Suozzi Convenes Long Island Robotics Roundtable

Glen Cove, NY—Congressman Tom Suozzi (D-NY) today convened business, technology, and workforce development leaders for a roundtable discussion on how to position Long Island to become a national hub for robotics and advanced manufacturing. The roundtable was held at Standard Bots in conjunction with CEO Evan Beard, the largest manufacturer of industrial robots in the United States.

“Standard Bots is a great example of why Long Island has the talent, the universities, the skilled workforce, and the entrepreneurial spirit to be the nation’s leader in robotics and advanced manufacturing. We need to bring all those pieces together and make sure we are competing for the businesses and jobs of the future,” said Congressman Suozzi. “Robotics and advanced manufacturing are going to play an increasingly important role in our economy, not only because of their effectiveness but because the industry creates high-skilled, high-tech jobs that have good wages for the people of Long Island.”

The roundtable brought together leaders from the robotics, manufacturing, financial, and economic development sectors to discuss the rapid growth of the domestic and international robotics industry, the role of robotics in strengthening American manufacturing, the future of robotics and physical AI on Long Island, and the opportunities for Long Island to attract robotics companies, develop a skilled local workforce, and improve its existing strengths in technology, manufacturing, engineering, and research. Participants also explored federal initiatives that could promote robotics, including tariffs, grant opportunities, research and development supports, expansion of workforce development initiatives, tax credits, safety standards for newer AI-powered robots, and more.

The roundtable was held at Standard Bots in Glen Cove, the largest manufacturer of industrial robots in America. Suozzi opened the event and moderated a discussion featuring Evan Beard, Co-Founder, CEO and Chief Engineer of Standard Bots; Robert Kufner, President and CEO of Designatronics; Tommy McNulty, Head of Platform Sales at Erebor Bank; Cara Longworth, VP, Long Island Regional Director of Empire State Development; and Amy Erickson, Executive Director of Long Island Manufacturing Extension Partnership.

Beard delivered the keynote address on the state of the domestic and international robotics industry and the opportunities ahead for Long Island and the United States. 

“The next era of manufacturing will be won by the countries that build their own robots, and we believe America should lead it. That's why we design and build our robots right here in Glen Cove, with some of the most talented engineers, machinists, and builders anywhere in the world. Long Island has a proud manufacturing legacy, and we're grateful to Congressman Suozzi for bringing industry, government, and investors together to make this region a home for American robotics,” said Evan Beard, CEO & Co-founder, Standard Bots.

“Robotics is the fastest growing market in the world. It will fundamentally change how work gets done in your home and in nearly all business segments. Unfortunately, much of the global supply of robots has come from outside the U.S., but the through the good work of Rep. Suozzi and leaders across industries on Long Island that have the capability to build robots, it has been recognized that future supply can and must be made domestically with American made products. Long Island’s proximity to New York City where hundreds of robotics startups are being nurtured gives it a distinct advantage to support their growth as well as the thousands of other robotics companies across the country that are getting ready to scale. Long Island has a long history in advanced manufacturing and already has all the components to become a national hub for robotics and advanced manufacturing with the right amount of coordination,” said Robert Kufner, President and CEO, Designatronics.

“As Executive Director of the Long Island MEP (LIMEP) at Stony Brook University, I see a tremendous opportunity for our small and mid-sized manufacturers to strengthen their competitiveness through the adoption of advanced technologies, particularly robotics. LIMEP is committed to helping manufacturers understand how automation and robotics can improve productivity, efficiency, and long-term growth. Today’s event at Standard Bots, hosted by Congressman Suozzi and Evan Beard, CEO and Founder of Standard Bots, was an excellent example of how industry, government, and the manufacturing community can come together to advance this mission. Evan also served as a keynote speaker at our LIMEP–College of Engineering robotics event, helping regional manufacturers see the practical opportunities that robotics can bring to their operations. We thank Congressman Suozzi and Evan Beard for their continued leadership and support of the NY MEP Network—and especially LIMEP at Stony Brook University—as we work to strengthen Long Island’s manufacturing ecosystem and position our companies for the future,” said Amy Erickson, Executive Director, Long Island Manufacturing Extension Partnership.