SALISBURY — And then there were 30.
That is the number of products that remain in the running to be named a winner in the Coolest Thing Made in N.C. online competition presented by the N.C. Chamber.
The seventh annual contest began with 88 products, and as noted in a press release, more than 8,200 votes were cast in the first round, narrowing the field to 30 semifinalists, 10 in each of the three categories of small business, 1-99 employees; medium business, 100-999 employees; and large business, 1,000 and more employees.
Two of the remaining businesses are in Rowan County, both of which are in the medium-sized category. These include Cheerwine/Carolina Beverage Corp. for its Cheerwine. It is located at 1414 Jake Alexander Boulevard.
Power Curbers for its Power Curber 5700-D concrete machine. The business is located at 727 Bendix Drive.
The 30 semifinalists, which were announced on Sept. 9 by the N.C. Chamber, will advance to the final round of competition.
Voting is open for round two by going to coolestthingmadeinnc.com. Voting will conclude on Sept. 15 at 9 p.m. ET. As noted in the contest rules, a voter may vote once per day per category per IP address.
The top five finalists will be revealed on Sept. 21 with the winners to be announced on Oct. 1, which, as shared in the release, is “the day before National Manufacturing (MFG) Day. October is Manufacturing Month, and MFG Day, organized nationally by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and The Manufacturing Institute, highlights the rewarding career opportunities of modern manufacturing.”
Presenting sponsor of the public-driven contest is Allegacy Financial with Business North Carolina as the media partner and the North Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NCMEP) is collaborating as a Supporting Organization.
“This year’s Coolest Thing Made in N.C. semifinalists showcase the remarkable range and innovation of North Carolina manufacturing,” said N.C. Chamber President and CEO Gary J. Salamido in the release. “From food and household products to boats, equipment and advanced technologies, what’s made in North Carolina makes North Carolina.”
