Public voting opened for annual statewide manufacturing contest

Today, the NC Chamber announced the 68 nominees for its annual “Coolest Thing Made in NC” online competition. Presented by Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc., the statewide contest invites the public to nominate and vote for their favorite product manufactured in North Carolina. Business North Carolina is serving as Media Partner, and the North Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NCMEP) is collaborating as a Supporting Organization. As the exclusive North Carolina affiliate for the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the NC Chamber knows that a strong manufacturing industry is crucial to the state’s economic and competitive success. North Carolina’s cutting-edge manufacturing industry generates more than 17 percent of the gross state product and employs more than 10 percent of the state’s workforce.

“Congratulations to our 2021 nominees; each product tells a special story of the impact and innovation manufacturers have on our great state,” 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.”

In 2020, the NC Chamber launched the “Coolest Thing Made in NC” competition to celebrate North Carolina’s vital manufacturing community – and champion the next generation of manufacturers and creators by raising awareness about the rewarding careers of modern manufacturing. Last year, after 72 products nominated and 58,000 votes counted, Thomas Built Buses won the inaugural title for its Saf-T-Liner^® C2 Jouley™ Electric School Bus.

“Manufacturing is an important part of our state economy, so we enjoy celebrating the products made right here in our back yard,” said Greg Plemmons, senior vice president of sales for Old Dominion Freight Line. “The businesses nominated for the ‘Coolest Thing’ competition represent the best of North Carolina, and Old Dominion is proud to partner with the NC Chamber for this unique contest.”

Go to coolestthingmadeinnc.com to vote for the coolest thing made in NC; the 15 semifinalists will be announced on September 2. The field of candidates will narrow with each round of voting, and the winning product will be revealed on October 1, National Manufacturing (MFG) Day.

Join the contest’s social media campaign by following #CoolestThingMadeinNC. In addition to receiving a trophy, the victorious company and product will be featured in NC Chamber and Business North Carolina publications, podcasts, social and digital media, among additional statewide publicity efforts.

“The Coolest Thing Made in NC” Nominees (in alphabetical order by manufacturing location):

Asheville	Moog Music Inc.	Matriarch Synthesizer
Asheville	GE Aviation	Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs)
Beaufort	Jarrett Bay Boats	Jarrett Bay Boats
Boone	Appalachia Cookie Company	Appalachia Cookie Company Blueberry White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie
Brevard	Sap & Bark	Ikari: Line spools with magnetic fly storage
Brevard	SylvanSport LC	Sylvan Sport Go
Brevard	Gulo Composites	New Gravel Adventure Wheel-set: GGA-SL
Burlington	Stoney Mountain Farm	Eco-Friendly Wool Dryer Balls
Burlington	Haand	Haand dinnerware
Burlington	Simple Kneads	Simple Kneads Gluten-free Bread
Charlotte	Queen Charlotte	Queen Charlotte’s Original Pimiento Cheese
Charlotte	LeafBurrito	Leaf Burrito® The Year Round Yard Bag
Charlotte	ZombieSnott	Zombie Snott
Charlotte/Indian Trail	Jack Coobs	Custom Guitars
Charlotte/Midland	Midland Farms	Citrus Sunshine Goat’s Milk Soap
Clayton	Caterpillar	Cat® 938M Wheel Loader
Cleveland	Western Star Trucks (Daimler)	49X Western Star Vocational Truck
Concord	NASCAR	Air Titan 2.0
Conover	von Drehle	Transcend Dispensing System
Durham	FloLogic	FloLogic Smart Leak Detection Auto Shutoff System
Durham	Cree	Silicon Carbide Technology
Durham	Cormetech	Cormetech Meteor SCR Catalyst
Emerald Isle/Asheboro	Shibumi Shade	Shibumi Shade
Franklin	TekTone	Nurse Call Systems
Graham	Benevolence Farm	Healing Salve
Greensboro	HondaJet	HondaJet Elite
Greensboro	Revi Technical Wear	Cooler Cowboy Sock
Greensboro/Whitsett	Red Oak Brewing	Red Oak Beer
Greenville	DSM	Dyneema
Greenville	RAW Plastic	RAW Plastic Planter Pot
Haw River	NovaFlex Group	Novaflex Rubber Hoses
Henderson	Ardagh	Ardagh Mason Jars
High Point	Rifled Air Conditioning	Rifled Air School Bus Air Conditioners
High Point	Wool Novelty Company	Weaving Loops
Hillsborough	Nugget	Nugget Comfort Kids Couch
Holly Springs	Seqirus	Fluelvax Quadrivalent Flu Vaccine
Kinston	Additive America	3d Printed Medical Helmets
Lexington	Vivid Metal Prints	Dye Sublimated Metal Prints
Louisburg	Legacy Family Foods (*Women Owned)	Carolina Treet
McDowell County/Marion	Baxter Healthcare	Baxter Healthcare’s IV Bags
Mebane	Armacell	ArmaFlex Ultra
Mt. Olive	Mt. Olive Pickle Company	Dill Pickles
Nashville	George’s BBQ Sauce	George’s BBQ Sauce
Nashville	The Cheesecake Factory	Cheesecake Factory Bakery Cheesecakes
Nashville	Butterfield’s Candy Company	Butterfields Candy Peach Buds
New Bern	BSH	HBLP451RUC Bosch SideOpen Door Wall Oven
Raleigh	Two Roosters Ice Cream	Two Roosters Ice Cream
Raleigh	USU Company	Ivy Rose Candle
Raleigh	Videri Chocolate Factory	Videri Sea Salt Chocolate
Raleigh	Big Delicious Brand	Carolina Sausage Dip
Rocky Mount	Ripe Revival	Ripe Revival Gummies
Salisbury	Carolina Beverage Company	Cheerwine
Salisbury	Power Curbers	Power Curber 5700-D Curb & Gutter Machine
Salisbury/Spencer	The Old 97 Kettlecorn Company	Old 97 Kettlecorn
Sanford/Seagrove	Southern Supreme	Nutty Fruit Cake
Shelby	Hurst Jaws of Life	Jaws of Life
Smithfield	Smithfield	Renewable Natural Gas powered by Smithfield Hogs
Smithfield	Carolina Packers	Brightleaf Hot Dogs
Smithfield/Four Oaks	House-Autry	Chicken Breading Mix
Statesville	Toter (owned by WasteEquip)	Toter Trash Cans
Stony Point	Shurtape	Duct Tape by Duck Brand
Wilkesboro	Anchor Coffee	Small Batch Coffee
Wilmington	Cape Fear Specialty Foods	Rum Cake
Wilson	Aristan Leaf	Tables and Bartops
Wilson/Stantonsburg	Old Saratoga Inc.	5.2 Gallon Bag-in-a-Box
Winston-Salem	Krispy Kreme	Krispy Kreme Doughnuts
Winston-Salem	TW Garner Food Company	Texas Pete Hot Sauce
Wrightsville Beach	Staulk	WATERTABLE By Staulk

 

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 one of the largest North American less-than-truckload (“LTL”) motor carriers and provides regional, inter-regional, and national LTL services through a single integrated, union-free organization. Our service offerings, which include expedited transportation, are provided through an expansive network of service centers located throughout the continental United States. The Company also maintains strategic alliances with other carriers to provide 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.