Local News: Pacha Soap makes top 16 'Coolest Things Made in Nebraska' list (8/28/23)

LINCOLN, Neb. Handcrafted Soap and Experiential Bath Products by Pacha Soap Co. of Hastings are among the top 16 contenders in the second annual Coolest Thing Made in Nebraska contest.

Pacha Soap was founded by McCook native Abi (Burrows) Vrbas and her husband, Atwood, Kan., native Andrew Vrbas.

Public voting for the top 16 products in the bracket-style competition will be Tuesday, Aug. 29, through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 4.

Manufacturers, students and all Nebraskans are invited to vote for their favorite product manufactured in Nebraska each week through the month of September at https://www.nemanufacturingalliance.com/

The contest, hosted by the Nebraska Manufacturing Alliance and powered by the Nebraska Chamber and Nebraska Public Power District together with your local public power utility, celebrates the states thriving manufacturing industry with Nebraska residents, students, educators, community leaders, manufacturers and especially, the more than 100,000 Nebraskans working in manufacturing every day.

The other 15 Nebraska manufacturers and their products made it to the top 16 tournament include:

Carbon Fiber Ducting for CH-53k King Stallion Helicopter, Royal Engineered Composites, Minden

Chocolate Meltaways, Bakers Candies, Greenwood

Costco Rotisserie Chicken, Lincoln Premium Poultry, Fremont

Endicott Invisi-Lug Clay Paver, Endicott Clay Products Company, Endicott

Fire Truck, Danko Emergency Equipment, Snyder

Flyover Whiskey, Flyover Whiskey, West Point

Geothermal Greenhouse, Greenhouse in the Snow-Antioch Machine Shop, Alliance

Ignis, Drone Amplifed, Lincoln

M Grills Big M Smoker, Kinney Manufacturing LLC, Beatrice

Pond-Tini Pontoon Boat, Ag Dryer Services, Elm Creek

Ram Air Turbine (RAT) Hub, Collins Aerospace, York

Rocket Mobility All-Terrain Tracked Wheelchair, Rocket Mobility, Columbus

Solution Plastics Lumber, Firstar Fiber, Inc., Omaha

Steel Joists, Nucor Vulcraft Nebraska, Norfolk

T-Rex Portable Basketball Systems, Bison Inc., Lincoln

We are more than excited to launch the second year of this fun, public and friendly competition, said Mike Johnson, Nebraska Chamber Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of Manufacturing.

Its all about highlighting the cool things made right here in our own backyards and the proud, skilled, innovative, and hardworking Nebraskans our neighbors who make them. We are calling everyone to vote to crown the Coolest Thing Made in Nebraska!

The tournament will once again lead Nebraskans into the annual celebration of Nebraska Manufacturing Month this October. The champion will be announced October 10 at the Nebraska Chambers Manufacturing Summit in La Vista, where the finalists will also be invited to display their products.

Its great seeing industries from all over the state represented in this years contest, along with a diverse mix of products that many people may not know are made right in their community, says NPPD Economic Development Manager Nicole Sedlacek.

NPPD and our wholesale power partners are proud to be able to help highlight these businesses that are doing incredible work and making cool products used across the country and the world.

About NE Manufacturing Alliance Five statewide manufacturing groups have pledged to coordinate efforts to grow the manufacturing and STEM workforce in Nebraska over the next decade. Learn more at nemanufacturingalliance.com.

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