(INDIANAPOLIS) — The Indiana Chamber’s fifth annual Coolest Thing Made IN Indiana tournament field of 49 entrants has been trimmed all the way down to two as fifth round voting has concluded, and the championship round qualifiers have been announced today.
In the semifinal round, Elkhart Brass Manufacturing bested Indianapolis-based Goulding and Wood Pipe Organ Builders and Shipshewana-based Stone Horses defeated defending champion Harpsicle Harps, from Rising Sun.
Elkhart Brass Manufacturing will now face Stone Horses in the final, with voting starting today and running through 9 p.m. on Thursday, January 15.
Elkhart Brass Manufacturing has entered its XD Glow-in-the-Dark Smooth Bore Nozzle, which is an essential piece of equipment used by firefighters far and wide.
Stone Horses, the only fully made-in-America model horse company, has entered its collectible model horse art, which is made in Shipshewana. The model horses are handmade and shipped globally. They are hand painted by local artisans and often custom-made, including the horse’s pose, for individual customers.
“The competition this year has been extraordinarily intense, with a lot of hotly contested matchups,” says Vanessa Green Sinders, Indiana Chamber president and CEO. “The result of that is two stalwart Hoosier makers squaring off to see who produces the coolest thing in this great manufacturing state. I can’t wait to see who wins, and the way votes have been coming in throughout the entirety of this tournament, I’m far from alone.”
The online Coolest Thing Made IN Indiana contest is a celebration of Indiana’s rich history in manufacturing and the Hoosier makers that produce all kinds of goods sold locally, nationally and globally. The competition format is a Hoosier Hysteria-style single-elimination tournament, with the top vote earner in each matchup advancing to the next round.
The contestants, matchups, cool products and product descriptions can be seen on the event’s website. Fans and followers of the competitors can be part of the competition by voting online at www.indianachamber.com/coolestthing.
With the beginning of each new round, the votes from the previous round are wiped away, and every remaining competitor starts the new round with no votes.
Entry in the contest is free. To participate, a company did not need to be headquartered in Indiana, but the product entered must be manufactured in the state. Companies are limited to having one product nominated for their entry.
Last year, Nashville’s Hard Truth Whiskey Co. and Rising Sun-based Harpsicle Harps shared top honors.
In 2023, Hoosier Racing Tire was crowned as the producer of the Coolest Thing Made IN Indiana for its racing tire. In 2022, the Indiana Chamber honored Maple Leaf Farms of Leesburg for its roast half duck, and Janus Motorcycles of Goshen was victorious in the inaugural competition.
Awards for this year’s top finishers will be presented at the Indiana Chamber’s Best in Business Awards Luncheon sponsored by Charter Spectrum TV/Internet/Voice on January 26 at the Indiana Convention Center.
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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.”
