CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Carrier’s AquaEdge centrifugal chillers have made the finals in the annual competition to find the “coolest” products made in North Carolina.

The Coolest Thing Made in North Carolina competition is in its fifth year, and 145 companies and their products were nominated this year. After two rounds of voting, Carrier’s AquaEdge chillers, collectively, were named one of six finalists in the medium-to-large business category, a press release from Carrier said.

The NC Chamber runs the contest, which spotlights manufacturing in the state. According to the NC Chamber and National Association of Manufacturers, manufacturing generates more than 17% of the gross state product and employs more than 10% of the state’s workforce.

Online voting is currently open at coolestthingmadeinnc.com. Anyone with a valid email address may vote once per day. The winning products will be announced on Thursday, October 3, the day before National Manufacturing Day.

“Carrier is proud to highlight the products we have built in Charlotte for the past 25 years and the people who continue to make that possible,” said Steve Ribaudo, vice president and general manager of Commercial HVAC Americas, Carrier. “We think there’s nothing cooler than a chiller, an invention that was first created by Willis Carrier and not only helped change where we live, but how we live, work, and play. Thank you to everyone voting and helping to recognize our chillers and our Charlotte factory team.”

The Coolest Thing Made in North Carolina competition recognizes two winners each year, one for businesses with fewer than 100 employees and one for businesses with 100 or more employees.

“This year’s products highlight the diversity of North Carolina’s incredible manufacturing industry — including generators, food and beverage products, chillers, jets and much more,” said NC Chamber president and CEO Gary J. Salamido. “We are grateful to North Carolina’s manufacturing community — the backbone of our state’s economy for more than a century.”