2024 Winners:
Medium-to-Large Business
HondaJet Elite II
Small Business
Piedmont Pennies Original Sharp Cheddar Biscuit Bites
HondaJet Elite II
The NC Chamber had the privilege of featuring Honda Aircraft Company on its 2024 NC Manufacturing Tour. Enjoy the inside look below!
| 2024 “Coolest Thing Made in NC” Winners Named Honda Aircraft Company and Piedmont Pennies win statewide competition |
| RALEIGH, N.C. – Today, the day before National Manufacturing Day (#MFGDay24), the NC Chamber revealed the winners for this year’s ‘Coolest Thing Made in NC’ competition: HondaJet Elite II by Honda Aircraft Company (medium-to-large business category) and Original Sharp Cheddar Biscuit Bites by Piedmont Pennies (small business category). The contest recognizes two winners: one for businesses with fewer than 100 employees, and one for businesses with 100+ employees. Honda Aircraft Company’s product is manufactured in Greensboro and Piedmont Pennies’ is manufactured in Charlotte. Now an annual tradition, the NC Chamber launched the competition in 2020 to honor North Carolina’s manufacturers and raise awareness about the limitless potential of modern manufacturing careers. 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 generates more than 17% of the gross state product and employs more than 10% of the state’s workforce. 2024 “Coolest Thing Made in NC” Finalists (in place order): Winner: Honda Aircraft Company HondaJet Elite II (Greensboro) 2nd Place: Roush & Yates V6 Twin-turbo EcoBoost Engine for Limited Edition Ford GT Mk IV (Mooresville) 3rd Place: Carrier Centrifugal Chillers (Charlotte) 4th Place: Texas Pete Hot Sauce (Winston-Salem) 5th Place: Flucelvax by CSL Seqirus (Holly Springs) 6th Place: Columbia Forest Products PureBond Formaldehyde-Free Hardwood Plywood (Old Fort) Small Business Category Winner: Piedmont Pennies Original Sharp Cheddar Biscuit Bites (Charlotte) 2nd Place: Lighthouse Candle Factory Custom Handmade Candles (Kernersville) 3rd Place: Mantissa Scorpion® Sortation System (Charlotte) 4th Place: WoolTribe Signature Cable Beanie (Charlotte) 5th Place: Atlantic Beach Sea Salt (Atlantic Beach) “Congratulations to Honda Aircraft Company and Piedmont Pennies for winning the 2024 ‘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 innovative and important products for our state, country, and world.” MFG Day, organized nationally by NAM and The Manufacturing Institute, champions the next generation of creators and kicks off a campaign to highlight the exciting careers in modern manufacturing. Baxter is serving as the presenting sponsor of the online competition, and Business North Carolina is this year’s media partner. Join the contest’s social media campaign by following #CoolestThingMadeinNC. In addition to receiving a trophy, this year’s winning products will be featured in NC Chamber and Business North Carolina publications, podcasts, social and digital media, among additional statewide publicity efforts. 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. |
Congrats to the 2024 Nominees
*Designates a 2024 Finalist
| American Response Vehicles | AEV Ambulance |
| Andrew Pearson Glass | Solid Glass Countertop with Integrated Sink |
| Arhaus | Kipton Furniture Collection |
| Artisan Leaf | Tobacco Leaf Tumbler |
| ATI Materials | Hafnium |
| Atlantic Beach Sea Salt Company* | Atlantic Beach Sea Salt |
| Atom Power | Atom Switch |
| Aunt Ruby’s Peanuts | Country Style Gourmet Peanuts |
| Avient | Dyneema(R) |
| Baker Forge & Tool Copper | Laminated Damascus Steels |
| Barvecue | Barvecue Pulled BVQ |
| Beach Mule | HD Electric Beach Cart |
| Bella Tunno | Wonder Bib |
| BENNY T’S VESTA | Dry Hot Sauce |
| Bertie County Peanuts | Blister Fried Peanuts |
| BETA Fueling Systems, LLC | Propelled Hydrant and Towable Narrow Body-Carts |
| Big Delicious Brand | Carolina Sausage Dip |
| BLUDEK+Trim | The Sol Collection – PVC Decking |
| Bobcat Company | PG570 Portable Generator |
| Buck Stove | Freedom Fryer |
| Bus Safety Solutions | Extended Stop Arm |
| Candy’s Arm Rests | Motorcycle Arm Rests |
| Cane Creek Cycling | Components Invert – The World’s First Gravel Fork |
| Carolina Carports | Carports and Garages |
| Carolina Kettle Chips | |
| Carolina Packers Inc. | Bright Leaf Hot Dog |
| Carrier* | Centrifugal Chillers |
| Casco Signs | 75th NASCAR sign |
| Cashion Fishing Rods | |
| CertainTeed LLC | Norandex Vinyl Siding |
| Charlie’s Soap | Charlie’s Soap Oxygen Bleach |
| Cheerwine | |
| Chiphole | Chipong Original Set |
| Clay Revolution | Project X Silver Clay |
| Clearstow | Boat curtain Storage Bag |
| CMC Dry Ice Manufacturing | Dry Ice |
| CN-Seamless | Mach 1 |
| Coinhole® | American Flag Coinhole® Game Set |
| Columbia Forest Products* | PureBond Formaldehyde-Free Hardwood Plywood |
| Cook’s Mill Whiskey | Straight American Bourbon Whiskey |
| Country Water Country Water | Canned Wines |
| CSL Seqirus* | Flucelvax |
| Dead End Game Calls | Game Calls and Hunting Products |
| Dell Technologies | Dell PowerProtect Data Domain Appliance |
| Designed For Joy | Rosie Leather Sling Bag |
| Devil’s Foot Beverage Company | Non-Alcoholic Margarita |
| Domtar | Domtar Lighthouse Fluff Pulp |
| D’vine Foods | Moonshine Jelly |
| EarthKind | Fresh Cab Spider Deterrent |
| Egg Rollin’ | Specialty Egg Rolls |
| EGGER | Thermally Fused Laminate (TFL) |
| Electric Fishing Reel Systems, Inc. | Elec-Tra-Mate |
| Escazu Chocolates | 65% Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt bar |
| fat fish designz | Custom cutting boards / bait board/ filet table |
| FilterEasy, LLC | Magic Filter |
| Fisherman Creations | Crabpot Christmas Trees |
| French Broad Pantry | Double Chocolate Croissant |
| Gem Dandy, Inc. | Cowgirls Rock Leather Belt |
| George’s BBQ Sauce | |
| GIA Distillery | Platinum Label Single Malt |
| Greenheck Group | Air Terminal Units (ATU) |
| Haand | Cloudware Breakfast Bowl |
| Handcrafted by Keegan | Sculpted Barstool |
| Hannah Holden/Walking Apron | Walking Apron |
| Hays Fluid Controls | Hays Navy Product |
| HC Composites, LLC dba World Cat | Powered Catamaran Boats |
| Heritage Flag Company | Whiskey Barrel Wood American Flags |
| Hoffer Flow Controls | Flow Meters |
| Honda Aircraft Company* | HondaJet Elite II |
| House of Morgan Pewter | Handcrafted Pewter Arrowhead Gifts |
| Hurst – Jaws of Life | M 40 E3 Spreader |
| Industries of the Blind Inc | Army Combat Uniform Coat |
| JBC Percussion LLC | JBC Pro Kit |
| Joe Aker | Custom Handmade Knives |
| John Deere | Q800 E/M/R Series QuikTrak™ Commercial Stand-On Mowers |
| Keel Labs | Kelsun™ fiber |
| Kernersville Nut Company LLC | K-Vegas Trio |
| Kimo’s ONO Grindz | Hawaiian Chili Pepper Wafers |
| Krispy Kreme Doughnuts | |
| Kuraray Co., Ltd. | SentryGlass © |
| LazerEdge | UNC Chapel Hill Wall Hanging UNC Skyline |
| Lighthouse Candle Factory* | Custom Handmade Candles |
| Little Trees (Foothills Brewing) | Hemp-Derived Sparkling Water |
| Mantissa Corporation* | Scorpion® Sortation System |
| Map Shop | Raised Relief Maps |
| Marine Bean | Marine Bean |
| Marshallberg Farm | Osetra Caviar |
| MawMaw’s Chicken Pies | |
| Memory Lane Boutique | Memory Bears |
| Mickey Truck Bodies | Truck Bodies and Trailers |
| Modbox USA, Inc. | Modbox Curbside Mailbox |
| MouseStrap, LLC | |
| Nags Head Hammocks | 50th Anniversary Double Oatmeal DURACORD Rope Hammock |
| Nugget | Nugget Play Couch |
| Ocutech, Inc. | VES Falcon Autofocus Bioptic Telescope for the Visually Impaired |
| Opie Way | James Court Sneaker |
| Piedmont Distillers | Midnight Moon Moonshakes |
| Piedmont Pennies* | Cheesy Biscuit Bites Original Sharp Cheddar Biscuit Bites |
| Pine Hall | Brick Clay Brick Pavers |
| Plantd | Structural Building Panels |
| POLYWOOD | The Country Living by POLYWOOD Cottage 60″ Swing |
| Power Curbers | Power Curber 5700-D |
| Procter and Gamble | Crest Pro-Health Gum Detoxify Toothpaste |
| Proximity Manufacturing Company | Selvage Denim |
| R.H. Jensen Game Galls | Duck Calls |
| Riley | Kar Kraft | Kar-Kraft MkIV Continuation |
| Roush & Yates Racing Engines* | V6 Twin-turbo EcoBoost Engine for Limited Edition Ford GT Mk IV |
| Sea State Marine | Carbon Fiber SUP |
| Seate’s Syrup & More | Elderberry Syrup |
| Sesame Technologies, Inc. | Diamond Engine Shield EX |
| Shelton Vineyards | Shelton Vineyards Wine Collection |
| Shepherd Youth Ranch | Art Painted by A Therapy Horse |
| Shibumi | Shibumi Shade |
| Shurtape Technologies, LLC | FrogTape® Multi-Surface Painter’s Tape |
| Signode Industrial Group | PTC Top Frame |
| SinnovaTek | Nomatic Processor |
| Soelect Inc. | LiX anode |
| Southern Supreme | Nutty Fruitcake |
| SpanSet | Magnum Force Roundslings |
| Sparta Candle Co. | Eras of Soap Box |
| Stained Glass Designs by Michael | |
| Stormberg Foods | Brooklyn Biltong Peri Peri Chili Biltong |
| Stuart Nye | Backward Loop Earrings |
| Sun Raised Foods | Lamb Salami |
| Sweet’s Elderberry | Sweet’s Elderberry Shrub |
| Tarpestry | Classic Water Resistant Outdoor Blanket |
| TCOM, L.P. | TCOM Aerostats |
| The Council Tool Company, Inc | TD30-Halligan Forcible Entry Tool |
| The Fence Buddy | |
| The Old 97 Kettlecorn Company | Salisbury Blend |
| Thunderworks | Thundershirt |
| Tri-Hishtil, LLC | Grafted Watermelon Plants |
| TS Designs | Naturally Dyed Hemp Beanie |
| TW Garner Foods* | Texas Pete Hot Sauce |
| U.S. Legend Cars | International Legend Car |
| Usu Company Candles | Trademark Candle |
| Volvo Trucks North America | The all-new Volvo VNL |
| Watershed | Ocoee Drybag |
| Weldon Mills Distillery | Weldon Orchard’s Caramel Green Apple Flavored Whiskey |
| Winstead United Methodist Church | Water-Blanched Peanuts |
| Wolfspeed | Silicon Carbide |
| WoolTribe* | Signature Cable Beanie |