Aluminum Plates For Deep Space Win W.Va. ‘Coolest’ Contest

The results of the very first Coolest Thing Made In West Virginia competition have been announced -- and the winning entry helped to carry astronauts around the moon.  

“The winner was Constellium and their involvement with Artemis II rocket with the aluminum plates they made and their contribution to that project, which obviously made international news,” said Bill Bissett, president of the West Virginia Manufacturer’s Association which sponsored the contest. “And that is the coolest thing in West Virginia.” 

When the Artemis II launched from the Kennedy Space Center and orbited the moon in April, aluminum plates manufactured by Constellium in Ravenswood, West Virginia covered much of the spacecraft from the launch vehicle to the capsule the astronauts rode in. 

Company president Brian McCallie said the material had to be lightweight, strong, durable and able to withstand both the extreme heat of takeoff and the extreme cold of deep space.  

“Knowing that our folks here had their hands on an aluminum plate that carried astronauts around the moon and safely landed them back in the Pacific, and for the men and women of Ravenswood to be a part of that program, an extreme sense of pride,” McCallie said. 

There were more than 3,200 votes cast in the competition. Nominees were narrowed to five finalists and the winner was announced Friday at Blue Ridge Community & Technical College, in conjunction with National Manufacturing Day. 

The other finalists were: 

• Appalachian Critter Company -- A 3D printing business owned by 13-year-old Silas Young of Sutton who makes colorful animals and other unique products that he sells at fairs and festivals across the state.  

• Warwood Tool Company – A Wheeling-based tool company founded more than 150 years ago that makes tools for everything from coal mining to gardening, including the Pulaski Ax.  

• Mountain Table – A small-batch coffee roaster located in Renick, West Virginia that makes, among other specialty items, bourbon-infused coffee.  

• Never Deer – A manufacturer of original, rain-resistant deer repellent for commercial and residential use.