Question of the day
Tuesday, Feb 4, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release…
The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA) launched the first annual “Makers Madness” contest, a bracket-style tournament in which voters will decide what product is the Coolest Thing Made in Illinois.
The competition is designed to highlight the many different products manufactured in Illinois, ranging from food products and furniture to automobiles and components for the aerospace industry. Statewide, manufacturing generates more than $304 billion in economic output, contributing 12 percent to the state’s Gross Domestic Product – the largest share of any industry in Illinois.
Nominations are now being accepted at www.makersmadnessil.com, where all voting will take place. Voting to narrow the field to the Top 16 products will begin on February 26. Weekly matchups will follow, culminating in an awards ceremony at the Governor’s Mansion on April 1, when the Coolest Thing Made in Illinois will be named.
“From combines and bulldozers to American flags and macaroni and cheese, Illinois manufacturers make some of the most iconic products in the nation. Manufacturers make the world a better place every single day by creating products that help feed the world, save lives, and explore planets beyond our own,” said Mark Denzler, president and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association. “This contest is designed to not only showcase the many amazing things made in Illinois but to also highlight the great careers available in manufacturing, ranging from product designers and robotics specialists to cyber security experts and human resources professionals.”
Manufacturers employ 592,200 women and men in Illinois at an average salary of $88,691, providing $52 billion in wages and benefits. However, the industry is facing a worker shortage and skills gap as 300,000 baby boomers are set to retire in the coming years. The IMA worked in partnership with the Governor and lawmakers last year to extend the Research & Development tax credit and establish a new apprenticeship tax credit, which will allow manufacturers to jump-start their efforts to build a pipeline of workers to help fill the next generation of manufacturing jobs.
* The Question: What is (or should be) the coolest thing made in Illinois?
- Timmeh - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 11:10 am:
Liquid nitrogen
- Dome Gnome - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 11:10 am:
The mobile phone *ring* excuse me while I get this . . .
- Dotnonymous - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 11:10 am:
Cool particles… @Fermilab
- The Wombat - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 11:13 am:
Coolest in my opinion two days after the Super Bowl is Riddell Football Helmets.
Special honorable mention in Southwestern, IL is Ski Soda in Breese, Salsa Rose in Mascoutah (if you haven’t tried either you need to).
Silliest thing made in Illinois is Billy Bob Teeth in Hardin.
- Suki - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 11:14 am:
Soy sauce!
- Dingo - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 11:15 am:
Beer Nuts
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 11:16 am:
Radio Flyer carts. Cool lit-up building with a large red cart on the grounds. Also reportedly a great employer.
- 4 percent - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 11:17 am:
Salvation Army Kettles
- George - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 11:20 am:
Novec made by 3M in the Quad Cities. Used in fire suppression systems it is essentially water that wont get you wet. You could swim in a pool full of it and when you get out you would be bone dry. Electronics work just fine immersed in it. Amazing stuff.
- @misterjayem - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 11:21 am:
John Deere’s self-scouring steel plow.
– MrJM
- 4 percent - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 11:22 am:
John Deere combines
Caterpillar makes largest dump truck in Decatur
- Al - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 11:27 am:
In Centralia, Honeywell makes triggers for nuclear bombs.
- Father Ted - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 11:29 am:
The answer is beer. What’s the question?
- NoGifts - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 11:30 am:
Corn Syrup! in (Argo)Summit. Used to be Corn Products International. Now named “ingredion”
boo on the name change. But it’s a beautiful plant at night https://www.ingredionincorporated.com/content/dam/ingredion/pdf-downloads/corporate/Ingredion%20Timeline_Jan2017.pdf
- Anon For Now - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 11:30 am:
Weber grills, or (as the universe has a sense of humor) a majority of components for most military small arms.
- SOIL M - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 11:37 am:
Soybeans.
Including the soybean meal and oil that they are processed into here. This provides food for humans and animals, oils (both cooking and industrial), and biodiesel among other uses. Soybeans grown and processed in Illinois, and the oil and meal are used in products worldwide. New uses for soy based products are replacing petroleum based products more every year.
- The Real Captain - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 11:38 am:
The Puck created by Smashtoast. Idea thought up in Springfield and it is made in Jacksonville.
https://smashtoast.com/
- Anyone Remember - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 11:38 am:
For both good and ill, Fermi’s Chicago Pile-1 (first human-made self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction).
- Lucky Pierre - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 11:38 am:
Ice cold craft beer
- Leaf Garrett - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 11:38 am:
Equity Centricity
- bogey golfer - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 11:42 am:
Vienna Hot Dog, encased in Rosen poppyseed bun.
- Moi - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 11:46 am:
Public corruption?
- Moi - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 11:50 am:
Sorry, I know corruption is not cool…but, man, it seems like they come up with a new way to do it.
- Anyone Remember - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 11:52 am:
Moi -
“Public corruption?”
Seriously?
- Highland IL - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 12:04 pm:
Ski soda in Breese.
- Scamp640 - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 12:05 pm:
Solo Cups
- Angry Republican - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 12:05 pm:
Lava lamps
- Scamp640 - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 12:06 pm:
Zippers
- Lefty Lefty - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 12:07 pm:
Lemonheads and Mike & Ikes (tie)
- don the legend - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 12:09 pm:
Bunn-O-Matic coffee makers
- Lefty Lefty - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 12:11 pm:
Jeez I just had it Saturday. Vito & Nick’s Pizza. It’s like magic–no other pizza like it anywhere.
- SOIL M - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 12:13 pm:
Although it is headquartered and produced in Paducah, Dippin Dots were invented and developed in Pulaski County
- jimbo - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 12:13 pm:
==Radio Flyer carts==
Everything I can find says that they moved manufacturing offshore 15+ years ago except for “plastic wagons that are made for them in WI”
Have they moved production back here?
- Rabid - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 12:14 pm:
Third generation family owned Wahl Clipper
- SOIL M - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 12:17 pm:
In Centralia, Honeywell makes triggers for nuclear bombs.
Centralia is also home to Country Bobs Sauces
- Anon221 - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 12:20 pm:
Super Slurper-
https://agresearchmag.ars.usda.gov/1996/may/starch/
- Ben Marc*m - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 12:21 pm:
Skittles are made in Yorkville
- Boots - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 12:33 pm:
Horween leather.
- Give Me A Break - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 12:45 pm:
Butter Cows and Horseshoes
- Six Degrees of Separation - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 12:54 pm:
Rivian R1T, someday.
- SOIL M - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 1:16 pm:
Everything produced by Rock River Arms, Colona
- Groucho - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 1:21 pm:
Second City trained comedians
- SubRosa - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 1:24 pm:
Weeeed, maaaan.
- pool boy - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 1:32 pm:
My children.
- Blue Dog Dem - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 1:36 pm:
ethylene oxide.
- zatoichi - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 1:48 pm:
The Puck. cool device that can control all types of electronics.
- JT11505 - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 1:49 pm:
Maze Nails - produced in Peru, IL since 1886.
- NoGifts - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 2:01 pm:
Knaak steel security boxes in Crystal Lake https://www.knaack.com/
- Decorative Arts - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 2:04 pm:
https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/GovernorsMansion/exhibition/art-of-illinois/decorative-arts/western-stoneware-company/Western-Stoneware-Plates
- Practical Politics - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 2:05 pm:
The original Steak N Shake. Additional franchises have opened elsewhere around the world, but store #1 opened in Normal, Illinois.
- BCOSEC - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 2:11 pm:
Heath candy bars, made in Robinson for over 100 years.
- frisbee - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 2:13 pm:
Not sure if it is still made here but barbed wire would be on my list
- ChrisB - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 2:17 pm:
Going local, but Trains. Specifically, locomotives. EMDs are iconic.
- Alan - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 2:25 pm:
Pickard China - White House, Camp David, Governors Mansion - all made in Antioch Il
- SpfdNewb - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 2:57 pm:
Not sure if it has been said, but Weber grills has to be on the list.
- don the legend - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 3:26 pm:
WeatherTech
- Bemac - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 4:04 pm:
HAL computers?
- Chippy Dave - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 4:14 pm:
Tootsie Rolls
- dr. reason a. goodwin - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 4:39 pm:
Dinger baseball bats
- 13th - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 6:14 pm:
second the Centralia is also home to Country Bobs Sauces, and if you not had it you need to try them
- Darian - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 8:41 pm:
GUNS https://www.facebook.com/SpringfieldArmoryUSA/
- Rich Hill - Tuesday, Feb 4, 20 @ 8:53 pm:
Lem’s
- Commonsense in Illinois - Thursday, Feb 6, 20 @ 8:41 am:
Maize Nails. No house in Illinois would be able to stand without Maize Nails.