(CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Several products made in the Greater Springfield Area are among the nominees for the Maker’s Madness Coolest Thing Made in Illinois contest with the Illinois Manufacturers Association. Last year, the Komatsu mining truck won the title. What made-in-Illinois item will take the title this year?

Area nominees include:

Mel-O-Cream Donuts – Springfield

BIG ELI Ferris Wheel – Jacksonville

Hefty trash bags – Jacksonville

Nestle powdered Coffee mate – Jacksonville

Ultra NX, Nitron and Premia beverage dispensers – BUNN

Route 66 chocolate shields – BUNN Gourmet

Cocoa Blue chocolate truffles – Rochester

The 250 nominated products include frozen edible coffee beans, aerial firefighting pumps, astrophysics telescopes, Horween leather for NFL footballs and an unmanned aerial refueler.

Votes will be accepted through Mar. 16 and 11:59 p.m. for the first round, which will determine which products advance to the top 16 in the bracket-style challenge.

The competition will feature weekly head-to-head matchups, with consecutive rounds of voting narrowing the field. The event will culminate in an awards ceremony at the Governor’s mansion on Apr. 9, where the winner will be announced.