News & Insights

We’re changing the narrative of the manufacturing industry one story at a time. CMTA’s award-winning storytelling team showcases California’s 30,000 manufacturers by uplifting the voices of our makers. Find industry news and the stories from those “Making California” below. 

Nationally Recognized Firm Eide Bailly Joins CMTA

Sacramento, Calif. –The California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA) welcomed new member Eide Bailly to the organization today. Eide Bailly is a certified public accounting and business advisory firm, providing leaders of all levels with solutions...

California-Made Gift Guide for Mother’s Day & Father’s Day

California-Made Picks for Mother’s Day & Father’s Day   With over 35,000 manufacturers across California, you're bound to find the perfect gift that’s thoughtful, high-quality, and locally made. This Mother’s and Father’s Day, surprise them with something...

Manufacturing in the News: April 2025

Scroll through CMTA's round-up of manufacturing-related news and updates from April 2025. The articles below don’t reflect the views of the manufacturing industry or CMTA. They are a collection of the latest industry news from this past month.   Latest Industry...

First Major Tankless Brand Assembled in U.S. Joins CMTA

Sacramento, Calif. – The California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA) welcomed new member Rinnai to the organization. Rinnai America Corporation, a subsidiary of Rinnai Corporation in Nagoya, Japan, was established in 1974. With a global perspective to...

Porsche Consulting Joins CMTA’s Member Network

Sacramento, Calif. – The California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA) welcomed new member Porsche Consulting to the organization in March. The consulting firm is a leading management consultancy from Germany with offices located around the world. It...

Schneider Electric Joins CMTA

Sacramento, Calif. – The California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA) welcomed new member Schneider Electric to the organization today. Schneider Electric is a global industrial technology leader and a powerhouse of energy distribution, industrial...

Largest Flexible Packaging Manufacturer for Produce Joins CMTA

Sacramento, Calif. – The California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA) welcomed new member Emerald Packaging to the organization today. For 60 years, Emerald Packaging has been reinventing produce packaging and is the largest flexible packaging...

Press Release

Top Eight Announced in CMTA’s “Coolest Thing Made in California” Contest Powered by JPMorganChase

Aug 30, 2024

Voting to eliminate four products begins Monday, Sept. 2, 2024

Sacramento, Calif. – The bracket is narrowing for the “Coolest Thing Made in California” contest hosted by the California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA), and eight products have racked up thousands of votes to move on to the next round of voting.

Over 100,000 votes came in during the Top 16 Round of the contest powered by JPMorganChase. Voting to narrow down the contest into the “Top 4” products will occur from Monday, Sept. 2 to Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. PST.

In this next round, Lockheed Martin will face Phenix Technology Inc., Stratolaunch will face Northrop Grumman, Pivotal will face Ryvid, and Zoox will face Amai Inc.

Coolest Thing Made in California Schedule:

  • Top 8 Voting Round: Sept. 2-5
  • Top 4 Voting Round: Sept. 9-12
  • Winner Announced: Oct. 18 at CMTA’s MakingCA Conference during Manufacturing Month

Hosted by the CMTA, the “Coolest Thing Made in California” contest highlights the vital role manufacturing plays in California’s economy, which employs 1.3 million people and contributes $310 billion to the state’s annual GDP with its 30,000 manufacturers. The competition aims to highlight the remarkable products that have originated from the diverse and dynamic landscape of California.

For more information about the contest, please visit CoolestThingCalifornia.com.

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About CMTA

The California Manufacturers & Technology Association has advocated for pro-growth laws and regulations before the California legislature and administrative agencies since 1918. The total output from manufacturing in California is $300 billion per year, roughly 10 percent of the total economic output of the state. Manufacturers employ 1.3 million Californians paying wages more than $25,000 higher than other non-farm employers in the state. For more information, visit CMTA’s website.

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