Three locally made products have been nominated for the Iowa Association of Business and Industry’s (ABI) 2026 Coolest Thing Made in Iowa contest. Making this year’s list are the “Beer Caves” from Leer Inc. out of Carroll, the Arena Renegade Basketball Hoop produced by Jefferson-based AAI-Spalding, and Puck Enterprises, Inc.’s WH 7582 heavy-duty liquid-transfer pump. Leer’s walk-in coolers can be found at gas stations, grocery markets, and liquor stores throughout the Midwest and beyond, and serve to keep beverages cold for gameday parties to days on the lake. Spalding’s Arena Renegade Hoops were featured on national television this past weekend during the NCAA Final Four tournaments and are used in professional arenas across North America. Puck’s WH 7582 pump can deliver over 150 psi and move 4,500 gallons of liquid manure per minute. Public voting on the nominees is open through Tuesday, April 15, when the field will be narrowed down to 16 products. From there, the companies will compete in a head-to-head bracket contest until the 2026 Coolest Thing Made in Iowa is crowned during ABI’s annual conference in Coralville at the beginning of June. Participants can vote for up to four products, once per day, through the first round at www.coolestthingia.com.
