More than 25,000 votes have narrowed the list down for the “Coolest Thing Made in NC” competition to 11 finalists, the NC Chamber announced Thursday. Six for the Medium-to-Large category and five for the Small Business category move on to the next round.
The competition began with a record-setting 145 nominees. This year’s Medium-to-Large Business Category has six nominees due to a tie in voting.
“Congratulations to our impressive Coolest Thing Made in NC finalists. As we always say at the NC Chamber: what’s made in North Carolina makes North Carolina,” says NC Chamber President and CEO Gary Salamido in a release. “With more than 25,000 votes cast in this contest so far, it’s clear that North Carolinians share the Chamber’s love for our state’s innovative manufacturing community. This celebrated competition is a way to honor all our state’s manufacturers – the backbone of North Carolina’s economy for more than a century.”
Voting in the second round begins now.
How to vote
Go to coolestthingmadeinnc.com to vote for the coolest thing made in NC; last day to vote in the second round is Thursday, Sept. 26.
The field will be narrowed down with each round of voting. The winning product in each category will be revealed on Thursday, Oct. 3, the day before National Manufacturing (MFG) Day. October is Manufacturing Month.
This is the fifth year that the NC Chamber has held the popular, public-driven contest, which spotlights North Carolina’s cutting-edge manufacturing industry – an industry that generates more than 17% of the gross state product and employs more than 10% of the state’s workforce.
Baxter International is serving as the presenting sponsor of the online competition, and Business North Carolina is this year’s media partner. The winners will be featured in November’s Business North Carolina magazine. Click here for a look at last year’s winners.
Join the contest’s social media campaign by following #CoolestThingMadeinNC.
For the Medium-to-Large Business Category, the six finalists are in alphabetical order by location:
| Company Name | Nominated Product | City |
| Carrier | Centrifugal Chillers | Charlotte |
| Honda Aircraft Company | HondaJet Elite II | Greensboro |
| CSL Seqirus | Flucelvax | Holly Springs |
| Roush & Yates Racing Engines | V6 Twin-turbo EcoBoost Engine for Limited Edition Ford GT Mk IV | Mooresville |
| Columbia Forest Products | PureBond Formaldehyde-Free Hardwood Plywood | Old Fort |
| TW Garner Foods | Texas Pete Hot Sauce | Winston-Salem |
For the Small Business Category, the five finalists are in alphabetical order by location:
| Company Name | Nominated Product | City |
| Atlantic Beach Sea Salt Company | Atlantic Beach Sea Salt | Atlantic Beach |
| WoolTribe | Signature Cable Beanie | Charlotte |
| Piedmont Pennies | Original Sharp Cheddar Biscuit Bites | Charlotte |
| Mantissa Corporation | Scorpion® Sortation System | Charlotte |
| Lighthouse Candle Factory | Custom Handmade Candles | Kernersville |