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Industry News
IFAI announces new Textile Career Center
September 19, 2018
The Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) has announced a new online career resource: the Textile Career Center. This new initiative will offer IFAI members, and the industry at large, an easy-to-use and highly targeted resource for online employment connections. For job seekers, the Textile Career Center will serve as a tool to find and apply …
Industry News
Joe Belli retires from Eide Industries
September 14, 2018
After a remarkable career of 37 years with Eide Industries Inc., based in Cerritos, Calif., Joe Belli has announced his retirement, effective September 6, 2018. Belli became part of the Eide team in 1981, ending as president of the company. From the start, he invested his time and abundant energy into building Eide Industries into …
Industry News
Mentor Meetings at IFAI Expo
September 6, 2018
Need confidential advice? IFAI is now offering a fully endorsed mentorship program at IFAI Expo 2018. Professional consultations are available by appointment during show floor hours. Book a 30-minute meeting with an impressive lineup of industry experts! This opportunity is open to all attendees and exhibitors and free with any registration type. Why Seek Mentorship? Mentors become trusted advisers …
Case Studies
Prototypes and progress: The problems of today are the products of tomorrow
September 1, 2018
Good companies allocate time, energy, money and resources to the art of product development. Why? Because the products of tomorrow can’t be developed without working through the problems of today. Whether you’re doing product research and development for your own products or you’ve been hired by a customer to conduct the work, there’s a …
Features
Nigel Richings combines a hands-on, solution-minded approach with a vision for excellence to keep Undercover Canvas and Awnings growing
September 1, 2018
You can either look at challenges and decide you can make things work and get on with it, or you can worry and then panic,” says Nigel Richings, founder and owner of Undercover Canvas and Awnings Inc. in Wildey, Barbados. “It’s one side of the coin or the other. I just don’t get scared. I …
Projects
Pink pavilion floats in Belgium
September 1, 2018
The historic city of Bruges, Belgium, with its medieval architecture, network of canals and cobblestone streets, is also home to an excitingly modern architecture festival. The Triennale Brugge, which runs through September 2018, showcases designs by contemporary architects and artists from around the world. This year’s theme, Liquid City, challenged the designers to consider architecture …
Projects
ETFE roof tops wooden zeppelin at DOX Centre for Contemporary Art
September 1, 2018
Established in a former factory, Prague’s DOX Centre for Contemporary Art has a fresh, modern sensibility. Its square corners, austere white concrete walls and large windows create an ideal backdrop for the exciting and thought-provoking works of art on display. But there is a surprise on the roof. A giant zeppelin-like structure seems to have …
Press Release
Thai Acrylic Fibre Co. and Bulliontex partnership announced
September 1, 2018
Thai Acrylic Fibre Co. (Aditya Birla Group) and Bulliontex Co. Ltd. have announced a partnership to offer quality outdoor fabrics to the Thailand market. These fabrics, made with Thai Acrylic Fibre Co.’s Durashine™ fibre are used for awnings, outdoor furniture and marine fabrics. Through this arrangement, these fabrics will be locally available throughout Thailand. The …
Features
Fabrics bring museum exhibits to life
September 1, 2018
Visitors to the new Mississippi Civil Rights Museum in Jackson, Miss., are bound to be moved by the multiplicity of impressions, sounds, lights and graphic images that could only be presented with the aid of fabric. “This Little Light of Mine,” the name of the main exhibition at the Jackson museum, aims to immerse visitors …
News
IFAI to host Women in Textiles Summit 2019, call for presentations open
September 1, 2018
IFAI will host its first ever Women in Textiles Summit on March 6-8, 2019, at the Hyatt Regency Savannah in Savannah, Ga. The goal of the summit is to strengthen the advancement of women through an interactive forum that provides education, networking and dialogue about important issues affecting women in business. The summit will explore …
Sponsored Content
Company Profiles
Case Studies
Prototypes and progress: The problems of today are the products of tomorrow
September 1, 2018
Good companies allocate time, energy, money and resources to the art of product development. Why? Because the products of tomorrow can’t be developed without working through the problems of today. Whether you’re doing product research and development for your own products or you’ve been hired by a customer to conduct the work, there’s a …
Case Studies
Preventing workplace sexual harassment requires proactive actions
August 1, 2018
Far too often, the process of making bad and/or unethical choices begins with a simple, almost thoughtless decision. How do I know this? Well, I’ve seen it happen far too often. Harassment is not a sexy subject, and ethics are more than words. “The times they are a changing,” and that’s more than just song …
Case Studies
Acoustical fabric updates arts facility in Toronto
March 1, 2018
Built more than 20 years ago, the Toronto Centre for the Arts’ underused main theater needed updating. The solution involved reducing the overall size and upgrading the systems to create a more efficient facility. Designers of the retrofit, Diamond Schmitt Architects, brought Eventscape into the project to engineer, fabricate and install over 3,000 sq. ft. …
Case Studies
Job costing: the art of realizing your true profits
February 1, 2018
It’s a fairly safe bet that not many business owners started their operations because they wanted to work on spreadsheets. But like it or not, when you hang out a shingle, only part of your work will be designing a custom awning or fabric structure. Figuring out how to charge for those jobs accurately is …
Case Studies
Glen Raven’s solar commitment boosts sustainability
February 1, 2018
For textile manufacturers that operate energy-intensive machinery, solar-generated energy provides a way to save on energy bills and reduce carbon footprint. Glen Raven Custom Fabrics LLC, best known as the makers of Sunbrella® fabrics, recently debuted a 3,076-panel solar array at its flagship manufacturing facility in Anderson, S.C. The one-megawatt project was designed to power …
Case Studies
Retractable awning offers clear ocean views
January 1, 2018
The Cane & Canoe, an exclusive hotel restaurant known for its unique blend of Hawaiian and Polynesian cuisine, is located in the Montage Hotel at the Kapalua Bay resort, one of Hawaii’s premier oceanfront resorts. Kapalua Bay, a 22,000-acre former pineapple plantation on Maui, has developed into a popular resort that includes two award-winning championship …
Case Studies
Parking structure complements Atlanta market
December 1, 2017
The Ponce City Market on the eastern edge of Atlanta, Ga., has aggressively aspired to become the fourth nationally recognized food hall in America after Chelsea Market in New York, N.Y., Pike Place in Seattle, Wash., and Ferry Building in San Francisco, Calif. The location for the market is the revitalized historic 1926 Sears, Roebuck …
Case Studies
Malaysian light rail features an inspired ETFE tunnel of air
December 1, 2017
Odds are, most architects have seen the iconic Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, the capitol of Malaysia. Built in 1998, the Petronas towers remain the tallest twin towers in the world at 1,482 feet (452 meters). Architects are less likely to know that Kelana Jaya is a rapidly-urbanizing suburb located on the southwest edge …
Case Studies
ETFE roof panels inspired by a camera aperture
November 1, 2017
On Aug. 26, Atlanta, Ga., fans got to try out the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the first time when the Falcons hosted the Arizona Cardinals in a preseason NFL game. The two-million-square-foot facility accommodates 71,000 fans for football games and can expand to 75,000 seats for marquee events. Designed by HOK, a global design, architecture, …
Case Studies
French gallery blends effortlessly into vineyard landscape
October 1, 2017
What could be more agreeable than a glass of French wine while viewing French art in the landscape of southern France, a landscape made famous by the 19th-century Impressionist/proto-Cubist painter Paul Cézanne? This conflux of ideal conditions melds perfectly in the recently completed Château La Coste Art Gallery, a new venue for viewing artworks while …
Sponsored Content
Company Profiles
Features
Nigel Richings combines a hands-on, solution-minded approach with a vision for excellence to keep Undercover Canvas and Awnings growing
September 1, 2018
You can either look at challenges and decide you can make things work and get on with it, or you can worry and then panic,” says Nigel Richings, founder and owner of Undercover Canvas and Awnings Inc. in Wildey, Barbados. “It’s one side of the coin or the other. I just don’t get scared. I …
Features
Fabrics bring museum exhibits to life
September 1, 2018
Visitors to the new Mississippi Civil Rights Museum in Jackson, Miss., are bound to be moved by the multiplicity of impressions, sounds, lights and graphic images that could only be presented with the aid of fabric. “This Little Light of Mine,” the name of the main exhibition at the Jackson museum, aims to immerse visitors …
Features
‘Mass to membrane’ continues to influence the future of architecture
August 1, 2018
Nicholas “Nic” Goldsmith, FAIA, has been a major player for more than 40 years in the development of fabric architecture in North America and around the globe through his leadership of the innovative architectural/engineering firm FTL Design Engineering Studio, based in New York City. I’ve known Nic for more than 20 of those years, and …
Features
SEG graphics find more appeal with architectural clients
August 1, 2018
Ask average consumers what springs to mind when they hear the words “signs and banners,” and they’ll likely describe wayfinding placards and lengths of logo-imprinted fabric hanging from street poles. And although placards and pennants have their place in the sign and banner arena, this is a market segment with innovative and expanding applications in …
Features
Selling shade, comfort and style
July 1, 2018
Who could have predicted, even 10 years ago, that Amazon would have driven shade and awning companies, let alone everyday retail stores, into changing their operations to meet the demand for overnight response rates? Yet today, more than we’d like to believe, sales behemoths like the online portal Amazon and similar services have taught consumers …
Features
Recruiting the next generation of workers
July 1, 2018
Labor shortages are real and troubling, but a variety of organizations and manufactures are working on strategies to attract the next generation of workers–getting actively involved with public education and student training and recruitment. The dearth of skilled labor is an increasingly common lament heard from manufacturers of all stripes. It’s not a sudden or …
Features
Choosing between fabric and metal awnings depends on customer needs
June 1, 2018
If you have ever had to source sustainable materials for a building design, you know about rating systems like Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), administered by the nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council, (USGBC). The LEED systems consider the amount of energy used to manufacture the building material and the carbon footprint it leaves …
Features
Fabric structures defined by technology and sustainability
June 1, 2018
Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) is celebrating the 30th anniversary of Fabric Architecture (FA) magazine. The inaugural issue editor, Gene Rebeck, touched on a number of topics that proved to be insightful, clairvoyant and representative of how FA (originally called Fabrics & Architecture or F&A) has been able to represent trends in thinking and practice …
Features
Manufacturers find new ways to enhance product performance with textiles
May 1, 2018
As the demands made on textiles have increased, the nature of what is defined as “textile” has greatly expanded, often including non-textiles or treating them in a textile manner. Hybrids that bring together different materials and processes can offer the benefit of conventional textiles with additional characteristics of materials such as glass, ceramic, wood or …
Features
Tensile fabrics make a cultural statement in Mexican structure
May 1, 2018
The power of suggestion is one of an architect’s most eloquent tools. With a meaningful combination of shape and material, a design can meet physical expectations as well as create the suggestion of ideas, symbols and traditions. With the strategic use of high-tensile fabric panels, the structure known as the Fachada Foro Chiapas suggests time, …
Sponsored Content
Company Profiles
Industry News
IFAI announces new Textile Career Center
September 19, 2018
The Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) has announced a new online career resource: the Textile Career Center. This new initiative will offer IFAI members, and the industry at large, an easy-to-use and highly targeted resource for online employment connections. For job seekers, the Textile Career Center will serve as a tool to find and apply …
Industry News
Joe Belli retires from Eide Industries
September 14, 2018
After a remarkable career of 37 years with Eide Industries Inc., based in Cerritos, Calif., Joe Belli has announced his retirement, effective September 6, 2018. Belli became part of the Eide team in 1981, ending as president of the company. From the start, he invested his time and abundant energy into building Eide Industries into …
Industry News
Mentor Meetings at IFAI Expo
September 6, 2018
Need confidential advice? IFAI is now offering a fully endorsed mentorship program at IFAI Expo 2018. Professional consultations are available by appointment during show floor hours. Book a 30-minute meeting with an impressive lineup of industry experts! This opportunity is open to all attendees and exhibitors and free with any registration type. Why Seek Mentorship? Mentors become trusted advisers …
Industry News
Lambarena joins Rainier Industries
August 23, 2018
Stacey Lambarena has joined Rainier Industries as its new display business unit manager. Prior to joining Rainier, Lambarena was a sales plan and steer manager at IKEA. She traveled the world to attend and facilitate trainings related to every aspect of the business, from selling and marketing to products to leadership. Lambarena is tasked with …
Industry News
Value Vinyls launches improved website
August 20, 2018
Value Vinyls has announced the launch of an improved website. Customers will find industrial vinyl fabrics, architectural fabrics and shade cloth materials. In addition, the site is filled with tips, industry-related articles and 3D videos. The new website provides a streamlined approach to helping customers find information quickly with little navigation. More information is available …
Industry News
IFAI to host Women in Textiles Summit 2019, call for presentations open
August 8, 2018
IFAI will host its first ever Women in Textiles Summit on March 6-8, 2019, at the Hyatt Regency Savannah in Savannah, Ga. The goal of the summit is to strengthen the advancement of women through an interactive forum that provides education, networking and dialogue about important issues affecting women in business. The summit will explore …
Company News
IFAI and BCH sign agreement
July 1, 2018
The Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) has announced an agreement with Business Co-ordination House (BCH) to provide representation of IFAI in India. “We believe BCH is uniquely positioned to help IFAI expand the opportunities for our organization with the emerging Indian market for technical textiles,” said Mary Hennessy, past president and CEO of IFAI. “One …
Industry News
The Cutting Room
May 9, 2018
June 12, 2018 | Noon EST Free to IFAI Members/$79.00 for Nonmembers The presenters will cover four components used in a cutting room: digitizing, cutting, material handling and ROI. Learn what applications are best suited for full automation and how to implement them and increase your product volumes. Presenters Truy Pham Autometrix Inc. Truy “Tree” …
Industry News
Webinar: Selling quality over price
May 9, 2018
June 20, 2018 | Noon EST Free to IFAI Members/$75.00 for Nonmembers Learn about increasing your bottom line and how to encourage your clients to upgrade to better quality materials. Find out how upselling reflects company image, leads to future referrals and produces long-lasting products. Presenter Dave Callahan Granite State Cover & Canvas Inc. …
Industry News
IFAI’S Student Design Competition: Deadline is May 15, 2018
May 4, 2018
Each year, the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) sponsors a Student Design Competition for students enrolled in a post-secondary college or university program studying textiles, apparel, engineering or design. The annual competition offers students a valuable opportunity to build their portfolios and advance their career opportunities—and first-place winners also receive a $6,000+ Prize Pack with …
