RALEIGH, N.C. – Today, the NC Chamber announced the 145 products nominated for its fifth annual “Coolest Thing Made in NC” online competition. Presented by Baxter International, the public contest 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. 

The contest recognizes two winners: one for businesses with fewer than 100 employees, and one for businesses with 100+ employees.  

“Congratulations to our 2024 Coolest Thing Made in NC nominees; each product showcases the impact and innovation of manufacturers in North Carolina,” said NC Chamber President and CEO Gary Salamido. “As we 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, the online contest began with 130 nominees and after three rounds of public voting totaling almost 50,000 votes, CR Onsrud’s Q-Series 5-Axis CNC Machine and Fjord Inc’s Static Rope Edge Protection earned the top spots. 

This year’s contest boasts its highest number of nominees, topping last year’s record of 130 nominated businesses. 

Go to coolestthingmadeinnc.com to vote daily until Thursday, August 29. The 15 semifinalists for each category will be announced live on YouTube on Thursday, September 5. The field of candidates will narrow with each round of voting, and the winning products will be revealed on Thursday, October 3, the day before National Manufacturing (MFG) Day.  

Join the contest’s social media campaign by following #CoolestThingMadeinNC. In addition to receiving a trophy, the winning companies and products 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): 

Bold Designates Medium-to-Large Business Category 

Company Name	Nominated Product	City
Dell Technologies	Dell PowerProtect Data Domain Appliance	Apex
French Broad Pantry	Double Chocolate Croissant	Asheville
Devil’s Foot Beverage Company	Non-Alcoholic Margarita	Asheville
Stuart Nye	Backward Loop earrings	Asheville
Watershed	Ocoee Drybag	Asheville
Atlantic Beach Sea Salt Company	Atlantic Beach Sea Salt	Atlantic Beach
Southern Supreme	Nutty Fruitcake	Bear Creek
Clearstow	Clearstow Boat curtain Storage Bag	Beaufort
Sun Raised Foods	Lamb Salami	Biscoe
Egg Rollin’	Specialty Egg Rolls	Blowing Rock
Dead End Game Calls	Game Calls and Hunting Products	Boone
Baker Forge & Tool	Copper Laminated Damascus Steels	Boone
Procter and Gamble	Crest Pro-Health Gum Detoxify Toothpaste	Brown Summit
Big Delicious Brand	Carolina Sausage Dip	Burlington
Haand	Cloudware Breakfast Bowl	Burlington
TS Designs/ Solid State Clothing	Naturally Dyed Hemp Beanie	Burlington
Nugget	Nugget Play Couch	Butner
Ocutech, Inc.	VES Falcon Autofocus Bioptic Telescope for the Visually Impaired	Chapel Hill
Chiphole Chipong	Chiphole Chipong Original Set	Charlotte
WoolTribe	Signature Cable Beanie	Charlotte
Sweet’s Elderberry	Sweet’s Elderberry Shrub	Charlotte
Piedmont Pennies	Original Sharp Cheddar Biscuit Bites	Charlotte
Map Shop	Raised Relief Maps	Charlotte
Mantissa Corporation	Scorpion® Sortation System	Charlotte
Carrier	Centrifugal Chillers	Charlotte
Kimo’s ONO Grindz	Hawaiian Chili Pepper Waters	China Grove
CertainTeed LLC	Norandex Vinyl Siding	Claremont
CMC Dry Ice Manufacturing	Dry Ice	Concord
Casco Signs	75th NASCAR sign	Concord
BLUDEK+Trim	The Sol Collection – PVC Decking	Conover
Arhaus	Kipton Furniture Collection	Conover
The Fence Buddy	The Fence Buddy	Cornelius
Barvecue	Pulled BVQ	Cornelius
Shepherd Youth Ranch	Art Painted by Malachi	Creedmoor
Hays Fluid Controls	Hays Navy Product	Dallas
Splawn	Amplifiers	Dallas
Shelton Vineyards	Shelton Vineyards Wine Collection	Dobson
Carolina Carports	Carports and Garages	Dobson
Wolfspeed	Silicon Carbide	Durham
Thunderworks	Thundershirt	Durham
Signode Industrial Group	PTC Top Frame	Eden
TCOM, L.P.	TCOM Aerostats	Elizabeth City
Hoffer Flow Controls	Flow Meters	Elizabeth City
D’vine Foods	Moonshine Jelly	Elizabethtown
Aunt Ruby’s Peanuts	Country Style Gourmet Peanuts	Enfield
Kuraray Co., Ltd.	SentryGlas ©	Fayetteville
Opie Way	James Court Sneaker	Fletcher
Cane Creek Cycling Components	Invert – The World’s First Gravel Fork	Fletcher
John Deere	Q800 E/M/R Series QuikTrak™ Commercial Stand-On Mowers	Fuquay-Varina
Fat Fish Designz	Custom cutting boards / bait board/ filet table	Garner
Stormberg Foods	Brooklyn Biltong Peri Peri Chili Biltong	Goldsboro
Benevolence Farm	Healing Salve	Graham
Proximity Manufacturing Company	Selvage Denim	Greensboro
Soelect Inc.	LiX anode	Greensboro
Industries of the Blind Inc	Army Combat Uniform Coat	Greensboro
Honda Aircraft Company	HondaJet Elite II	Greensboro
Volvo Trucks North America	The all-new Volvo VNL	Greensboro
Electric Fishing Reel Systems, Inc.	Elec-Tra-Mate	Greensboro
Nags Head Hammocks	50th Anniversary Double Oatmeal DURACORD Rope Hammock	Greenville
Avient	Dyneema(R)	Greenville
U.S. Legend Cars International	Legend Car	Harrisburg
Shurtape Technologies, LLC	FrogTape® Multi-Surface Painter’s Tape	Hickory
Mickey Truck Bodies	Truck Bodies and Trailers	High Point
CSL Seqirus	Flucelvax	Holly Springs
Candys Arm Rests	Motorcycle Arm Rests	Huntersville
Atom Power	Atom Switch	Huntersville
American Emergency Vehicles (AEV)	AEV Ambulance	Jefferson
Lighthouse Candle Factory	Custom Handmade Candles	Kernersville
Kernersville Nut Company LLC	K-Vegas Trio	Kernersville
MawMaw’s Chicken Pies	Chicken Pie	Kernersville
House of Morgan Pewter	Handcrafted Pewter Arrowhead Gifts	Kinston
The Council Tool Company, Inc	TD30-Halligan Forcible Entry Tool	Lake Waccamaw
Coinhole®	American Flag Coinhole® Game Set	Lattimore
Hot Rod Dynamics	Full Build Cars	Lenoir
EGGER	Thermally Fused Laminate (TFL)	Linwood
Clay revolution	Project X Silver Clay	Madison
GIA Distillery	Platinum Label Single Malt	Madison
Piedmont Distillers	Midnight Moon Moonshines	Madison
Gem Dandy, Inc.	Cowgirls Rock Leather Belt	Madison
Greenheck Group	Air Terminal Units (ATU)	Marion
Bella Tunno	Wonder Bib	Matthews
Tri-Hishtil, LLC	Grafted Watermelon Plants	Mills River
JBC Percussion LLC	JBC Pro Kit	Mocksville
Memory Lane Boutique	Memory Bears	Mocksville
Bus Safety Solutions	Extended Stop Arms	Mocksville
ATI Materials	Hafnium	Monroe
Seate’s Syrup & More	Elderberry Syrup	Monroe
EarthKind	Fresh Cab Spider Deterrent	Mooresville
Riley | Kar Kraft	Kar-Kraft MkIV Continuation	Mooresville
Roush & Yates Racing Engines	V6 Twin-turbo EcoBoost Engine for Limited Edition Ford GT Mk IV	Mooresville
Keel Labs	Kelsun™ fiber	Morrisville
LazerEdge	UNC Chapel Hill Wall Hanging UNC Skyline	Mount Airy
Andrew Pearson Glass	Solid Glass Countertop with Integrated Sink	Mount Airy
George’s BBQ Sauce	George’s BBQ Sauce	Nashville
MouseStrap, LLC	MouseStrap	North Wilkesboro
Handcrafted by Keegan	Sculpted barstool	North Wilkesboro
Columbia Forest Products	PureBond Formaldehyde-Free Hardwood Plywood	Old Fort
Sea State Marine	Carbon Fiber SUP	Oriental
Plantd	Structural Building Panels	Oxford
Domtar	Domtar Lighthouse Fluff Pulp	Plymouth
Usu Company Candles	Trademark Candle	Raleigh
Country Water	Canned Wines	Raleigh
CN-Seamless	Mach 1	Raleigh
Modbox USA, Inc.	Curbside Mailbox	Raleigh
BENNY T’S VESTA	Dry Hot Sauce	Raleigh
Escazu Chocolates	65% Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt bar	Raleigh
Designed For Joy	Rosie Leather Sling Bag	Raleigh
Shibumi	Shibumi Shade	Raleigh
SinnovaTek	Nomatic Processor	Raleigh
Carolina Kettle Chips	Carolina Kettle Chips	Raleigh
BETA Fueling Systems, LLC	Propelled Hydrant and Towable Narrow Body-Carts	Reidsville
POLYWOOD	The Country Living by POLYWOOD Cottage 60″ Swing	Roxboro
Power Curbers	Power Curber 5700-D	Salisbury
Cheerwine	Cheerwine	Salisbury
Cashion Fishing Rods	Cashion Fishing Rods	Sanford
SpanSet	Magnum Force Roundslings	Sanford
Hurst – Jaws of Life	M 40 E3 Spreader	Shelby
Carolina Packers Inc.	Bright Leaf Hot Dogs	Smithfield
Marshallberg Farm	Osetra Caviar	Smyrna
Fisherman Creations	Crabpot Christmas Trees	Smyrna
Heritage Flag Company	Whiskey Barrel Wood American Flags	Southern Pines
Sparta Candle Co.	Eras of Soap Box	Sparta
The Old 97 Kettlecorn Company	Salisbury Blend	Spencer
Buck Stove	Freedom Fryer	Spruce Pine
Cook’s Mill Whiskey	Straight American Bourbon Whiskey	Statesville
Bobcat Company	PG570 Portable Generator	Statesville
Charlie’s Soap	Oxygen Bleach	Stoneville
Tarpestry	Classic Water Resistant Outdoor Blanket	Sugar Grove
HC Composites, LLC dba World Cat	Powered Catamaran Boats	Tarboro
Hannah Holden/Walking Apron	Walking Apron	Troy
Sesame Technologies, Inc.	Diamond Engine Shield EX	Washington
Weldon Mills Distillery	Caramel Green Apple Flavored Whiskey	Weldon
Joe Aker	Custom Handmade Knives	Wendell
Marine Bean	Marine Bean	Wilmington
Beach Mule	HD Electric Beach Cart	Wilmington
R.H. Jensen Game Galls	Duck Calls	Wilmington
Winstead United Methodist Church	Water-Blanched Peanuts	Wilson
Artisan Leaf	Tobacco Leaf Tumbler	Wilson
FilterEasy, LLC	Magic Filter	Wilson
Bertie County Peanuts	Blister Fried Peanuts	Windsor
TW Garner Foods	Texas Pete Hot Sauce	Winston-Salem
Krispy Kreme Doughnuts	Krispy Kreme Doughnuts	Winston-Salem
Stained Glass Designs by Michael Isley	Stained Glass Designs by Michael Isley	Winston-Salem
Little Trees (Foothills Brewing)	Hemp-Derived Sparkling Water	Winston-Salem
Pine Hall Brick	Clay Brick Pavers	Winston-Salem

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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.