- The Utah Manufacturers Association is holding a competition for the "Coolest Thing Made in Utah."
- 16 Utah companies are competing for the top prize in a multi-round contest.
- The champion will be announced at a UMA gala in early November.
You probably wouldn’t expect to run into the makers of off-road wheelchairs, air leak testers and premium barbecue in one place but a new competition has rounded up those companies, and over a dozen more, to answer one question: What is the coolest thing made in Utah?
Working from a list of nominations, the Utah Manufacturers Association has pared the selections to 16 products manufactured in the state and is inviting Utahns and people around the world to cast their vote for the “Coolest Thing Made In Utah” competition.
Hosted by the UMA and presented by DBD Investment Bank, the competition is designed to celebrate Utah’s dynamic manufacturing industry, which includes over 3,000 companies that employ more than 150,000 Utahns, according to the organizers.
Voting for the top products is open now through 11:59 p.m. MDT Thursday, Oct. 9. UMA marketing and communications manager Jenn Sparks said supporters can cast their votes for their favorite product at manufacturingutah.com.
Sparks said the effort is a fun way to highlight the state’s manufacturing community and raise awareness of the wide variety of products that are “native Utahns.”
“A lot of people will be surprised by what’s being made right here in their own backyards,” Sparks said.
The tournament will run, over successive rounds, throughout October until only two companies are left standing. The 2025 Coolest Thing Made in Utah winner will be announced on Nov. 7 at the UMA Annual Awards Gala, where finalists will also be invited to celebrate.
The sweet sixteen
These Utah manufacturers and their products are the final 16 contenders:
• Made-in-America ladders — Little Giant Ladder Systems
• Insulated panel — Nucor Insulated Panel Group
• Zaxis air leak testers — Zaxis
• Huggies Snug & Dry diapers — Kimberly Clark
• Smith Imprint 3D collection — Smith Optics
• Xodine iodine — Cedar Bear Naturales, Inc.
• Oxtail Softball — Les BBQ
• Barnes Reserve — Barnes Bullets
• Silencers/suppressors for firearms — SilencerCo
• SAE high accuracy wing de-fastening robots for the F-16 fighter jet — SAE Inc
• Extreme Motus off-road wheelchair — Extreme Motus
• AI camera manufacturing station — MomentTrack
• High-performance premium carbon fiber bikes and components — ENVE
• Pre-engineered metal buildings — CO Building Systems
• Nova Spin — TORUS
• Pyrite chandelier — HAMMERTON
The Utah Manufacturers Association has been advocating on behalf of the state’s manufacturing sector since 1905. The organization currently has over 1,200 members statewide. According to its charter, the UMA works to bring businesses, educators, government, and community leaders together to champion the growth and success of Utah’s manufacturing sector.