Thomas Built Buses Wins “Coolest Thing Made in NC” Title
Thomas Built Buses Wins “Coolest Thing Made in NC” Title
Statewide contest commends manufacturing community’s impact and innovation
RALEIGH, N.C. – Today, the NC Chamber announced that the Saf-T-Liner® C2 Jouley™ Electric School Bus, manufactured by High Point-based Thomas Built Buses, is the inaugural winner of the “Coolest Thing Made in NC” competition. The contest started with 72 nominees, and after two rounds of voting totaling 50,000 votes, the leading manufacturer of school buses in North America won the title. Presented by Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc., the statewide online competition celebrates the variety and quality of products manufactured across North Carolina. The North Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NCMEP) is also collaborating on this initiative as a Supporting Organization. In addition to receiving a trophy, Thomas Built Buses will be featured in various NC Chamber publications and promoted across its communications channels and statewide publicity efforts.
“We are extremely proud and humbly honored to receive this award from the NC Chamber, and we thank Old Dominion for sponsoring this effort,” said Caley Edgerly, president and CEO, Thomas Built Buses. “North Carolina has a long and rich tradition of manufacturing excellence and product innovation; we are lucky to call this state our home for more than 100 years.”
North Carolina’s cutting-edge manufacturing industry, the backbone of the state’s economy for more than a century, generates more than 18% of the gross state product and employs more than 10% of the state’s workforce. As the exclusive North Carolina affiliate for the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the NC Chamber recognizes that a strong manufacturing industry is central to the state’s economic and competitive success.
“As we honor our state’s manufacturing community this week and champion the next generation of manufacturers today, MFG Day, I want to send a special congratulations to Thomas Built Buses for being named the Coolest Thing Made in NC,” said NC Chamber President and CEO Gary Salamido. “As we always say at the NC Chamber: what’s made in North Carolina makes North Carolina. Our team is already looking forward to next year’s contest, which will include a small business category.”
MFG Day is an annual event organized by the National Association of Manufacturers and The Manufacturing Institute highlighting the rewarding career opportunities of modern manufacturing.
“Thomas Built Buses is a long-time neighbor of Old Dominion Freight Line, so we’re thrilled to hear they are being recognized for making the coolest thing in North Carolina,” said Greg Plemmons, senior vice president of sales, Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. “The Piedmont Triad is proud to be the manufacturing home to the big yellow school buses that we’ve all come to know. Technology and innovative manufacturing have evolved in the 21st century; Thomas Built has exemplified that with its Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley Electric Bus. Promoting North Carolina goods and services is a benefit to all residents, so Old Dominion is proud to partner with the NC Chamber in a creative way to showcase the many cool things made in our state.”
About Thomas Built Buses
Founded in 1916, Thomas Built Buses is a leading manufacturer of school buses in North America. Since the first Thomas Built bus rolled off the assembly line, the company has been committed to delivering the smartest and most innovative buses in North America. Thomas Built Buses, Inc., headquartered in High Point, N.C., is a subsidiary of Daimler Trucks North America LLC, the largest heavy-duty truck manufacturer in North America and a leading manufacturer of class 4-8 vehicles.
About the NC Chamber
The NC Chamber works to research, develop, advocate, and communicate for solutions and policies that produce a nationally competitive business climate in North Carolina. For more information, visit ncchamber.com.
About Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.
Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. is a leading, less-than-truckload (“LTL”), union-free motor carrier providing regional, inter-regional, and national LTL services through a single integrated organization. Our service offerings, which include expedited transportation, are provided through an expansive network of service centers located throughout the continental United States. Through strategic alliances, the Company also provides LTL services throughout North America. In addition to its core LTL services, the Company offers a range of value-added services including container drayage, truckload brokerage, and supply chain consulting.