chamber welcomes Stacy Welles to team
Stacy Welles was recently named the Member Engagement and Storytelling Specialist at the Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce