The first cooler was made of steel. Today, more than five million metal and plastic coolers are distributed around the US, Mexico, Australia, Europe and Japan.
And they all come from one manufacturing plant right here in town.
It's hard to miss Coleman's manufacturing plant at North Hydraulic and 37th Street but it's what people don't see that makes this one of the busiest buildings in Wichita.
"We're here, the lights are always on," says Ron Cheyney.
They have to be. Everyday fifteen-thousand coolers make it through Coleman's production line...that number doubles during peak season.
"I'm sure these guys at night see coolers coming at them in their sleep," says Cheyney.
It's no wonder each employee helps build more than 500 coolers during one shift.
"We do a lot of different processes here to make a cooler," says Cheyney.
Operations manager Ron Cheyney says there are hundreds of different shapes and sizes but the liners of most coolers are born here.
Tiny bits of plastic are heated and molded into one giant sheet where its cut into pieces.
The strips are placed inside molds that heat up the plastic again.
Air is blown into the mold causing the plastic to expand but before it has a chance to pop, a vaccuum sucks air out of the mold and allows it to cool.
It takes about two minutes.
Then, its finished by trimming the liner to size. The excess is ground up and reused.
"It takes a special individual, it's a lot of work, its fast paced," says Cheyney.
Fifteen people make up a production line, the machines determine their pace.
The molds create the outer portion of the cooler.
A ball of hot plastic is dropped into the mold, once shaped, darrell removes it and cuts it down to size.
Lids are formed in a similar way. The plastic is so hot, workers wear safety gear to prevent getting burned.
He uses a flame inside the container to remove any residue that way the liner and case can stick together.
"Its pretty exciting those products on the shelves and know that you've actually made those products," says Darrell Smith.
The process is not done yet.
A type of glue is used to bind the liner and case. Here is where trimming the cooler to size is important. If the liner is too short or long the glue will leak.
"The human touch is just a lot of little fits and finishes that a human has to interact with the parts," says Cheyney.
Cheyney says Coleman coolers couldn't be made without people.
"Theres a lot of processes in here that are very difficult to automate," says Cheyney.
Handles, hinges, labels and lids are attached by hand.
That's the final product. A Coleman's plant in wichita they make 30 different coolers, from raw materials to ready to go on the shelves it takes about an hour.
Before being boxed up where they are shipped out all over the world.
More than 500 employees work inside the plant. That number will nearly double when the plant reaches peak production season beginning next month. But working on the manufacturing line is so stringent some new employees won't even last their first day.
Training new employees can take several weeks and months on certain equipment.
