Florida Equipment Manufacturer to Close Three Facilities, Lay Off 44 Employees

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In a tough turn for the local business community, a Miami-Dade-based tattoo equipment manufacturer is set to close three of its facilities, impacting dozens of employees. FK Irons, a Doral-based company, announced that the closures are due to “the inability of the company to generate sufficient profits from the facilities.”

According to a WARN notice filed with the state, FK Irons plans to close its facility at 6100 Blue Lagoon Drive, Suite 150, in Miami, along with two warehouse locations at 1751-1763 N.W. 79th Ave. and 2273 N.W. 82nd Ave. in Doral. These closures are expected to be permanent.

Job Losses and Timeline

Monique Nations, the Vice President of Human Resources for Body Art Alliance—the parent company of FK Irons—confirmed that the closures will result in the loss of 44 jobs. The affected employees include assembly associates, CNC machine operators, quality control inspectors, engineers, and supervisors, among others. Nations stated that the layoffs will officially take effect on November 18. Unfortunately, the employees won’t have bumping rights, meaning they can’t transfer to other positions within the company as a result of the closure.

None of the workers are represented by a union, and per the WARN Act, state and local officials were notified 60 days in advance, as required for mass layoffs.

About FK Irons and Body Art Alliance

FK Irons has been a key player in the tattoo equipment industry since its founding in 2002, specializing in manufacturing wireless devices for tattoo artists. The company lists its main location at 1771 N.W. 79th Ave. in Doral. In 2020, FK Irons joined forces with World Famous, Neo Metal, and Painful Pleasures to form Body Art Alliance, a larger wholesale group providing products across the tattoo, beauty, and body jewelry industries.

While South Florida’s industrial and office sectors have seen some success post-pandemic, with businesses and wealthy individuals moving into the region, the past year has seen a slowdown in warehouse and manufacturing deals. Concerns about the national economy and the uncertainty surrounding the upcoming presidential election have contributed to this hesitation, impacting leasing and acquisition activity.

At this point, FK Irons and Body Art Alliance have not commented further on the decision or potential future plans. However, the closure marks a significant moment for the company and its employees as South Florida’s industrial sector faces challenges in a shifting economy.