Penelope Brown

In 1873, John Michael Kohler and Charles Silberzahn acquired the Sheboygan Union Iron and Steel Foundry in Wisconsin for $5,000. The company made farm implements and ornamental iron pieces, but 10 years later, John Michael Kohler came up with a new idea. By applying enamel to a cast-iron horse trough/hog scalder, Kohler was able to create the company’s first bathtub. The innovation launched the company into the plumbing business.

Washington, D.C. – The Manufacturing Leadership Council, the digital transformation division of the National Association of Manufacturers, today announced the finalists for the 2026 Manufacturing Leadership Awards, honoring world-class manufacturers and individual leaders for outstanding achievements in digital transformation.