Solo MFGs Spike in Capital Region
The Capital Region in 2022 saw its largest annual increase in solo manufacturing operations in more than a decade, according to a Center for Economic Growth (CEG) analysis of new Nonemployer Statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau.
In 2022, the eight-county Capital Region had 1,103 nonemployer manufacturing establishments, which include gig workers, freelancers, independent contractors and other enterprises with no paid employees but at least $1,000 in annual receipts that are subject to federal income tax. That was an increase of 76 manufacturing nonemployer establishments from the previous year – the region’s largest annual increase in more than a decade. That was also the second largest annual increase in nonemployer manufacturing establishments among upstate New York’s eight economic development regions, trailing only the Hudson Valley (+222).
The region’s nonemployer manufacturing establishment growth was driven by gains in food manufacturing (+27), fabricated metal product manufacturing (+20), and miscellaneous manufacturing (+32). In fact, the Capital Region saw the state’s second-largest increase in nonemployer fabricated metal product manufacturing establishments, trailing only New York City (+29). In addition to these nonemployer gains, the Capital Region also saw its number of employer manufacturing establishment births double in 2022.
SOLO MFGS
One example of a local solo manufacturer is Structured Biocomposites, which in 2023 received a $50,000 grant through FuzeHub’s Jeff Lawrence Innovation Fund. The Rotterdam startup was founded in 2019 by T.J. Fiala, who is developing industrial hemp lumber that is a tree-free alternative to traditional forest service construction materials. According to Fiala, industrial hemp lumber is a self-extinguishing, rot resistant, and insect-resistant, engineered structural member that will seamlessly integrate with standard construction materials and can be manipulated with traditional wood tools.
T.J. Fiala, founder of Structured Biocomposites in Rotterdam
“The Capital Region has been the perfect place to start a new manufacturing business with the support of business accelerators and incubators, and a host of capitol providers. In 2024, Structural BioComposites completed R&D work to structurally characterize hemp as a building material with the financial assistance provided by winning a FuzeHub manufacturing grant. We have also benefited from support provided by the Center for Economic Growth in the form of education courses and business networking opportunities,” Fiala said.
Another solo manufacturer is Chunky Boy Craft, which makes a crocheting and knitting craft handle at the Launchbox co-warehousing facility in Colonie. The Chunky Boy is a silicone handle that fits over a crochet hook. Its ergonomic design helps to reduce crocheting-related hand pain and cramping.
Photos of “Chunky Boy” (crochet needle handles) product and team, taken by Andrew Elder of Best Frame Forward
“Solo manufacturing requires quite a bit of creativity and tapping every resource available to you. I have found a wealth of those resources available to me in the Capital Region, including machinists to bring my vision to life as well as a perfect place for my business to grow. After attempting to use a third-party manufacturer, with little success, we realized we were best able to make the Chunky Boy ourselves and were able to pivot our operation within six weeks,” said Beth Ressel, the company’s founder.
CEG INITIATIVES
As a New York State MEP center, CEG’s Manufacturing Solutions also helps Capital Region manufacturers increase their productivity by providing a menu of technical support services, such as Lean Enterprise Training, ISO Certification Assistance, Technology-Driven Market Intelligence, and CoreValue benchmarking assessments.
In 2023, CEG Manufacturing Solutions had the following impacts on Capital Region manufacturers:
- $17 million in new and retained sales
- 115 jobs created and retained
- $10 million in new investments
- $600,000 in cost savings
CEG also drives the Manufacturing Innovation Network (MIN), a network brings together Capital Region manufacturers to learn from experts on industry relevant topics, participate in thematic roundtables, discuss common issues, and expand their network.
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