MASSENA -- Alcoa Operations Massena Operation is now in the final four of the Business Council of New York State's "Coolest Thing Made in New York" contest.

Officials with the business council made the announcement Aug. 19, following the conclusion of voting in the round of eight.

In total, 14,000 ballots were cast in the public contest, officials said.

Forty-five businesses applied to the contest this year, with the top 16 businesses that received the most votes competing in a head-to-head bracket tournament.

Also in the final four are General Motors, Buffalo, NightRide Thermal Inc., Brooklyn and The Raymond Group, Greene.

The statewide initiative spotlights the innovation, creativity, and manufacturing excellence of businesses across the state, providing a platform for manufacturers to showcase their products and highlight their vital role in driving New York's economy forward.

Weekly winners are decided by a public vote on the Made in New York website, allowing New Yorkers to have a direct say in determining the coolest product made in the state.

The round of four voting will take place between Aug. 19-25, with products once again being put in head-to-head matchups.

The winner of each matchup will move on to the final round.

Once complete, the two finalists will compete head-to-head from Sept. 2 through Sept. 19, with two weeks of voting slated for the final round.

The final two contestants will be invited to The Sagamore Resort to showcase their products to the more than 250 attendees of The Business Council’s Annual Meeting, where voting will be allowed until the winner is announced on the evening of September 19th at our awards dinner.

Votes can be placed by visiting madeinny.org/coolest-thing-made-ny