Scag Power Equipment, a division of Metalcraft of Mayville, had its Windstorm stand-on blower nominated for the 2019 Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin Contest.
The annual competition, presented by Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce and Johnson Financial Group, aims to highlight the state’s manufacturing industry.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to have our newest product featured in this year’s contest,” said Scag President Chris Frame. “Commercial landscapers across the country absolutely love our first stand-on blower. In real-world usage, customers have told us that a single worker using a Windstorm is able to replace the productivity of up to five workers using traditional backpack blowers.”
A popular vote will take place at www.madeinwis.com from Sept. 9 to Sept. 15 to determine the top 16 products that will be placed in a bracket-style tournament called Manufacturing Madness. Products will then compete against one another in head-to-head matchups, and those that receive the highest votes in each matchup will advance to the next round. The final rounds are set to take place from Oct. 1 to Oct. 8, with the winner being announced on Oct. 8 at WMC Foundation’s Business & Industry Luncheon at State Fair Park in Milwaukee, Wis.
Tidewater Equipment joined the Case Construction Equipment dealer network and will represent the manufacturer in 42 counties spanning western and southern Georgia. The dealer will sell and service Case equipment out of its Tifton, Smithville and Pinehurst locations, serving the landscaping, general construction, forestry and agricultural markets.
“The southeast is growing, it’s critical to the construction market now and for years to come and Tidewater provides us a strong and established partner to support Case equipment owners in the region,” said Brian Weisbaum, director of dealer development — North America, Case Construction Equipment. “They’ve fully embraced our work by supporting causes we believe in such as Team Rubicon, and the leadership, sales and service staff give Case a new and reliable partner in the region.”
Tidewater Equipment was founded in 1947 as a manufacturer of timber harvesting equipment and now serves as a major equipment dealer in the region.
The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) launched The TurfMutt Foundation, an organization that will further the mission of the TurfMutt environmental education and stewardship program launched 10 years ago. The foundation will continue to encourage outdoor learning experiences, stewardship of our green spaces and care for all living landscapes for the benefit of all. It will likely expand into new areas in the next few years, according to OPEI.
The foundation launch has a bittersweet beginning as its founding “spokesdog,” Lucky the TurfMutt, a real-life rescue dog who spent a decade educating children and families on taking care of our green spaces, passed away recently while at work at the TurfMutt Foundation office in Alexandria.
“Thanks to this dog, we at the TurfMutt Foundation look at yards a different way. We see through TurfMutt’s eyes, realizing that ordinary, home yards, parks and school yards have a larger purpose than just our human one,” said OPEI President and CEO Kris Kiser. “They are suburban and urban habitat that supports our ecology and climate, provide homes and food for pollinators and wildlife and give us a safe and healthy place to play, relax and destress.”
