JACKSON – Record-breaking voting in the third annual Mississippi Makers’ Challenge Sponsored by Hancock Whitney continued into the Round of 16 last week, and today the Mississippi Manufacturers Association is pleased to announce the products advancing to the Round of 8.
There were 43,664 votes in the Round of 16, which beat the previous record set last year by over 7,000.
Listed below are the matchups from the Round of 16 with the winners in bold. The winners in each Quadrant will face each other in the Round of 8.
Quadrant 1
Destin Collection, Kevin Charles Furniture – New Albany vs. Reactor, Camgian – Starkville
21 XB Elite Bass Boat, AVID Boats – Amory vs. Sqwincher Electrolyte Replacement Beverages, Kent Precision Foods Group – Columbus
Quadrant 2
Mullen ONE All-Electric Cargo Van, Mullen Automotive – Tunica vs. Exploradora Coffee – OxfordMeucci Diamond Cocobolo Pool Cue, Meucci Cues – Byhalia vs. GOShelter Hands-FreeWearable Canopy, GOShelter - Tupelo
Quadrant 3
Endless Glass Door Merchandisers, Master-Bilt – New Albany vs. Little Birdie Pillows, The Little Birdie – Calhoun City
Pre-Engineered Metal Building, ACI Building Systems – Batesville vs. Cellulose Mop, LC Industries – Hazlehurst
Quadrant 4
Walk-In Coolers and Freezers, Thermo-Kool – Laurel vs. Eyeglasses, Superior Optical – Ocean Springs
Moduleflex eFurnace, Advanced Distributor Products – Grenada vs. Wrong Way Systems, K&K Systems - Palmetto
“We continue to be impressed by the participation in this year’s contest as we search for the Coolest Thing Made in Mississippi,” said MMA President & CEO John McKay. “The final eight products in this year’s competition showcase the creativity and diversity of the manufactured goods in our state and we are excited to see who will advance to our final round.”
Voting in the Round of 8 concludes Friday at 3 p.m. and voters may cast one vote per matchup per day per device at msmakerschallenge.com. For a link to the bracket, click here.
Here is an updated contest timeline:
ROUND OF EIGHT
March 11 – March 15
ROUND OF FOUR
March 18 – March 22
WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT
Wednesday, March 27 - Mississippi State Capitol
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For more than 70 years, the Mississippi Manufacturers Association has represented the interests of Mississippi’s manufacturers at both the state and national levels. As the Voice of Industry, MMA represents manufacturers in the Mississippi Legislature and U.S. Congress. MMA promotes a strong manufacturing environment within Mississippi and is a central source of information and assistance in industrial management. To learn more about MMA and manufacturing in Mississippi, please visit www.mma-web.org.
Since the late 1800s, Hancock Whitney has embodied core values of Honor & Integrity, Strength & Stability, and Commitment to Service, Teamwork, and Personal Responsibility. Hancock Whitney offices and financial centers in Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas offer comprehensive financial products and services, including traditional and online banking; commercial and small business banking; private banking; trust and investment services; healthcare banking; and mortgage services. The company also operates combined loan and deposit production offices in the greater metropolitan areas of Nashville, Tennessee, and Atlanta, Georgia. More information is available at www.hancockwhitney.com.