​Top 16 contestants announced for‘Coolest Thing Made in Nebraska’ contest

LINCOLN – The first ever “Coolest Thing Made in Nebraska” tournament will lead Nebraskans into the annual celebration of NE Manufacturing Month this October. Manufacturers, students, and all Nebraskans are invited to vote for their favorite Nebraska-made product in a head-to-head, bracket style competition over the next four weeks.

The contest, hosted by the NE Manufacturing Alliance and powered by the NE Chamber, celebrates the state’s thriving manufacturing industry with Nebraska residents, students, educators, community leaders, manufacturers and especially, the vast number of Nebraskans working in manufacturing every day.

The following Nebraska manufacturers and their featured products will comprise the contestants for this inaugural tournament.

• Dorothy Lynch, Tasty Toppings, Columbus
• Grain Weevil, Aurora
• New York City Transit Authority R211 Rail Car, Kawasaki, Lincoln
• MIRA, Virtual Incision, Lincoln
• Grandma’s Fruitcakes, Beatrice Bakery Co., Beatrice
• The Rambler, Handlebend, O’Neill
• Road Zipper, Lindsay Corporation, Omaha
• Rescue Aerials and STINGER Extinguishing Booms for Firetrucks, Rosenbauer, Fremont
• Mars 2020 Mission Ducts, Royal Engineered Composites, Minden
• Track Hurdles, Blazer Athletic Equipment, Fremont
• Pivot Walker, Chief Fabrication, Grand Island
• EagleSpan, Behlen Mfg. Co., Columbus
• System Built Modular Homes, Heritage Homes of Nebraska, Wayne
• Tractor Stalk Roller, KinnanFAB, Cozad
• Wooden Barns and Homes, Timberlyne, Wayne
• Retail Shelving, Lozier, Omaha

 
Voting for the first round begins Tuesday, September 13. The final round will end at 11:59 p.m., Sunday, October 9. Each contestant has submitted a photo and description to aid in voting. Only one vote per matchup per round will be allowed. The voting timeline follows.

• Round 1 (Top 16): Tuesday, September 13 – Sunday, September 18
• Round 2 (Top 8): Tuesday, September 20 – Sunday, September 25
• Semifinals (Top 4): Tuesday, September 27 – Sunday, October 2
• Finals (Top 2): Tuesday, October 4 – Sunday, October 9

 
Online voting for the competition is available at nemanufacturingalliance.com.

The champion will be announced October 11 at the NE Chamber’s Manufacturing Summit in La Vista, where the finalists will also be invited to display their products.

“This exciting contest is an opportunity to showcase just how much and how broadly manufacturing is at the heart of success in our communities and our families, not to mention the level of pride Nebraskans have in Nebraska-made products,” said Mike Johnson, NE Chamber chief operating officer and vice president of manufacturing. “It’s already exceeded our expectations, and voting hasn’t even started yet! We can’t wait to see how the public embraces the competition and who will take the championship title.”

Sponsorship opportunities are still available for the competition. Contact James Berringer (jberringer@nechamber.com) for more information.
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About NE Manufacturing Alliance
Five statewide manufacturing groups have pledged to coordinate efforts to grow manufacturing and STEM workforce in Nebraska over the next decade. Learn more at nemanufacturingalliance.com.