With nearly 80,000 votes cast, the field of contenders in the annual “Makers Madness” contest – which determines The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois – is down to the Top 16.
Hosted by the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA), Makers Madness is a bracket-style tournament in which voters will decide the state’s coolest product made. As the competition heats up, the Quad Cities still has a contender in the race – A John Deere Combine, produced at the company’s East Moline Harvester Works.
More than 100 unique products from across the state were nominated for the 2026 title of The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois. The top four vote-getters from the initial two-week round of voting are the John Deere green machine along with a NASA Standard Initiator made by Chemring Energetic Devices in Downers Grove; a 6000-RLA Ice Flaker manufactured by Howe Corporation in Chicago; and NERDS Juicy Gummy Clusters made by Ferrara Candy Company in Chicago.
The seventh annual competition, presented by Comcast Business, is an effort by IMA to celebrate the work of Illinois’ manufacturers, who have long served as the backbone of the state’s economy. According to IMA, manufacturing is the largest contributor of any industry to the state’s Gross Domestic Product. It also supports nearly a third of all jobs in Illinois and contributes more than $580 billion to the state’s economy each year.
“The products that advanced to the Top 16 in this year’s Makers Madness contest highlight the amazing creativity and innovation that drives our state’s manufacturing sector,” the association’s President and CEO Mark Denzler said in a news release Tuesday, March 24. “Manufacturers serve as the pillars of our economy – they are the makers, innovators and job creators driving investment and fueling growth.”
Makers Madness Top 16
Voters are encouraged to continue choosing the product they think is Illinois’ coolest. The Makers Madness Top 16 matchups are:
- Bracket A: (1) NASA Standard Initiator (Chemring Energetic Devices, Downers Grove) vs. (4) Gindo’s Whiskey Acres Maple Bourbon Whiskey Sauce (Gindo’s Spice of Life, St. Charles). (2) 6000-RLA Ice Flaker (Howe Corporation, Chicago) vs. (3) Kinder Bueno (Ferrero, Bloomington).
- Bracket B: (1) John Deere Combine (John Deere, East Moline) vs. (4) CHEESEWICH Colby Jack Cheese and Hard Salami (Cheesewich Ltd., Hodgkins). (2) Advanced Quantum Computing Ultra-High Vacuum Chamber (Meyer Tool & Manufacturing, Oak Lawn) vs. (3) ADA Bus Transport Seat (Freedman by Lippert, Chicago).
- Bracket C: (1) MQ-25 Stingray (The Boeing Company, Mascoutah) vs. (4) ROHN Self-Supporting Tower (ROHN Products, LLC, Peoria). (2) Adobo and Sazon All-Purpose Seasoning (La Criolla Inc., Alsip) vs. (3) Duck Skimmer (Elastec, Carmi).
- Bracket D: (1) NERDS Juicy Gummy Clusters (Ferrara Candy Company, Chicago) vs. (4) Aerapy PPR HVAC UV System (Aerapy, Elk Grove Village). (2) Aerosol Spray Cheese (Berner Food & Beverage, Dakota) v. (3) Curved Blazed Diffraction Grating (Inprentus, Inc., Champaign).
Cast your vote
Voting for the next round is now open at www.makersmadnessil.com through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, March 29. Voters may cast one vote per day in each of the eight head-to-head matchups between individual products. Consecutive rounds of voting will take place each week, with vote totals reset to zero at the beginning of each round.
“We wish all the contestants the best of luck as they compete to make it to the next round,” Mr. Denzler added.
The winner will be named at an awards ceremony Wednesday, April 15, at the Governor’s Mansion in Springfield.
