The Indiana Chamber has announced the semifinalists for its fifth annual Coolest Thing Made IN Indiana tournament, narrowing the field from eight to four companies. The remaining contenders represent Elkhart, Indianapolis, Rising Sun, and Shipshewana.
The semifinalists are Elkhart Brass Manufacturing of Elkhart with its XD Glow-in-the-Dark Smooth Bore Nozzle used by firefighters; Goulding & Wood Pipe Organ Builders of Indianapolis with a handmade pipe organ; Harpsicle Harps of Rising Sun with its lever harp favored by both professional musicians and beginners; and Stone Horses of Shipshewana, which produces hand-painted collectible model horses.
Stone Horses will compete against Harpsicle Harps in one semifinal match. In the other bracket, Goulding & Wood Pipe Organ Builders will face Elkhart Brass Manufacturing. The winners from each matchup will advance to the final round.
The competition highlights Indiana’s manufacturing sector through a single-elimination online tournament format modeled after Hoosier Hysteria basketball brackets. Voting for the semifinals runs January 8-12, followed by finals voting January 13-15. Fans can participate by casting votes on www.indianachamber.com/coolestthing until 9 p.m. at the close of each round.
Each new round resets previous votes to zero. Voters must select a winner in every matchup during any round they participate in. Entry is free for companies as long as their nominated product is manufactured in Indiana; headquarters location is not required to be within the state.
Past winners include Hard Truth Whiskey Co. and Harpsicle Harps (co-champions last year), Hoosier Racing Tire (2023), Maple Leaf Farms for roast half duck (2022), and Janus Motorcycles (inaugural winner).
Awards for this year’s top finishers will be presented at the Indiana Chamber’s Best in Business Awards Luncheon on January 26 at the Indiana Convention Center.
“The quality of competitors in this year’s tournament has simply been tremendous, which has led to a fantastic competition and an unparalleled showcase of this state’s great manufacturers and makers of all sorts of goods,” said Vanessa Green Sinders, Indiana Chamber president and CEO. “The interest and competition with each passing round continue to climb, and now that we’re down to the final four ‘coolest’ products, we expect the spotlight to get turned up another notch.”
