Voting is underway in the "Coolest Thing Made in Florida” competition, and several companies in the region are up for the award for manufacturing everything from monster trucks to mattresses. The Florida Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring the online contest, which aims to celebrate dozens of companies producing unique items in the state.
Online voting is open from June 17 to July 1. The top 32 finalists will move on to a bracket-style competition.
The chamber's website has a leaderboard showing the top five contestants in the Coolest Thing Made in Florida competition. As of June 25, Sarasota County company Dukane Seacom is ranked No. 2 for its second-generation emergency locator transmitter, while an F-35 training simulator made in Orange County is at No. 1.
Contestants from the region include:
Sarasota-Manatee
- Feld Entertainment of Manatee County is nominated for its Monster Jam trucks, which are manufactured in Palmetto, from the steel chassis to fiberglass body to custom accessories. Its monster “trucks are designed to stand on two wheels and fly through the air in competitions of speed and skill, while protecting the driver at all times,” according to a statement.
- Dukane Seacom of Sarasota County is recognized for its second-generation emergency locator transmitter used in the aviation industry. “Unlike traditional emergency beacons that only activate after impact,” the company says in a statement, its beacon “automatically detects distress conditions in-flight such as rapid altitude loss of structural failure, and instantly transmits location updates” through a satellite network to reduce search and rescue response times.
- EcoRover Chairs of Sarasota County is nominated for its namesake product, which provides mobility access “users have previously been unable to experience,” the company says in a statement. Its chair frames, which can go on trails and in water, are fabricated in Venice and assembled in North Port.
- Elevate Healthcare of Sarasota County is nominated for Lucina, a birthing patient simulator that helps train health care professionals. “From authentic voice communication and spontaneous breathing to realistic contractions and delivery scenarios, Lucina helps learners experience the full spectrum of maternal care — from pregnancy through childbirth,” the health care education company says in a statement.
- Emcee Electronics Inc. of Sarasota County is nominated for its micro-separometer, which conducts a cleanliness test on jet fuel. Made in Venice, the micro-separometer is the “only instrument in the world used for this test,” according to a statement from the company.
- Roots Education of Sarasota County is in the running for its advanced manufacturing education training. Located in Venice, the company gives students the opportunity to “engage in real-world applications, integrating robotic systems, learning semiconductor processing techniques and understand manufacturing flow.”
Charlotte-Lee-Collier
- Baby Barrier Pool Fence Company of Charlotte County is recognized for its water safety fencing that prevents drownings around pools, spas, seawalls and docks. Headquartered in Punta Gorda, the company was founded in 1963 “when a Florida grandfather, who could not keep up with his three young grandsons, decided that he needed something to keep the boys away from the swimming pool,” according to the company’s website.
- Pro Glider Boats of Charlotte County is in the running for its hyper glider. Manufactured in Port Charlotte, the boats feature a “durable, unsinkable design, offering exceptional stability underfoot, comfort and ease of use,” the company says in a statement.
- SuperTrak of Charlotte County is nominated for its PowerPaks. Made in Punta Gorda, the machines boost "hydraulic power for applications in forestry mulching, land clearing and vegetation management,” the company says in a statement.
- Arthrex of Collier County is recognized for its dual-compression hindfoot nail. Headquartered in Naples, the medical manufacturing company calls this invention a “modern marvel of orthopedic engineering” that is “designed to give patients the best outcome with less hardware and more healing power.”
- Ecological Laboratories of Lee County is nominated for its Quantum Total product. Located in Cape Coral, the biotechnology company uses functional microbes to promote “to reduce fertilizer use and runoff” and “shift from chemical-heavy practices to smarter, sustainable growing” the company says in a statement.
- TriCircle Pavers of Lee County is in the running for its pavers. The paving stone manufacturing company is based in Fort Myers.
Tampa Bay-Lakeland
- CAE USA of Hillsborough County is nominated for its CAE full flight simulator. The Tampa-based corporation operates under a special security agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense to help prepare military customers for mission readiness. Its flight simulator is “the closest thing to flying without ever leaving the ground,” the company says in a statement, which describes it as “full-motion” and “ultra-immersive.”
- Mosaic of Hillsborough County is in the running for its phosphate fertilizer.
- NuCycle Energy of Hillsborough County is nominated for NuFuel. Based in Plant City, the company produces what it calls a “solution to utilize [landfill] materials and manufacture a better fuel used to replace coal.”
- Professional Hair Labs of Pasco County is up for recognition for two products: Ghostbond and Ghost Bond Glow Up Adhesive. Ghostbond is an adhesive used for “flawless wig attachment” and is the “go-to choice for special effects teams” for hit shows and celebrity stylists, according to a statement from the Zephyrhills-based company. Ghost Bond Glow Up Adhesive is the next generation product for wig wearers, offering a “solid grip when you need it and a gentle, peelable release when you don’t,” the company’s website says.
- AquaCal Autopilot Inc. of Pinellas County is nominated for its HeatWave SuperQuiet swimming pool heat pump. Made in St. Petersburg, each pump features a corrosion-proof cabinet and titanium heat exchanger.
- Haddy of Pinellas County is nominated for its 3D printed molds for concrete casting. Based in St. Petersburg, the company “operates the world’s largest additive factory” and uses its 3D molds to create “customizable furniture and solutions for industrial, retail, hospitality and more,” according to a statement.
- Jing of Pinellas County is nominated for its Jing Butter product. The nutritional supplement “blends ancient wisdom with modern nutrition to restore energy and adrenal health,” according to a statement from the Largo-based health company.
- Koozie Group of Pinellas County is nominated for its classical collection digital widebody uni-color message pen. “This pen’s wide profile accommodates large full-color artwork that makes a bold statement,” the Clearwater-headquartered company says in a statement.
- Tampa Mattress Makers of Pinellas County is in the running for its mattresses. Made in Clearwater, the custom mattresses are handmade, chemical-free and have “won many awards,” according to a statement from the company.
