There are hundreds of items that are made in Illinois, but the Illinois Manufacturers Association is looking for the Coolest Thing Made in 2022.

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This is the third annual contest where the Illinois residents can vote on what they think is the coolest item made in the state. This is a bracket-style tournament highlighting Illinois -Made products. Any products can be nominated, as long as they are made in Illinois. The headquarters does not need to be based in Illinois, just as long as the products are produced in the state.

the competition celebrates the incredible work of manufacturers across Illinois, which have long served as the backbone of our state’s economy and are helping lead our recovery from the pandemic.

 

Nominations Open – March 2 – March 20
Nomination Round Voting – March 22 – April 3
First Round (16 products) Announced – April 5
First Round Voting – April 5 – 10
Second Round (8 products) Announced – April 12
Second Round Voting – April 12 – 17
Final Round (4 products) Announced – April 19
Final Round Voting – April 19 – 24
Winner Announced – April 27

Previous winners include the 797F Mining Truck manufactured by Caterpillar, Inc. and the Self-Regulating Traffic Signal Heater by Termico Technologies in Elk Grove Village. You could nominate handi-foil, first alert, weather tech floor liners, just to name a few.