The 140-ton Navy Crane nicknamed “Big Blue” built by Broadwind Heavy Fabricators in Manitowoc in conjunction with Konecranes, the city of Manitowoc and the state of Wisconsin has been voted the “Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin” in 2021.
Big Blue was announced the winner this afternoon during Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce Business Day in Pewaukee.
Other finalists included Mercury Marine in Fond Du Lac, Caterpillar Global Mining in Milwaukee, and the famous Kwik Trip Glazer donut.
Nearly 6,000 spectators watched on May 30th the 2.7 million pound crane depart the Manitowoc River and enter into Lake Michigan to start its 2100 mile journey through the Great Lakes Waterway and into the Atlantic Ocean eventually arriving at its home in Portsmouth New Hampshire about two weeks later where it will aid the U.S. Navy in assembling state-of-the-art naval submarines to help protect the United States of America.
Nominations were accepted in August and nominees competed in four rounds of voting with nearly 70,000 cast in the final round of competition.
In partnership with the Johnson Financial Group WMC’s “Coolest Thing Made” recognizes the contribution manufacturers bring to the state’s economy and local communities.
Broadwind Heavy Fabrications President Dan Schueller states in a news release, “Broadwind Heavy Fabricators is extremely honored to have won The Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin award for 2021. On behalf of our great Broadwind employees, we would like to say thank you to our partner customer Konecranes and all of our Wisconsin-based supporters who made this possible.”
Schueller adds “We look forward to participating in future contests because we believe what we manufacture in Manitowoc is essential to the Wisconsin and American economy.”
