Cerven Solutions is a specialized manufacturing and design company founded and led by brothers Sean and James Cerven in Poughkeepsie, New York. Bringing computer numerical control (CNC) machining and computer aided design (CAD) to clients across the country in the medical, aerospace, and technology industries, the brothers’ entrepreneurial spirit and rapid success are a testament to the supportive business ecosystem and ample opportunity that abounds for new businesses in Dutchess County. Cerven Solutions aims to harness cutting edge robotic technology to bring best-in-class precision for their customers’ needs—supporting a booming manufacturing industry in Dutchess County.
Think Dutchess spoke with Cerven Solutions co-founder and CEO Sean Cerven to learn more about the business and how advanced manufacturing is growing in Dutchess County.
What is your current role at Cerven Solutions, and what drew you to your industry?
My brother, James, and I are co-founders of Cerven Solutions, and I serve as Chief Executive Officer while he holds the Chief Technology Officer title. However, in a business as small as ours, we both wear several hats. We’re both engineers by training, but we had no previous experience in CAD or specialized manufacturing when we started our business.
In 2020 during the pandemic, we were both looking for a pivot and thought it would be fun to explore CAD as a side hustle to learn something new. Machinery in this field is incredibly expensive, so we established a model where we secured initial investors to fund the equipment we needed, and then we would manufacture parts for them. At that point, we were working out of our parents’ garage while also balancing work and going back to school. We needed to make a choice about whether to launch our business into a full-time endeavor. At the end of 2022, we took the leap and secured our space in Poughkeepsie where we are today.
What brought Cerven Solutions to Dutchess County?
James and I were born and raised in Dutchess County, specifically the town of Poughquag. When we were taking our business from our parents’ garage to an official commercial space, Poughkeepsie was an ideal location given its industrial roots. Several spaces for rent were already designed to conform to regulations in our industry, and our location now is the perfect size for our current capacity and trajectory for growth. We started out in half of the building and now we’ve expanded into the entire space.
What is the landscape of the advanced manufacturing and design industry in Dutchess County?
Manufacturing has been a generational tradition in Dutchess County, and hints of its legacy still persist in the area, particularly at the old IBM campus. In New York more broadly, and as a company that manufactures parts for the aerospace industry, I always think fondly of how influential Fairchild Aircraft was out on Long Island. I would love to see manufacturing explode in New York again, and I hope Cerven Solutions can be part of that movement.
While manufacturing still thrives in the region, we are spearheading the specific work that we do here in New York. The bulk of our work requires computerized programming and robotic machinery rather than hand programming that was more common decades ago. Advanced manufacturing will be dominated by computerized design in the next several years, and it was important for us to be ahead of that curve, especially on the East Coast.
How does Cerven Solutions engage with the local community?
Because we’re a young company, we’re still working to expand our engagement with the local community, other businesses, and the local workforce. We joined the Council of Industry – a group of manufacturers in Hudson Valley – a few years ago, and they have been incredibly helpful in supporting our growth. A common misconception that many entrepreneurs have is that they are responsible for building their business entirely on their own. Insurance was a huge unknown for us when we were getting started, for example, and connecting with the Council of Industry for guidance was an immense help.
The Council of Industry also connected us with Think Dutchess by introducing us to Ron Hicks, Assistant County Executive for Strategic Planning and Economic Development. Think Dutchess has offered immense support, especially through notifying us of grant opportunities and other incentives for businesses. Through Think Dutchess’ outreach, we connected with a program at Central Hudson to get our power subsidized which has helped to reduce our overhead. We also learned about the Linked Deposit Program where the State of New York works with local banks to assist businesses purchasing new equipment, making it more affordable for us to expand our work. We’re looking forward to fostering our relationship with Think Dutchess even further as we grow.
How does Cerven Solutions build relationships with other local businesses?
We’ve built great relationships with other local manufacturers in the Hudson Valley through the Council of Industry and business community. The mentorship of our more experienced peers in the industry has been invaluable. Sean Hamilton at Putnam Precision has been a leader in specialized manufacturing for decades and has a huge body of past experience. We’re only five years old, so his advice has been an essential guiding force as we break into this space and learn more about employee retention, market trends, new technology, and assessing when to grow. Instead of throwing darts at a board and seeing what sticks, his expertise has pointed us in the right direction. We’re also located down the street from a woodworking company, and while they operate in a different industry, their president has been deeply embedded in the local business ecosystem for years and has offered key lessons and guidance.
What do you see as the biggest opportunities for growth in Dutchess County?
There is a huge opportunity for manufacturing to grow even further in Dutchess County. If we established our business in California, for example, we would be just another manufacturing shop in a sea of competitors. Here, while we’re small, we have a face and close relationships with other local businesses that help us stand out because we are a unique player in this area. New York is one of the best hubs for industry anywhere in the country in my opinion. With a few of the largest airports in the world only 90 minutes away, travel to new potential clients is seamless. The workforce is also much younger and more educated here than in many other parts of the country. New manufacturers would have no issue recruiting the best employees in the business, and new graduates alike have ample opportunity to find jobs that embrace their skillset. We’re confident that when we need to expand, we’ll be able to find the people we need to support our growth.
What advice would you give to another business professional in Dutchess County?
It’s essential for new entrepreneurs and other business professionals in Dutchess County to be proactive and reach out for support. There are so many resources available for growing businesses, and our only regret is that we didn’t reach out for help sooner. Between the Council of Industry and Think Dutchess, we’ve already saved so much money and stress, and we’re excited for additional opportunities as our enterprise evolves. Dutchess County – and New York State overall – is dedicated to ensuring the growth and success of manufacturing in our region, making this industry a great area to invest in. This region is also filled with generational knowledge, and those less formal relationships have been some of our most valuable connections. We hope to see manufacturing continue to grow in our region, and we’re excited to keep scaling our business in our hometown.
Inspired by the incredible impact of these local businesses? Whether you're a small business owner, entrepreneur, or community partner, we’d love to hear from you. Connect with our team at info@thinkdutchess.com to learn how we can support your business, collaborate on economic development initiatives, or help you grow right here in Dutchess County.