Sponsored Content
Awnings & Shades
Wholesale Shade introduces Shade Sail University
May 10, 2019
Wholesale Shade, a premier shade sail fabricator, has developed a comprehensive guide for the shade sail industry. Covering design, selling, installation and more, this guide is a must-have for anyone looking to get into the shade business or to train new employees. It includes standard industry forms and a glossary of terms. A redesigned website …
Business
Merger of Academy Awning and Zebra Awning announced
May 1, 2019
Academy Awning Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., and Zebra Awning, San Francisco, Calif., have merged. Michael Spear, owner of Zebra Awning, a San Francisco fixture since the mid-1980s, will continue in the role of Northern California representative for the corporation. Michael Richman and Jim Richman, owners of Academy, will serve in their same capacities for the …
Case Studies
A re-enlightened passage welcomes shoppers in Nelson, New Zealand
May 1, 2019
By Bruce N. Wright, AIA In the heart of Nelson, New Zealand’s central business district, a short pedestrian passage links two busy public markets. Bank Lane, named for the major national bank that flanks one side of the passage, was until recently a dilapidated corridor with a cracked and discolored Perspex roof. The roof let …
Case Studies
Terasaki Research Institute offers healing and inspiration
May 1, 2019
by Bruce N. Wright, AIA The Terasaki Research Institute is a nonprofit organization founded by the late Dr. Paul I. Terasaki, a pioneer of modern procedures that minimize organ transplant rejections. It is affiliated with nearby University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and located in the tony Westwood Village neighborhood. A two-story building for the …
Case Studies
Sustainable shade technology
May 1, 2019
It’s only fitting that the new research and development facility for the Kolon Group, a leading South Korean manufacturer of innovative textiles, would stretch the boundaries of design. The company wanted the facility, dubbed the Kolon One & Only Tower, to embody its commitment to creativity, technology and sustainability. The 820,000-square-foot building is designed to …
Case Studies
Patio canopy expands church services
May 1, 2019
Summers are hot in San Ramon, Calif., located 35 miles east of San Francisco in the San Ramon Valley. The community is home to St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, designed in the 1980s by Aaron Green, an associate of Frank Lloyd Wright. The church features a beautiful patio that congregants like to use for …
Feature
Crafting shade at Auvents Ombrasole Awning
May 1, 2019
Ombrasole designs, manufactures and installs awnings of all types for North American climates—many of which feature Emilio Petrongolo’s custom and patented motors. Emilio Petrongolo can trace his fascination with canvas and sewing back to his childhood in Italy, where his grandmother made jute bags for storing wheat. Petrongolo, director of R&D and marketing at Auvents …
Business
IFAI announces call for board and leadership positions
April 22, 2019
The Leadership Development Committee of the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) is now seeking candidates for positions on its Board of Directors and Division Advisory Boards. The current 1st Vice Chairman Kathy Schaefer, IFM (Glawe Tent and Awning Co.) is Chairman-elect and will automatically assume the duties of the Chairman of the Board in October. …
Feature
New IFAI member benefits
April 1, 2019
IFAI has created new member benefits over the past year. For more information about each benefit, visit https://www.ifai.com/membership/member-benefits/. Marine Fabricators Business Insurance The Marine Fabricators Business Insurance program is tailored to MFA division members and their unique risks and exposures. The best in practice program offers these insurance lines with competitive pricing: * Property—property contents …
Case Studies
Textile origami for space habitats
April 1, 2019
So, you move to Mars—now where are you going to live? As a matter of fact, there is innovative work being done on that subject. A design team is working on the MoonMars project—architecture plans for smart human habitats and research stations on other planets. They are experimenting with origami and high-performance textiles to create …
Sponsored Content
Company Profiles
Case Studies
A re-enlightened passage welcomes shoppers in Nelson, New Zealand
May 1, 2019
By Bruce N. Wright, AIA In the heart of Nelson, New Zealand’s central business district, a short pedestrian passage links two busy public markets. Bank Lane, named for the major national bank that flanks one side of the passage, was until recently a dilapidated corridor with a cracked and discolored Perspex roof. The roof let …
Case Studies
Terasaki Research Institute offers healing and inspiration
May 1, 2019
by Bruce N. Wright, AIA The Terasaki Research Institute is a nonprofit organization founded by the late Dr. Paul I. Terasaki, a pioneer of modern procedures that minimize organ transplant rejections. It is affiliated with nearby University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and located in the tony Westwood Village neighborhood. A two-story building for the …
Case Studies
Sustainable shade technology
May 1, 2019
It’s only fitting that the new research and development facility for the Kolon Group, a leading South Korean manufacturer of innovative textiles, would stretch the boundaries of design. The company wanted the facility, dubbed the Kolon One & Only Tower, to embody its commitment to creativity, technology and sustainability. The 820,000-square-foot building is designed to …
Case Studies
Patio canopy expands church services
May 1, 2019
Summers are hot in San Ramon, Calif., located 35 miles east of San Francisco in the San Ramon Valley. The community is home to St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, designed in the 1980s by Aaron Green, an associate of Frank Lloyd Wright. The church features a beautiful patio that congregants like to use for …
Case Studies
Textile origami for space habitats
April 1, 2019
So, you move to Mars—now where are you going to live? As a matter of fact, there is innovative work being done on that subject. A design team is working on the MoonMars project—architecture plans for smart human habitats and research stations on other planets. They are experimenting with origami and high-performance textiles to create …
Case Studies
Animated display for Brussels airport uses kinetic fabric
April 1, 2019
There are many “must sees” in the Flanders region of Belgium: charming cities and towns graced with medieval architecture, the paintings of the Flemish masters, historical sites, fashion, food and design. The tourism bureau, Flanders Tourism (Toerisme Vlaanderen), wanted to give travelers flying into the Brussels Zarventem Airport a taste of the adventure that awaits. …
Case Studies
Eight-story banner helps Seattle sizzle
March 1, 2019
The new mixed-use building 9th & Thomas, located in Seattle’s South Lake Union neighborhood, takes a fresh approach to commercial space with floor-to-ceiling glass, gardens, integrated outdoor decks and a welcoming lobby that serves as a community living room. Developed by the Redman family, whose Sellen Construction Company occupied the site for 70 years, the …
Case Studies
Apartment honors history with fabric images
March 1, 2019
Designer Cory Gans of Boston’s Planeta Design Group had a unique idea to honor the history of the site where the new Montaje Apartments in Sommerville, Mass., now stand. Gans wanted to incorporate photographs from the old Ford Motor Company assembly plant that once inhabited what is now Assembly Row, a residential and commercial redevelopment …
Case Studies
Fabric banners, signage and displays help guide visitors—and are getting smarter all the time.
March 1, 2019
Advances in digital and interactive technologies are heralding a new era in museum graphics, banners and signage, creating opportunities for the printed banner industry from conventional signage printing markets to crossover areas such as interactive displays. A combination of factors is contributing to this: We are seeing incremental improvements as well as new developments in …
Case Studies
Exhibition combines the physical and digital worlds
February 1, 2019
Contemporary artist Michael Rees likes to create artwork that connects to a specific space. His experimental exhibition at Grounds for Sculpture, a 42-acre sculpture park, museum and arboretum founded on the site of the former New Jersey State Fairgrounds, began in the exhibit hall looking for inspiration. His show, “Synthetic Cells, Site and Para (Site)” …
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Company Profiles
Expo News
2018 Fabric Structures Student Design Competition Winners Announced
October 18, 2018
The Fabric Structures Association (FSA), a division of the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI), recently announced the recipients of the 2018 Fabric Structures Student Design Competition awards. The winners were announced at IFAI Expo 2018, held Oct. 15-18 in Dallas, Texas. First Place Rafael Dias Simoes, Kevin Barthelmebs and Fabien Burgeat from ENSAVT University won …
Expo News
IFAI Expo 2018: Show Stopper winners on the floor
October 17, 2018
All the best from Texas: Wednesday morning, Oct. 17, at IFAI Expo led off with lists of winners for the year, including the most popular products on the show floor. The seventh annual Show Stopper competition was designed to showcase the best of the best in the industry, from fabrics, equipment and chemicals to services …
Expo News
2018 International Achievement Award Winners Announced
October 17, 2018
The Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) has awarded this year’s International Achievement Awards (IAA) for design excellence in specialty fabrics applications, announced at the awards breakfast on Wednesday, Oct. 17 at IFAI Expo 2018. IFAI Expo is the largest specialty fabrics trade show in North America, held this year at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention …
Expo News
Sharpen your competitive edge
October 17, 2018
Asking yourself one simple question can help make your business a magnet for new customers, says marketing professional Madeleine MacRae, owner of MM MacRae Coaching & Consulting. “That question is ‘Who is your ideal client?’” In her Oct. 16 Expo session on distinguishing yourself in the marketplace, MacRae says answering this question is the key …
Expo News
Graphics for the small to medium fabricator
October 16, 2018
Bill McSpadden, owner of Capitol Awning, Richmond, Va., presented the education session “Graphics for the Small to Medium Fabricator—What I Wish I Knew” on October 15 at IFAI Expo 2018’s Pre-Expo Conference in Dallas, Texas. Sign permits and allowances are important factors to consider when it comes to graphics. While many businesses may want as …
Expo News
Digital presence is key to acquiring new customers in 2019
October 16, 2018
It’s no surprise the digital world means a company’s ability to attract and keep customers requires a dramatic shift in strategy, tools and resources. Ed Keough, vice president of sales for FutureGuard Building Products Inc. in Auburn, Maine, told business owners they need to embrace digital advertising or be “left in the dust” during his …
Expo News
IFAI Expo keynote speaker Mark Scharenbroich: “acknowledge, honor and connect” with employees and customers
October 16, 2018
Keynote speaker Mark Scharenbroich has straightforward advice for growing a business: Make a true connection with employees and customers and positive results will follow. Scharenbroich shared his humor and motivational wisdom with a packed room at IFAI’s 2018 Expo annual meeting October 16. Rain, wind and cold outside the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in …
Expo News
Textile testing for comfort
October 16, 2018
IFAI’s Pre-Expo Conference Oct. 15 in Dallas offered a range of presentations—many of them focused on topics of particular interest in the advanced textiles area. Textile testing is one topic that will be addressed in more than one session. At the beginning of his talk yesterday on testing and evaluating fabrics’ human comfort, performance and …
Expo News
Useful social media for companies of all sizes
October 15, 2018
Should you bother with social media? Most definitely yes, says Luke Gusman, marketing manager for Sta-Lok Inc., a longtime manufacturer of marine and architectural rigging hardware. Gusman says that no matter how large or small your company, there are five social media platforms that can increase engagement with your product or service and raise your …
Expo News
Successful multigenerational workplaces
October 15, 2018
This is the first time in history that five distinct generations are working in a single workplace, says J. Karl Sherrill Jr., a certified risk manager with Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC, in his 2018 Expo session “Leading Successful Teams in a Multigenerational Workplace.” “It’s a trend affecting every business,” says Sherrill. “You have people …
Sponsored Content
Company Profiles
Feature
Crafting shade at Auvents Ombrasole Awning
May 1, 2019
Ombrasole designs, manufactures and installs awnings of all types for North American climates—many of which feature Emilio Petrongolo’s custom and patented motors. Emilio Petrongolo can trace his fascination with canvas and sewing back to his childhood in Italy, where his grandmother made jute bags for storing wheat. Petrongolo, director of R&D and marketing at Auvents …
Feature
New IFAI member benefits
April 1, 2019
IFAI has created new member benefits over the past year. For more information about each benefit, visit https://www.ifai.com/membership/member-benefits/. Marine Fabricators Business Insurance The Marine Fabricators Business Insurance program is tailored to MFA division members and their unique risks and exposures. The best in practice program offers these insurance lines with competitive pricing: * Property—property contents …
Feature
2019 State of the Industry
April 1, 2019
Economic growth in 2018 increased in the United States: Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reached 3.0 percent for the first time since 2005. Unfortunately, growth has been down in other advanced economies such as Canada, Japan and Europe. Growth in the emerging economy of China was also down in 2018—reaching 6.6 percent. China’s GDP is projected …
Feature
Enter the 2019 IFAI Student Design Competition
April 1, 2019
The 2019 IFAI (Industrial Fabrics Association International) Student Design Competition is searching for talented students to enter their best projects in an effort to be recognized within the textile industry. Students pursuing degrees in textiles, apparels, engineering, architecture or design can now enter the 2019 Student Design Competition. This is an elite competition focused on giving …
Feature
Getting into fabric graphics means doing your homework
March 1, 2019
Ron Nissenbaum, CEO of Humphrys CoverSports in Philadelphia, Pa., has been in the business long enough—51 years to be precise—to have witnessed a few changes in the way fabricators use graphics. When Nissenbaum started at Humphrys, which itself is nearly 150 years old, graphics were a rarity on the tarps, sports field covers and other …
Feature
Paul Aumento relies on employees and customers to keep Creative Textile Solutions a responsive manufacturer
March 1, 2019
Nova Scotia is a small market and Halifax is a smaller city compared to some others, so we’ve had to diversify to continue a successful year-round employment,” says Paul Aumento, co-owner and president of Creative Textile Solutions Ltd., Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. “So we expanded our markets right away to include whatever can be manufactured …
Feature
All successful companies innovate to grow, but each approach is unique
February 1, 2019
If there were a formula for writing a hit song, we could all do it. Efforts have certainly been made to figure out just what’s required to reach the top of the charts, but there simply isn’t a single defined path that can be taken to ensure musical success. In manufacturing, businesses that look to …
Feature
Fabric’s role in revitalizing neglected urban areas
February 1, 2019
Like other rust belt cities, Detroit began declining decades ago, propelled by a combination of bad luck, bad timing, bad decisions and economic transformations that delivered additional crushing, seemingly fatal, blows. Its condition was such that not so long ago, numerous companies sprang up offering tours of the city’s ruined buildings and factories—a somewhat morbid …
Feature
Women’s work: challenges and rewards in the specialty fabrics industry
February 1, 2019
Since the earliest days of civilization, women have sewn garments, constructed the tents they called home, and woven the textiles that made life more comfortable and defined distinctive cultures. Over the millennia, textiles produced by women have been essential to life and enterprise. As industrialization made these goods profitable, however, the textile world became a …
Feature
A dazzling duo: indoor fabrics and lighting
January 1, 2019
Fabrics have always been an essential component in commercial interior spaces. But, historically, their inclusion has been limited to more conventional roles, such as draperies and curtains, or flexible room dividers. With some exceptions, fabrics were not intended to serve as a focus in and of themselves. That has changed—decidedly. Fabrics are now looked to …
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Industry News
IFAI Expo 2019 exhibitor Early Bird deadline is March 30
March 13, 2019
Exhibitors: Book your IFAI Expo 2019 booth by March 30 to take advantage of the Early Bird discount. Don’t be left out! IFAI Expo is the largest specialty fabric trade event in the Americas. Each year, more than 5,000 high-level decision makers, industry insiders and qualified buyers meet in an unrivaled face-to-face environment, where networking …
Industry News
Ennis Fabrics is committed to community support—from the top down
March 1, 2019
Ennis Fabrics in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, has a history that’s steeped in community support. James Ennis Sr. launched Ennis Fabrics in 1972 with a goal to provide better industrial fabrics and service. From a modest 2,500 square-foot warehouse, the company steadily grew, and today it sells 9,000 products from a state-of-the-art office and warehouse that …
Industry News
Recasens expands distribution network
March 1, 2019
Recasens, a manufacturer of performance fabric for sun protection, textile architecture, screens, decoration and marine use, has added Industrial Solutions Inc. (IIS) as its newest U.S.-based master distributor. The new partnership will provide greater access to the Recasens line of European-designed fabrics for fabricators and designers in the awning, marine and decor industries. “The RECacril …
Industry News
Retractableawnings.com adds new features to website
January 18, 2019
Retractableawnings.com recently added an infographic to its website as a new feature to educate customers on retractable fabric awnings. This feature explains the value that retractable awnings add to a home or business, and the savings that can be realized on utilities bills. Customers can also find 20 fast facts about retractable awnings, frequently asked …
Industry News
European Spinning Group and Thai Acrylic partner to create outdoor yarn range
October 12, 2018
European Spinning Group (ESG) has partnered with Thai Acrylic Fibre Co. Ltd., to develop solution dyed acrylic yarns designed for outdoor applications. The yarn range is marketed under brand name ESG RA Outdoor powered by Durashine™ fibre. ESG is a specialty yarn producer for weaving and knitting fabrics for various markets and applications such as …
Industry News
Bally Ribbon Mills to display high-performance 3-D woven composites at CAMX 2018
October 8, 2018
Bally Ribbon Mills (BRM), an industry leader in the design, development and manufacture of specialized engineered woven fabrics, has announced that it will showcase its high-quality, high-performance products at CAMX 2018, taking place October 15-18, 2018, in Dallas, Texas. BRM experts will be on hand in booth S49 to discuss the company’s 3-D woven joints, …
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 …
