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Firefighting helicopter refill pump named 2025's ‘Coolest Thing Made in Illinois'

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) — An aerial fire fighting helicopter refill pump has been named 2025's 'Coolest Thing Made in Illinois' in the sixth annual Makers Madness contest. According to the state, 'Manufactured by MTH Pumps in Plano, the Aerial Firefighting Helicopter Refill Pump was designed to reduce the refill time of helicopter-based water tanks from over a minute to as little as 30 seconds, increasing the number of water drops that aerial firefighters can place on a wildfire. This time advantage improves the chances of slowing or stopping fires from endangering lives, property and habitats. When wildfires in California left a trail of destruction, MTH Pumps helped by providing rapid and reliable water access for aerial firefighting teams.' 'Congratulations to Aerial Firefighting Helicopter Refill Pump for being named the 2025 Coolest Thing Made in Illinois. This product is a great example of the bold ideas, creativity, and innovation that powers the manufacturing sector here in Illinois,' said Mark Denzler, President and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers' Association. 'With commitment and passion, manufacturers across our state are creating products that solve real-world problems and improve lives. We applaud the men and women on our shop floors whose remarkable skills turn ideas into reality.' 'Illinois' world-class manufacturing industry is leading the charge as one of the top drivers of our continued economic success here in Illinois, and that's thanks to the incredible innovators all across our state,' said Governor JB Pritzker. 'I'm excited to announce this year's winner of the Coolest Thing Made in Illinois, the Aerial Firefighting Helicopter Refill Pump. To the team at MTH Pumps, congratulations, and to all the manufacturers who took part in this year's competition: thank you for your creativity, resourcefulness, and dedication. You make our state stronger.' More than 250 products were nominated this year. Last year's winner was the , built in Peoria. Previous winners included the , made by Ingersoll Machine Tools in Rockford, and the , made by Rivian in Normal. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.