Known as the "Plastics Capital of the World," Sheboygan concentrates more injection molding and polymer processing per capita than almost anywhere in America. Combined with Kohler Co. and Johnsonville Sausage, this creates one of Wisconsin's most injury-intensive employment landscapes.
Get Free Case EvaluationSheboygan's claim as the Plastics Capital of the World is not marketing hype — it is the product of over a century of polymer industry development. Companies like Bemis Manufacturing, Plastics Engineering Company (Plenco), and dozens of smaller injection molding and extrusion operations employ a significant portion of the county's workforce. Plastics manufacturing hazards are distinct from traditional metalworking. Workers operate injection molding machines that clamp with forces measured in hundreds of tons — a hand or arm caught between mold halves faces instantaneous crushing. Extruders heat polymers to temperatures exceeding 500 degrees, creating burn risks from both the material and the equipment. Off-gassing from heated plastics releases volatile organic compounds that cause respiratory irritation, headaches, and long-term lung damage. Sheboygan's plastics workers have some of the highest chemical exposure rates in Wisconsin's manufacturing sector.
Kohler Co. — headquartered in the village of Kohler just west of Sheboygan — is one of Wisconsin's most storied employers. Its operations span plumbing fixture casting and enameling, furniture manufacturing, engine production, and a massive hospitality operation. The casting facility handles molten iron for bathtubs and sinks, exposing foundry workers to extreme heat, metal fumes, and the ever-present danger of molten metal splashes. Enameling workers apply ceramic coatings in high-temperature kilns, risking burns and inhalation injuries. Kohler's engine division adds another set of manufacturing hazards. Despite the company's prestige, its workers face the same injury risks as any heavy industrial operation — and they need attorneys who will not be intimidated by a Fortune 500-level legal defense team.
Johnsonville Sausage completes Sheboygan County's major employer trifecta. One of America's largest sausage producers, Johnsonville operates processing facilities where workers handle raw meat, operate grinding and stuffing machinery, work in cold environments, and maintain a rapid production pace. Knife injuries, repetitive motion disorders, and slips on grease-coated floors are daily realities. The Hmong community makes up a significant portion of Sheboygan's food processing workforce, and WIN Injury Network provides the multilingual access these workers need to understand and exercise their rights.
WIN Injury Network serves injured workers throughout Sheboygan County, including Kohler, Sheboygan Falls, Plymouth, Elkhart Lake, Cedar Grove, Oostburg, and Random Lake. Many workers commute from Manitowoc and Ozaukee counties to Sheboygan-area manufacturing facilities — we represent them as well.
Wisconsin law requires that you report your workplace injury to your employer within 30 days. You then have 2 years from the date of injury to file a workers' compensation claim. For Sheboygan plastics workers who develop respiratory conditions over time, the 2-year clock starts when a physician connects your symptoms to workplace chemical exposure. Contact WIN Injury Network immediately if you suspect your health problems are work-related.
Sheboygan's plastics plants, Kohler foundries, and Johnsonville processing lines put workers at serious risk every day. If workplace hazards have left you injured, WIN Injury Network will evaluate your claim at no cost and pursue every benefit Wisconsin workers' compensation law provides.