"Top Illinois Manufacturing Contest Finalists and Winners Revealed"

A mining truck manufactured by Komatsu in Peoria, Illinois, has been named the winner of the 2024 "Makers Madness" contest, earning the title of "the coolest thing made in Illinois." The contest, hosted by the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, featured over 200 entries and collected almost 315,000 votes. The truck, with a hauling capacity of up to 400 tons, features new innovations in suspension transmission, electric drive technology, and autonomous operation. Governor J.B. Pritzker congratulated the finalists and emphasized the importance of the manufacturing sector to the state’s economy, which is responsible for almost a third of the state’s jobs and contributes over $580 billion annually.