As voting opens in the final round of the 2026 “Makers Madness” contest, just four products remain in the annual bracket-style tournament held by the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association. The contest lets voters decide The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois and Carmi is in the mix.
Over the past week, voters chose their favorites in four head-to-head matchups between individual products, with nearly 34,000 votes cast in this round. From an original field of more than 100 products, nominees for The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois have now been whittled down to the Top 4 which include: NASA Standard Initiator manufactured by Chemring Energetic Devices in Downers Grove; John Deere Combine manufactured by John Deere in East Moline; Duck Skimmer made by Elastec in Carmi and Aerapy PPR HVAC UV System manufactured by Aerapy in St. Charles
Duck Skimmer
The ELASTEC Duck Weir Skimmer is a self-adjusting, floating weir skimmer used to advance environmental protection and safety. Suitable for use in inland waterways and ponds, the skimmer works by taking the surface layer off the water, making it ideal for removing duckweed or water meal, as well as assisting in the clean up of oil spills.
Voting for this round is now open and will take place at www.makersmadnessil.com through 11:59 p.m. on April 12. Voters may cast one vote per day for any of the four finalists. The contest will culminate with an awards ceremony at the Governor’s Mansion on April 15 when The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois will be named.