(L to R) Brandie McPherson, Kansas Manufacturing Council, presents the 2023 Coolest Innovation trophy to Mike Windsor, CIC Powerbox.
The Kansas Manufacturing Council (KMC) on Wednesday delivered the 2023 Coolest Innovation trophy to the CIC Powerbox, the winner of the 2023 Coolest Thing Made In Kansas – Coolest Innovation .
“The KMC is excited to celebrate the CIC Powerbox as the 2023 Coolest Innovation,” said KMC Executive Director Brandie McPherson. “Our panel of judges had a very difficult job in narrowing it down from the 40 products nominated to just one.”
Presented by FORVIS, the KMC added this category to highlight the many ways Kansas manufacturers research and develop new products and work to improve products to address crucial challenges.
The contest began with 29 nominated products. 14 moved on to the first round of judging by completing a questionnaire detailing their innovations. A panel of judges reviewed the questionnaires and then ranked the products for their innovative solutions, narrowing the competition for the final round of judging.
During the final round, the judges heard from the companies who advanced to the finals:
- C.P. Huntington Train by Chance Rides Manufacturing, Wichita
- CIC Powerbox by CIC POWERBOX, LLC, Pittsburg
- Pri-Saver Water Conservation System by PRIMUS Sterilizer Company, Great Bend
The judges choose the winning product based on a criteria that includes its impact on the challenge it solves as well as the impact it has on the business, its employees, and customers.
Invented and patented by Mike E. Windsor, the CIC Powerbox is the world’s first AC truck box. Every model comes standard with electric power, air power & jump start power. It recharges when the vehicle it is attached is running.
The winner of the 2023 Coolest Thing Made in Kansas – Coolest Innovation was announced during the KMC’s Kansas Manufacturing Summit held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Wichita.
There are nearly 2,500 manufacturers in Kansas, employing 170,000 people with an average annual compensation of $79,722. Manufacturing produces more than $28 billion in output annually, 15% of the total output in the state. Manufacturing helps drive the state’s economy with more than $9.93 billion in annual manufactured good exports to markets such as Canada, Mexico, and Japan.
