Thousands of boots being worn by U.S. soldiers in Iraq are being manufactured in Northcentral Wisconsin.
Weinbrenner Shoe Company in Marshfield was awarded a government contract to make 10,000 pairs of shoes for the air force in October. The company said the boot was so popular, however, other branches of the military have been ordering them.
"There's a non-reflective leather that's used," said Stan Gavic, the human resources manager at the company. "It will not reflect the light. The sides of the shoe are made of a special material to allow for cooler wearing so the heat doesn't build up inside the shoe."
The government is asking Weinbrenner to step up its production. The original contract was for 10,000 pairs a year. The military recently increased that number, however, to 20,000 pairs. The company said it will pay employees overtime if it needs to, but it anticipates no problems filling the order.
