The Newark Regional Business Partnership (NRBP) has officially launched its Manufacturing Council, a dedicated industry group designed to unite manufacturers, suppliers, logisticians, financial institutions, and workforce development partners across Greater Newark.
The new council expands NRBP’s existing portfolio of specialized industry groups—which already includes councils focused on real estate, transportation, nonprofits, entrepreneurship and women in business. By bringing together the broader manufacturing ecosystem, the initiative aims to foster collaboration, address sector-specific challenges, and amplify the collective voice of regional manufacturers.
“Manufacturing has long been one of the driving forces behind Greater Newark’s economy,” Ferlanda Fox Nixon, president and CEO of the NRBP said. “Our region’s manufacturers don’t operate in isolation. They rely on a network of financial institutions, logistics providers, workforce partners, professional service firms, and public agencies that help their businesses thrive.”
The council was established under the leadership of NRBP Vice Chair and Unionwear President Mitch Cahn, alongside NRBP Board Member Emily Manz, Chief Business Development Officer and Director of Marketing at Invest Newark.
The group’s upcoming programming will feature educational seminars, networking events, facility tours, and strategic discussions centered on workforce training, supply chain integration, and business growth. A key milestone on the council’s immediate horizon is participation in the New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program’s (NJMEP) annual ‘Made in New Jersey’ Manufacturing Day on Oct. 2.
The council launches with a diverse founding roster spanning manufacturing, banking, construction, technology, legal services, and economic development, including:
- 1st Street Partnership
- CMIT Solutions of The Meadowlands
- Invest Newark
- JVS
- Kearny Bank
- Makerhoods
- McCarter & English
- NJMEP
- Nyah Beauty
- Phelps Construction Group
- Real Time Logistics
- Union County Savings Bank
- Unionwear
- VHB
