And then there were eight.
The first round of voting in the inaugural Coolest Thing Made in Oregon contest has cut the list of contenders in half. Those that remain include a camper, a computer chip, a dental chair, a patio heater and more.
To recap, OBI and partner Here is Oregon released a list of 16 finalists on Sept. 18, at which point the first round of voting in this bracket-style competition began. First-round voting concluded at noon on Sept. 26. Second-round voting has begun and will continue until noon on Oct. 3, at which four products will remain.
Two rounds of voting will follow, and the Coolest Thing Made in Oregon will be revealed at OBI’s Oct. 25 Vision Oregon Event. The manufacturer of that product will receive formal recognition and enjoy bragging rights for producing Oregon’s coolest thing. At least until next year, when Oregonians will identify a new coolest thing.
A panel that included representatives of industry, media and education picked the top 16 products from more than 150 nominated by Oregonians.
Oregonians can check out the bracket and vote for their favorite products by following the link below.
The eight remaining contenders are:
• A-dec’s 500 Dental Chair
• Aero Teardrops’ The Steel Camper
• Freres Engineered Wood’s Mass Ply Panels
• Intel’s 4th Gen Xeon Scalable Processor
• Keith Manufacturing Co.’s Walking Floor Freight Unloader
• Leatherman’s FREE P4 Multi-tool
• Relevant Building Company’s Ramona 40 Container Home
• Timber Stoves’ Revere Patio Heater