Thorogood

Thorogood's origins trace to 1855 when Peter Weinbrenner, a German cobbler, immigrated to the United States and established a small shoe repair shop in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In 1892, his son Albert Weinbrenner took over the family business and partnered with Joseph Pfeifer to form "Weinbrenner and Pfeifer," specializing in work boots for industrial applications.

The company experienced rapid growth in its early years, expanding from producing 60 pairs per day at the turn of the century to 20,000 pairs daily by 1916, with a workforce of 1,200 employees. The Thorogood brand was officially introduced in 1917-1918, focusing on "Job-Fitted" work boots specifically designed for telephone linemen and other specialized industrial workers.

In 1935, Weinbrenner Shoe Company constructed a dedicated manufacturing facility in Marshfield, Wisconsin to increase production capacity to 3,000-4,000 boots per day. Additional manufacturing plants were subsequently built in Merrill and Antigo, Wisconsin to support growing demand.

The company maintained its focus on domestic manufacturing throughout the mid-20th century, developing specialized work boots for various industrial applications while preserving traditional construction methods and American leather sourcing.

In 2000, Weinbrenner Shoe Company transitioned to employee ownership through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), making Thorogood an employee-owned brand. This transition reinforced the company's commitment to domestic manufacturing and union labor practices.

Today, Thorogood operates three manufacturing facilities in Wisconsin: the headquarters in Merrill and production facilities in Marshfield and Merrill. The company produces over 125 styles of domestically manufactured footwear and is recognized as America's largest manufacturer of "Made in USA" footwear.

Weinbrenner Shoe Company broke ground on a new $14.5 million state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Marshfield, Wisconsin, scheduled to open in late 2025. This expansion coincides with the 90th anniversary of Thorogood boot production in Marshfield and will enable the company to expand welt production capacity while adding 30-40 new positions.

Thorogood employs a proprietary storm welt construction method, which differs from traditional Goodyear welt construction. The storm welt features increased width that allows the welt to bend upward, creating an enhanced seal between the upper leather and midsole for superior moisture protection compared to standard Goodyear welting.

This construction method contributes to the durability and repairability of Thorogood boots, allowing for resoling and extending the footwear's useful life. The storm welt construction requires skilled craftsmanship and specialized equipment, supporting the company's emphasis on traditional manufacturing techniques.

Thorogood sources approximately 85% of its materials domestically, including premium full-grain leather uppers from American tanneries. The company emphasizes its continued use of "the American leathers we used 50 years ago" rather than importing leather from South America or Asia.

The remaining 15% of components are globally sourced to maintain competitive pricing and ensure component availability. All Thorogood footwear carries a "Made in USA with USA & Globally Sourced Components" label to reflect this material sourcing approach.

Production occurs in union facilities staffed by members of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Locals 688 and 717. The manufacturing process emphasizes hand-crafted techniques combined with modern quality control systems to ensure consistent product quality.

Quality control procedures include material inspection, construction verification, and safety certification testing to meet ASTM and OSHA standards for occupational footwear.

The American Heritage Collection represents Thorogood's flagship heritage-style work boots, featuring moc toe designs available in 6-inch and 8-inch heights. These boots utilize full-grain oil-tanned leather uppers and storm welt construction, targeting both working professionals and heritage footwear enthusiasts.

Popular models include the tobacco brown (814-4200), Trail Crazyhorse brown (814-4203), and black variations (814-6201, 814-6206). The collection offers both safety toe and soft toe configurations to accommodate workplace safety requirements.

Thorogood manufactures comprehensive safety footwear lines including steel toe, composite toe, and electrical hazard protection boots. All safety footwear meets or exceeds ASTM F2413-18 standards for impact and compression resistance.

Composite toe options provide electrical non-conductivity and lighter weight compared to steel alternatives, while maintaining equivalent protection levels. Electrical hazard (EH) rated boots meet ASTM F2413-18 EH standards, providing protection against electrical currents up to 600 volts.

The company's MaxTRAX outsole technology features precision-cut 90-degree angles that channel liquids away from the tread surface while maximizing contact area for enhanced traction. This technology exceeds ASTM F2913-19 and ASTM F3445-21 slip-resistance standards on dry, wet, and oily surfaces.