Latest news with #CoolestThingMadeinIowa
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Winner named in Coolest Thing Made in Iowa contest
DES MOINES, Iowa — Following months of public voting, the Coolest Thing Made in Iowa contest announced its 2025 winner on Wednesday. The John Deere CP770 Cotton Picker was announced as the second winner of the Coolest Thing Made in Iowa contest during the Iowa Association of Business and Industry Taking Care of Business Conference on Wednesday. The CP770 Cotton Picker was introduced in 2021 and is a leader in cotton harvesting technology. The picker is larger, faster, and more efficient than previous models. In addition, the model features smart tech that offers guidance to farmers in the fields. New law helps clear the way for birthing centers in Iowa Following the announcement, John Deere released this statement. Dedicated employees at Des Moines Works have been assembling cotton pickers in Ankeny since 1950,' said Rosalind Fox, factory manager. 'We will forever innovate on behalf of our customers, committed to delivering the world's most advanced cotton harvesting equipment to their fields. Every day, our employees arrive with pride, eager to serve our customers. This award belongs to everyone who has contributed to the success of the CP770, from concept to fabrication, assembly to delivery, and everything in between. We all continue to push boundaries to better serve farmers around the world. Rosalind Fox, John Deere Des Moines factory manager This is the second year of the Coolest Thing Made in Iowa contest. The Vermeer ZR5-1200 self-propelled baler won during the first year in 2024. The Iowa Association of Business and Industry says the contest is successful and plans to bring it back next year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Coolest Thing Made in Iowa is down to the final eight. Which ones made the cut?
From a 1.5-ounce ice cream novelty to a 70,000-pound cotton picker, eight items await weighty decisions by Iowans on which will advance in the Coolest Thing Made in Iowa contest. The contest began May 5 with 69 nominees. Voters will have from Friday, May 16, to May 21 to vote on which of the eight finalists announced Thursday, May 15, will be in the final four. The decision process won't be easy for voters as they ponder the 'coolness factor' of products ranging from heavy farm equipment to a chocolate pump and a pastry. Butter Braid pastries from Country Maid Inc. of West Bend was the only repeat product from the Top Eight contestants a year ago, the initial edition of the annual contest. Sold through fundraisers, the pastries have helped thousands of organizations raise over $320 million for various causes, according to Country Maid. The contest is sponsored by the Iowa Association of Business and Industry and MidwestOne Bank and culminates in a winner being named at the ABI's annual conference June 11 in Council Bluffs. Voting is online at Iowa is one of 20 states holding the contests. A self-propelled hay baler from Vermeer Corp. of Pella took the state's initial top prize in 2024. Last year, the competition received 86 nominations representing products made in 53 cities across Iowa. Four rounds of voting took place, with 76,382 total votes cast. The contest also serves as a chance to promote manufacturing in Iowa, accounting for more than 220,000 jobs and contributing over $43 billion to the state's economy, according to ABI. Here are the final eight products: Product Company Location Beyond Walls moveable walls Allsteel Muscatine Blue Bunny Mini Swirl Novelties Wells Enterprises Le Mars Butter Braid pastry Country Maid, Inc. West Bend CP770 Cotton Picker John Deere Ankeny Kreg Pocket-Hole Jig K4 Kreg Tool Ankeny RE3423M Rugged Sealed Computer Server Crystal Group Hiawatha The Moose Fireplace Grill The Moose Fireplace Grill, LLC Red Oak Viking Pump — CHC Chocolate Pump Viking Pump, Inc. Cedar Falls Cedar Falls Kevin Baskins covers jobs and the economy for the Register. Reach him at kbaskins@ This story was updated to add a video. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Coolest Thing Made in Iowa contest down to final eight products
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Iowa company crowned 2024 manufacturer of Coolest Thing Made in Iowa takes aim at the moon
After winning recognition as the manufacturer of the Coolest Thing Made in Iowa, Vermeer Corp. is setting its sights on a more ambitious goal. The Pella-based heavy machinery maker has teamed with Seattle-based Interlune to develop a machine designed to ingest 100 metric tons dirt per hour with the mission of harvesting helium-3, a rare isotope vital to applications like quantum computing and nuclear fusion. As if that's not impressive enough, consider where that mining would take place: on the moon. Is the Coolest Thing Made in Iowa 2024 title holder for its ZR5-1200 self-propelled hay baler aiming to win recognition for Coolest Thing Made in the Solar System? More: Coolest Thing Made in Iowa is down to the final eight. Which ones made the cut? Rob Meyerson, Interlune CEO, said it was that level of innovation, engineering and manufacturing prowess the company was looking for when it partnered with Vermeer to build a full-size prototype of its proposed machine. 'When you're operating equipment on the moon, reliability and performance standards are at a new level,' Meyerson, co-founder of the company that aims to harvest natural resources from space, said in a news release. 'Vermeer has a legacy of innovation and excellence that started more than 75 years ago, which makes them the ideal partner for Interlune.' The excavator prototype is the first product resulting from the two companies' joint development agreement; they will continue to explore other novel concepts for equipment and technology for use in space and on Earth. The company says it already has a contract with the U.S. Department of Energy to provide moon-mined helium-3 by 2029, and plans several trips to the Earth's satellite within the decade. It's also planning to open a center in a Texas A&M University facility at Johnson Space Center in Houston in September 2026 where it can test moon-mining techniques. The release said Vermeer CEO Jason Andringa will join the Interlune advisory board, bringing decades of experience in engineering and leadership in a global organization. 'Vermeer innovation has always been about finding better ways to do important work and this project is no different," Adringa said in the release. "Combining my personal passion for aeronautics and astronautics with Vermeer equipment that bears my grandfather's name to carefully and responsibly harvest resources to make our world a better place is something I'm incredibly proud of.' Helium-3 was deposited into lunar dirt by solar wind and was found in samples brought back during NASA's Apollo missions. At a value Myerson said is about $20 million per kilogram, it is used to achieve the extreme cold needed for superconducting quantum computer applications. says Interlune's helium-3 also could be used to fuel long-dreamed-of nuclear fusion reactors and for medical imaging purposes and radiation detecting technology. 'The high-rate excavation needed to harvest helium-3 from the Moon in large quantities has never been attempted before, let alone with high efficiency,' said Gary Lai, Myerson's partner in Interlune and the company's chief technology officer. 'Vermeer's response to such an ambitious assignment was to move fast. We've been very pleased with the results of the test program to date and look forward to the next phase of development.' Kevin Baskins covers jobs and the economy for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at kbaskins@ This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa company Vermeer produces excavator designed for moon's surface
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Blue Bunny product reaches top 8 in Coolest Things Made in Iowa competition
IOWA (KCAU) — A popular Siouxland company known for their sweet treats has made it to the top eight in this year's Coolest Things Made in Iowa. The Iowa Association of Business and Industry said Wells Enterprises in Le Mars is one of the few that made the latest cut. Story continues below Top Story: FDA: Wells recalls 22 flavors, totaling more than 53,000 gallons, of ice cream Lights & Sirens: Iowa teen charged for shooting Sioux City resident in the head Sports: Weather delays Sioux City Explorers' opening night Weather: Get the latest weather forecast here The company is gaining recognition for their 'Blue Bunny Mini Swirl Novelties.' Over the past week, more than 31,000 votes had been cast to see which products move forward in the competition. Voting for this round ends on May 21. Check out the Coolest Thing Made in Iowa website by clicking here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Yahoo
Suspect in shooting that injured 1 in Fort Dodge arrested
FORT DODGE, Iowa — A suspect in a shooting that injured one person in Fort Dodge last month has been arrested. On March 28 the Fort Dodge Police Department responded to a report of a shooting in the 1400 block of 4th Avenue South. When first responders arrived at the scene, they found an adult male who had been shot in the face. The victim was transported to a hospital with a non-life threatening injury. 1 dead in fiery I-80 crash involving semis Shortly after the shooting, Fort Dodge police issued an arrest warrant for 41-year-old Dontay Diekman in connection to the case. Nearly a week passed and Diekman still hadn't been apprehended, prompting police to announce an increase in the reward money to $500 for anyone who provided information that resulted in Diekman's arrest. On Friday morning, three weeks after the shooting, Fort Dodge police announced that Diekman had been arrested. Police said a tip came in that led officers to where Diekman had been staying — a residence in the 1500 block of 20th Place in Des Moines. With the help of the Des Moines Police Department, Diekman was taken into custody without incident. Diekman has been charged with attempt to commit murder, going armed with intent, and possession of a firearm as a felon. Police said the investigation into the shooting is ongoing. Iowa News: Suspect in shooting that injured 1 in Fort Dodge arrested 1 dead in fiery I-80 crash involving semis Governor Reynolds not seeking reelection Ottumwa nursing home residents get gift of robotic pets Nominations open for Coolest Thing Made in Iowa contest Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
