
2022 Winners:
Medium-to-Large Business: Caterpillar 299D3 XE Compact Track Loader
Small Business: beachBUB® All-in-One Umbrella System
October 6, 2022
RALEIGH, N.C. – Today, the day before National Manufacturing Day (#MFGDay22), the NC Chamber revealed this year’s winners for this year’s ‘Coolest Thing Made in NC’ competition: Caterpillar Cat® 299D3 XE Compact Track Loader (medium-to-large business category) and beachBub® All-In-One Umbrella System (small business category).
New for 2022, this contest recognized two winners as opposed to one: one for businesses with fewer than 100 employees, and one for businesses with 100+ employees. Caterpillar’s product is manufactured in Sanford, N.C., while beachBub’s is manufactured in Greensboro.

The online contest began with 80 nominees and after three rounds of public voting totaling 46,000 votes, the Caterpillar Cat® track loader and beachBub umbrella system earned the top spots, earning 6,397 and 5,436 votes respectively.

Now an annual tradition, the NC Chamber launched the competition in 2020 to honor North Carolina’s manufacturers and raise awareness about the rewarding careers in modern manufacturing. As the exclusive state affiliate for the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the NC Chamber knows that a strong manufacturing sector is central to North Carolina’s economic and competitive success. The state’s innovative manufacturing industry is the largest workforce in the Southeast with more than 450,000 North Carolinians employed by 10,250 NC manufacturers.
2022 “The Coolest Thing Made in NC” Finalists (in place order):
Medium-to-Large Business Category | ||
Place | Finalist | Manufacturing Location |
Winner | Caterpillar Cat® 299D3 XE Compact Track Loader | Sanford |
2nd place | HondaJet Elite S | Greensboro |
3rd place | Wolfspeed Silicon Carbide | Durham |
4th Place | Cook Medical Hemospray | Winston-Salem |
5th Place | Wieland Copper Products Finned Tubes | Pine Hall |
Small Business Category | ||
Place | Finalist | Manufacturing Location |
Winner | beachBUB® All-In-One Umbrella System | Greensboro |
2nd place | CrabPot Christmas Trees by Fisherman Creations | Smyrna |
3rd place | George’s BBQ Sauce | Nashville |
4th Place | SOLOCART | Holly Springs |
5th Place | Artisan Leaf Tables and Bartops | Wilson |
“Congratulations to Caterpillar and beachBub for winning the 2022 ‘Coolest Thing Made in NC’ title,” said NC Chamber President and CEO Gary Salamido. “Tomorrow is National Manufacturing Day, and we would like to thank our entire manufacturing community for developing important and also lifesaving products for our state, country, and world. Our manufacturers are vital to both the health of our people and our economy.”
MFG Day, organized nationally by the NAM and The Manufacturing Institute, champions the next generation of creators, and kicks off a campaign to change perceptions of manufacturing, highlight the exciting careers in modern manufacturing, and close the widening skills gap. MFG Day coincides with North Carolina’s Manufacturing Week.
The North Carolina Farm Bureau served as this year’s Presenting Sponsor for the online competition, and Business North Carolina was this year’s Media Partner.
Join the contest’s social media campaign by following #CoolestThingMadeinNC. In addition to receiving a trophy, this year’s winnings products will be featured in NC Chamber and Business North Carolina publications, podcasts, social and digital media, among additional statewide publicity efforts. Information on last year’s winner and runners-up can be found here.
###
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 North Carolina Farm Bureau
North Carolina Farm Bureau Federation was formed in 1936 as a non-profit general farm organization to serve farmers and provide a unified voice for the interests and needs of the farming community. For more information, visit https://www.ncfb.org/.
Congrats to the 2022 Nominees
*Designates a 2022 Top 5 Finalist
A-B Emblem Official Nasa Patch |
Appalachian Gear Co. All-Paca Hoodie |
Artisan Leaf Tables and Bartops* |
beachBUB® All-In-One Umbrella System* |
Benevolence Farm Chamomile & Lavender Healing Salve |
Benny T’s Vesta Dry Hot Sauce |
Byers Precision Fabricated Panels |
Crab Pot Christmas Trees by Fisherman Creations* |
Eclipse Magnetically Sealed CPAP mask, by BleepSleep |
George’s BBQ Sauce* |
LipLidz Cocktail Glasses |
Old Glory 1350 Handcrafted American Flags |
Shibumi Shade |
Shiners Stash Bloody Mary Beef Jerky |
SOLOCART* |
WaterDog Adventure Gear |
Caterpillar’s Cat® 299D3 XE Compact Track Loader* |
Cheerwine |
Cook Medical Hemospray* |
C.R. Onsrud’s 5-Axis C-Series Router |
HondaJet Elite S* |
HURST Jaws of Life |
John Deere’s 470 P-Tier Excavator |
Morinaga Hi-CHEW Candy |
Mt. Olive Pickles |
National Gypsum’s PURPLE XP Drywall |
Nutro Dog Food |
TCOM Aerostats |
T-Rex Brute Force Tape by Shurtape |
Wieland Copper Products Finned Tubes* |
Wolfspeed Silicon Carbide* |
Dusky Electronics D₂O Amplifier |
Memory Lane Boutique Memory Bears |
Cargo Caddie |
Mangalitsa Lard |
Tarpestry Outdoor Blankets and Tarps |
Bynum Family Farm/Logan Farms All Natural Lard Soap with Goat’s Milk |
McKenzie Penworks Diamondcast Resin Pen Blanks |
Seven Seed Facial Serum |
Carolina Pickle Company Sweet Thai Pickles |
Bright Black Candles |
SIPPIN SNAX Vineyard Red Craft Peanuts |
E.M. Walton’s Premium Salted Caramel |
Old Nick Williams Distillery Hempahol Vodka |
Red Clay Pimento Cheese |
Eco Twist Detergent |
Big Delicious Brand’s Original Hot ‘Cue Dip |
Carolina Treet |
Ashe County Cheese |
Charlie’s Soap Natural Powder Laundry Detergent |
Durham Distillery Conniption Gin |
Harris Saddles |
Huck Cycles – Rebel |
Nufabrx Compession Sleeves |
Texas Pete Hot Sauce |
Etherwave Theremin |
Nugget Comfort Kids Couch |
R. Riveter Handbags |
Country Snacks Fried Pork Skins |
The Rustic Lamp Copper Shades and Lamps |
Revware MicroScribe i+ Portable CMM arm |
Vivid Metal Prints Dye Sublimated Metal Prints |
Boomerang Water |
Rifled Air School Bus Air Conditioners |
Tek-CARE Nurse Call Product Line |
Buck Stove Wood Burning Stoves |
Andersen Sterilizers |
TVS SuperCereal Plus |
Pine Hall Brick |
Bojangle’s Biscuits |
EGGER TFL (thermally fused laminate) |
Krispy Kreme Doughnuts |
Pepsi |
Vick’s VapoRub |
Collins Aerospace Commercial Aircraft Seats |
Neese’s Sausage |
Carrier Commercial Air Conditioners |
Red Bird Peppermint Candy Puffs |
Hospitality Mints Buttermints |
5700-D Curb & Gutter Machine |