(INDIANAPOLIS) — For the first time in the four-year history of the Coolest Thing Made IN Indiana tournament, there are two winners.
The Indiana Chamber of Commerce announced co-champions in the annual contest after realizing there was a lack of clarity in how the finalists could market their participation in the event – which may have created an unlevel playing field. That means Nashville’s Hard Truth Whiskey Co. and Rising Sun-based Harpsicle Harps share top honors. The two Hoosier companies had run in a nearly dead heat – in terms of votes cast – in the six rounds leading up to the championship match.
The results were revealed at today’s 2024 Best IN Manufacturing Awards Luncheon at the Indiana Roof Ballroom in Indianapolis.
This year, the Indiana Destination Development Corporation (IDDC) joined the Indiana Chamber in putting on the “Coolest” program. The contest started with a record 90 competitors from more than 50 Hoosier communities, and interest remained high with thousands of votes cast in each round.
“These two companies are exemplary of the kind of great makers we have here in Indiana,” says Vanessa Green Sinders, Indiana Chamber president and CEO. “With so many great competitors – and the level of competition we had this year – there is more than enough ‘cool’ to go around to name two awesome winners.”
Hard Truth entered and won with its popular Sweet Mash Whiskey, and Harpsicle Harps’ winning entry was for its beautifully handcrafted lever harp for the casual player.
Hard Truth began distilling in 2015 in the small upper rooms of Big Woods Pizza Co. in downtown Nashville. The tiny craft distillery quickly grew, and by 2017, construction had begun on a new facility set on a rolling, wooded, 325-acre property about a mile away from Hard Truth’s original home in Brown County. The following summer, the Restaurant at Hard Truth opened to hungry guests. In the fall of 2018, Hard Truth made the move to its new, state-of-the-art, sweet mash distillery, where it’s been producing Hard Truth spirits ever since.
Harpsicle Harps’ history is equally fascinating. William Rees began selling harps in 1972 out of a corner of his garage. At the time, he was living in California, teaching high school science, gigging with a band on weekends and starting a family. Two decades later, he and wife Pamela went all-in and formed Rees Harps, Inc. By 1999, they recognized a need to relocate outside of (expensive) California, so they moved to Rising Sun. They bought a 7,000 square foot building for manufacturing and retail. The business quickly quintupled in size and in 2003, when William introduced the namesake, the Harpsicle Harp, things really took off.
An online randomizer generated the initial Coolest Thing Made IN Indiana matchups, with online public voting determining the winners in each round. There was no entry fee. To participate, a company did not need to be headquartered in Indiana, but the product entered must be made in the state. Companies were limited to having one product nominated for entry.
Joining Hard Truth and Harpsicle Harps in the semifinals were Country Roads Coffee, a family-owned producer of fresh roasted coffee in Albion, and Guardian Bikes, a maker of safe and innovative children’s bicycles in Seymour. Rounding out the top eight were: Bear Wallow Distillery of Nashville for its Hoosier Hooch Sugar Cream Pie Moonshine; Blue Fox Farms LLC of Wawaka for dormant native plant roots; Clabber Girl of Terre Haute for its famous baking soda; and Gator Cases of Columbia City for guitar mini vaults.
“Indiana is fortunate to be home to companies that make all kinds of amazing products,” stresses IDDC Secretary and CEO Elaine Bedel. “We are thrilled to recognize and bring attention to some of the best and most innovative makers ‘IN Indiana.’ We especially applaud Hard Truth and Harpsicle Harps on their victory. Coming out on top in this hyper-competitive event is a tremendous accomplishment.”
Last year, Hoosier Racing Tire was crowned as the producer of the Coolest Thing Made IN Indiana for its racing tire. Janus Motorcycles of Goshen took top honors in the inaugural competition, and in 2022 the Indiana Chamber honored Maple Leaf Farms of Leesburg for its roast half duck.
Also at today’s event, the third annual Indiana’s Best Places to Work in Manufacturing program saw seven companies recognized. Kalenborn Abresist Corporation of Urbana retained its crown by taking No. 1 for the third year in a row. The Wabash County company develops and manufactures custom solutions for the protection of industrial facilities from wear and impact damage to ensure the proper flow of materials in the production process.
“Manufacturers must navigate the importance of safety while also earning a profit and managing staffs, and it’s such a critical sector for our state and nation,” Sinders remarks. “Kudos to Kalenborn Abresist as it continues to shine as an example of how to treat your employees right.”
The 2024 Indiana Best Places to Work in Manufacturing companies range in Hoosier employee count from 30 to over 600. The list by ranking:
- Kalenborn Abresist Corporation in Urbana
- Nexxt Spine LLC in Noblesville
- CrossPoint Polymer Technologies in Evansville
- AMPG in Indianapolis
- Nix Industrial in Poseyville
- Functional Devices in Sharpsville
- Kimball Electronics in Jasper
Recognized Best Places companies were determined through employer reports and comprehensive employee surveys. The Workforce Research Group handled the selection process.
Learn more about Indiana’s Best Places to Work in Manufacturing companies in the current issue of BizVoice ® magazine at www.bizvoicemagazine.com.
The Coolest Thing Made IN Indiana and Best IN Manufacturing endeavors are supported by spirit sponsor Purdue Manufacturing Extension Partnership (Purdue MEP), with gold sponsor Kalenborn Abresist Corporation and silver sponsors Evonik Tippecanoe Laboratories and Kimball Electronics.
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The Indiana Chamber partners with 25,000 members and investors – representing over four million Hoosiers – to achieve the mission of “cultivating a world-class environment which provides economic opportunity and prosperity.”
