Danielle Trofe produces lampshades and verical garden structures within the Industry City community. Credit: Danielle Trofe Design

Yesterday, NYCEDC teamed up with the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce for an advanced manufacturing discussion at Brooklyn Army Terminal’s Annex. Moderated by NYCEDC VP of Industrial Initiatives Miquela Craytor, panelists included Honeybee Robotics, Poursteady, Danielle Trofe Design, Z-Studios and Riva Precision Manufacturing. The Meet the Makers event is part of Brooklyn Chamber’s quarterly series of convenings that bring together industrial leadership from throughout the borough.

Because #manufacturing, conversation revolved around creative real estate arrangements, building networks of skilled labor and investing in digital technologies. At the table were: Poursteady, maker of automated pourover coffee machines, and based in Gowanus and Clinton Hill; Honeybee Robotics, a space and smart-tech company out of New Lab (after three decades in Manhattan); Danielle Trofe – vertical gardens and mycelium mushroom lampshades – out of her Industry City studio; Z-Studios, which waterjets and fabricates metal, located down the street from Roberta’s in Bushwick; and Riva’s, a custom jewelry practice based out of the Brooklyn Army Terminal and equipped with CNC machines, injection molding, die fabrication and more. Some of the key strengths gained by basing your manufacturing business here in NYC:

New York City Media
Poursteady cites media access as a central reason to be in New York City. Without spending a dollar on marketing, the innovative brand landed in Eater, New York mag, Cool Hunting and a dozen other publications.

NYCEDC Support
Riva appreciates the government assistance in finding a headquarters as well as the access to talent (and parking).

New York Metro’s Young Talent
Honeybee built a network of hires from schools like NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering, New York City College of Education, New Jersey Institute of Technology and Stevens Institute of Technology.

Maker Communities
Trofe relishes in Industry City’s large community of makers, designers and product developers who are always cross-pollinating ideas, clients and strategic relationships. She also points to IC’s flexible rental rates that help support her as she grows (IC is run by Jamestown who also is in charge of Chelsea Market and Long Island City’s Falchi Building.)

Investment in Advanced Manufacturing Technology
By investing in ring-making machinery, Riva is able to build products inhouse and greatly increase profit, decrease build time and attract new clients. Z-Designs has experienced the same through an investment in a CNC machine