Crains New York - March 11, 2013 - (Page 11)

SMALL BUSINESS REPORT INSIDE Startup Guide A reference tool to NYC incubators PAGE 13 ‘The desktop is dying right now and everything is going mobile’ —Alberto Ortiz, founder and CEO, Work Fitness, Page 12 Small businesses chase mobile customers CUTTING EDGE: Anthony Guimenta Sr.’s firm, Architectural Grille, invested $450,000 in equipment used in coating products. Owners realize they can’t put off selling on tablets and smartphones BY EILENE ZIMMERMAN year loan from a credit union to buy his top-of-the-line choice: a $135,000 computer-aided cutting machine called a router that does the job faster and more accurately than manually operated machinery. He’s also been able to build new products developed by designers eager to take advantage of the technology’s added capabilities. Over the next two to three years, he hopes to buy additional computer-aided equipment. Mr. Frechter is part of an expanding group of growth-oriented small and medium-sized manufacturers in Georgette Blau, president of On Location Tours, which operates television and movie tours in New York City and Boston, is hoping her new mobile site will help her make up for the loss of international sales that occurred because of the financial crisis in Europe. In January 2011, revenue AVERAGE at the profSPENDING on itable, 50websites, employee firm including mobile dropped about ones, by small businesses from 12%, to just Aug. 2011 to under $5 milAug. 2012 lion annually, Source: BIA/Kelsey Ms. Blau said, adding, “We looked at all PROJECTED the tourists 2013 U.S. walking mobile commerce sales, around New up 43% from York City and 2012 thought, Why Source: eMarketer don’t we have a mobile website,so they can PERCENTAGE book a tour of each day that spur-of-theU.S. adults spent with mobile moment?” devices (not A few including talking months ago, on them), 2012 Ms. Blau had Source: eMarketer her site customized for a smartphone. That included color-coding tours so they are easily recognized—with purple for “Gossip Girl Sites” and pink for “Sex and the City Hotspots.” She launched the mobile site in October. “It’s already accounted for 7% of direct sales,” she said. By 2014,some experts predict, mobile browsing on devices like tablets and smartphones will have eclipsed desktop browsing. A just-released report from NPD DisplaySearch forecasts that tablet PC shipments will surpass—by more than 30 million— See MAKERS on Page 15 See CHASING on Page 12 $1,190 $17.2B buck ennis 11.7% Makers and shakers Manufacturers use advanced technology to gain an edge as the economy picks up BY ANNE FIELD Five years ago, after his father’s death, Allen Frechter and his brother decided to keep the family business, PlexiCraft Quality Products Corp., going—and growing. They had big plans for the Long Island City, Queens, maker of custom acrylic furnishings. Mr. Frechter, a former management consultant and a selfdescribed “spreadsheet kind of guy,” created a timeline for the computeraided equipment he would buy to boost productivity, quality and capabilities at the 25-employee company, which has between $2.5 million to $5 million in revenue. “Then we had a little recession,” Mr. Frechter said. All those plans had to be put on hold—until 2011, when the chances of getting financing started improving. Mr. Frechter was able to get a five- New York City manufacturing jobs The recession and tech-fueled gains in manufacturing productivity led to a decline in jobs 99,000 72,000 12/2007 12/2012 March 11, 2013 | Crain’s New York Business | 11

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Crains New York - March 11, 2013

IN THE BOROUGHS
IN THE MARKETS
THE INSIDER
BUSINESS PEOPLE
CORPORATE LADDER
OPINION
GREG DAVID
REAL ESTATE DEALS
REPORT: SMALL BUSINESS
STARTUP GUIDE
CLASSIFIEDS
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
OUT AND ABOUT
SNAPS

Crains New York - March 11, 2013