By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
GREAT BEND — The Kansas Manufacturing Council’s Coolest Thing Made in Kansas competition is going on now and a product made in Great Bend is in running. The Kansas Chamber has hosted the competition two years to highlight the state’s manufacturing industry, and Fuller Industries has submitted an item.
Fuller CEO
Mark Chalfant said their Creative Mailbox Planter was one of the top 32
nominated products to enter the tournament-style bracket.
"We considered what a customer or consumer likes the most," said
Chalfant. "We do a lot of different things around here, but floor waxes
and brushes aren't very sexy. This is a new product for us and we wanted
to get some publicity but also thought this is something any consumer
could use."
Fuller Industries started making the mailboxes a few months ago. While not their
traditional product line, the customizable planters are designed to slip over
existing mailboxes and provide a changeable, decorative style to common mailboxes.
The planters on the sides of the mailbox cover make it easy to switch its look for
every season or holiday.
"We can make them in three different colors," said Chalfant. "We'll have
two or three of each color on the shelf just in case we get a run on
something. It does not take long to make a couple. We refill as needed."
Voting for the round of 32 in the Coolest Thing Made in Kansas continues until
Sept. 10. Products with the most votes will move on to the
next round and eventually the winner will be announced at the Kansas
Manufacturing Summit on Oct. 12 in Mulvane.
You can vote for Fuller Industries’ Creative Mailbox Planter by visiting
kansascool.com.
You can order the product at creativemailboxplanters.com.
