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Kevin Greenwood and Stage Tops USA cover lives events around the globe
July 1, 2020
by Jill C. Lafferty “Everything is visual today,” says Kevin Greenwood, owner/CEO of Stage Tops USA, a Manchester, Tenn.-based company that manufactures and installs roof skins, wind walls, stage scrims and other fabric projects for major live events around the world. “[My clients] want to be seen. The bigger the better. They want to put …
News
Rose Brand launches ‘Distance is resistance’ campaign
July 1, 2020
Rose Brand launched a national campaign in late April to reinforce the social distancing message with the unfurling of a 140-foot banner in its Secaucus, N.J., headquarters parking lot. The banner, manufactured and printed in-house, conveys the rallying cry, “Join the resistance, keep your distance” and features Lady Liberty, an iconic symbol of hope. “Social …
Feature
Protecting structures with fabric
July 1, 2020
When it comes to protecting structures from the elements, fabric has it covered. by Jeff Moravec Fabric serves an unending variety of needs, but sometimes overlooked is its role in protecting us from the dangers of our natural world. Here’s a snapshot of several companies and their products that have been designed to protect structures …
Feature
Protective fabric mesh surrounds a landmark tower
July 1, 2020
A fabric-clad tower in southern Germany brings technicians, elevator experts and the public together in one spectacular vertical setting. By Bruce N. Wright, FAIA Paris’s Eiffel Tower, London’s Big Ben, China’s Three Pagodas, Iraq’s spiral minaret: Over time, all became more than just their function—they became iconic symbols of their location. Likewise, ThyssenKrupp’s fabric-wrapped Rottweil …
Feature
Automation advantages
July 1, 2020
Adding automation can prove challenging, with costs to consider, processes to change and nervous employees to reckon with. Still, fabricators who have taken the leap say there’s no other way to go. by Pamela Mills-Senn When Darren Arthur, owner of Nautilux Custom Canvas LLC in Hazlet, N.J., purchased a single-fly Aeronaut cutter eight years ago—his …
Case Studies
Solar-powered canopy captures the rhythm of Miami
July 1, 2020
The Rhythm Foundation exists to bring international music to the U.S. It focuses on music from cultures that connect to South Florida including Latin America, Brazil, the Caribbean, Africa and Europe. In 2015, the Miami, Fla.-based nonprofit was awarded management of the North Beach Bandshell, an open-air amphitheater in Miami Beach’s North Beach Historic District …
Expo News
Expo unveiled: HGTV stars do well by doing good
July 1, 2020
by Rebecca Post When daughter-mother team Mina Starsiak Hawk and Karen E Laine rehabilitated their first house in 2007, they began a journey that morphed into a successful business and a binge-worthy series on HGTV. Their business, Two Chicks and a Hammer Inc., and their TV show, “Good Bones,” thrive today while benefitting neighborhoods in …
Expo News
Registration opens for IFAI Expo
June 15, 2020
IFAI Expo Nov. 3–6, 2020 in Indianapolis, Ind., will mark the event’s 100th anniversary. IFAI has announced that it is moving forward as planned, and registration is now open. Safety protocols are in place and will be coordinated with host hotels and the Indiana Convention Center (ICC). The registration area at IFAI Expo will be …
Feature
Fabric offers numerous benefits for awnings and canopies
June 2, 2020
By Bruce N. Wright, FAIA Fabric awnings and canopies can provide energy savings, thermal and visual comfort, weather protection from sun, rain, snow, sleet, hail and wind—all while offering brand identification and architectural aesthetics. Modern architectural fabrics meet many critical design needs, such as durability, ease of maintenance, fire resistance, high strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion …
People
Conceptual fabric artist Christo dies
June 2, 2020
Christo, an artist known for wrapping landmarks around the world with massive fabric installations, died Sunday at his home in New York City. The Bulgarian-born artist who used only his first name was 84; no cause of death was given. Christo’s plans for wrapping Paris’s Arc de Triomphe with 269,097 square feet of recyclable polypropylene fabric …
Sponsored Content
Company Profiles
Case Studies
Solar-powered canopy captures the rhythm of Miami
July 1, 2020
The Rhythm Foundation exists to bring international music to the U.S. It focuses on music from cultures that connect to South Florida including Latin America, Brazil, the Caribbean, Africa and Europe. In 2015, the Miami, Fla.-based nonprofit was awarded management of the North Beach Bandshell, an open-air amphitheater in Miami Beach’s North Beach Historic District …
Case Studies
Shading to lower energy consumption
June 1, 2020
The Sandton district in suburban Johannesburg, South Africa, is home to an exciting new mixed-use development known as The Central. It’s also home to the sleek, modern 96 Rivonia Road, a low energy certified building that is the new headquarters of Werksmans and Partners, a 100-year-old law firm. Designed by architects Boogertman & Partners, the …
Case Studies
Revitalizing area culture with a cozy NOOK
May 1, 2020
In the city of Taitung in Taiwan, there is a lot of history around an old train station, abandoned for more than a decade. At one time, it was central to the region’s growth. Recently, city leaders wanted to revitalize the area by creating an inviting cultural space. They commissioned Portuguese creative studio FAHR 021.3®, …
Case Studies
Mood art at the Microsoft Research Center
May 1, 2020
An art installation that smiles back Walk into the atrium of Building 99, a Microsoft Research center in Redmond, Wash., and you can’t miss the two-story architectural installation. Depending on your mood, it greets you with different levels of color and light. The structure is named Ada in honor of Ada Lovelace, a gifted 19th …
Case Studies
Over View: a 3D fabric ceiling
March 1, 2020
Walk into the central lobby of MuseumLab, an experiential learning center for older children created by the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, and look up. While you may think you’re looking at a historic leaded glass ceiling, you’re actually viewing a textile reproduction of the original 19th century ceiling that was removed years ago. The …
Case Studies
A fort for the record books
February 1, 2020
Remember as a kid the fun of building a fort with your friends? The folks at Time4Sleep, a U.K.-based bed and bedroom furniture retailer, channeled those good memories when they decided to build a record-breaking fort made out of blankets. The Time4Sleep team chose Millennium Square in Leeds, U.K., for the location of the project. …
Case Studies
The Eco Pavilion at Wonderfruit 2018
October 1, 2019
While the U.S. has Burning Man and Coachella, Thailand has Wonderfruit, a pioneering festival that attracts more than 10,000 people to the lush hills west of Pattaya on the Gulf of Thailand. Held in December, the four-day event attracts international music acts and celebrates the arts, sustainability and social responsibility with immersive experiences, workshops, talks, …
Case Studies
Enhancing corporate culture with fabricated space
October 1, 2019
Capital One Corporation had a vision for their new Canadian headquarters in Toronto’s financial district: a design to enhance the company’s collaborative culture and be attractive to young tech talent. The financial services organization worked with IBI Group, a Toronto-based architecture and design firm, to create an interior design for the existing five-floor office space. …
Case Studies
Memories and history in thread and paper
August 1, 2019
Berlin’s historic museum Gropius Bau was recently the setting for a distinctly modern exhibition. “And Berlin Will Always Need You. Art, Craft and Concept Made in Berlin” ran from March to June 2019 and featured commissioned works that explored crafts and handmade processes in Berlin’s contemporary art scene. The artists showcased works that engaged with …
Case Studies
Laminated fabric for distinctive building design
August 1, 2019
The Horw Secondary School located in Lucerne, Switzerland, was ready for a facelift. Built in the 1970s, the dated building needed to join the modern world, including meeting the requirements of Minergie, the Swiss sustainable building standard, as well as improving its overall appeal. One key to meeting the sustainable building standards was to reduce …
Sponsored Content
Company Profiles
Expo News
Expo unveiled: HGTV stars do well by doing good
July 1, 2020
by Rebecca Post When daughter-mother team Mina Starsiak Hawk and Karen E Laine rehabilitated their first house in 2007, they began a journey that morphed into a successful business and a binge-worthy series on HGTV. Their business, Two Chicks and a Hammer Inc., and their TV show, “Good Bones,” thrive today while benefitting neighborhoods in …
Expo News
Registration opens for IFAI Expo
June 15, 2020
IFAI Expo Nov. 3–6, 2020 in Indianapolis, Ind., will mark the event’s 100th anniversary. IFAI has announced that it is moving forward as planned, and registration is now open. Safety protocols are in place and will be coordinated with host hotels and the Indiana Convention Center (ICC). The registration area at IFAI Expo will be …
Company News
IFAI president responds to Coronavirus, adjusts upcoming events
March 17, 2020
As concern over the Coronavirus (COVID-19) grows, I want all IFAI members to know we are closely monitoring developments and following recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). We will follow their recommendations to keep our employees, their families and our members healthy and safe. With this in …
Awards
IFAI’s 2019 Outstanding Volunteer Awards
October 8, 2019
At this year’s annual meeting during IFAI Expo 2019, IFAI presented the Outstanding Volunteer Awards, recognizing members who generously gave of their time to serve on different boards, task forces and committees, judged competitions and provided education and leadership to others in the industry. This year’s winners: Amy Bircher, president, MMI Textiles Inc. Jonathan Chakales, …
Expo News
2019 Chairman’s Award winner: Scott Campbell, Rainier Industries
October 8, 2019
The Chairman’s Award (originally, the President’s Award) is an honor bestowed by the chairman of IFAI to an individual that has had an extraordinary and meaningful impact on the association. It is rarely given, and awarded at the sole discretion of the IFAI chairman. At IFAI’s annual meeting at IFAI Expo 2019, IFAI chairman Steve …
Expo News
Designing with shade cloth for human protection
October 4, 2019
Australia has a very high rate of skin cancer, so it’s not surprising that the country has led the world in the development of shade cloth, Chris Nolan told attendees of a shade cloth educational session at IFAI Expo 2019 in Orlando, Fla. “Even in the temperate areas where most people live, we have an …
Expo News
Award breakfast transforms into a networking event
October 4, 2019
Keynote speaker Thom Singer hosted IFAI’s annual award ceremony October 3 at Expo 2019, continuing his message to “see people.” As Expo exhibitors and attendees entered the breakfast event, Singer encouraged people to separate from familiar colleagues and sit with new people. This year’s award ceremony was infused with an additional goal—that of networking with …
Expo News
Puerto Rico pups steal hearts at IFAI Expo 2019
October 3, 2019
Amid the latest fabrics, equipment, technology and services for the specialty fabrics industry, Lorenzo, Lilo, Lolo, and Lulo stole hearts, and, according to some dog lovers—the show—at IFAI Expo 2019 in Orlando, Fla. For this Expo, the Industrial Fabrics Foundation (IFF) and the Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando came together to promote two great causes. …
Expo News
Follow the right steps to successfully bid on military contracts
October 2, 2019
The U.S. government is the largest buyer of goods and services in the world, and there are enough opportunities available for everyone to participate in military contract bidding, if you follow the right steps, according to Jennifer Fennell, CPM, director of procurement for Polo Custom Products, Topeka, Kan. Fennell and Jeff Papalia, textiles program manager …
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 …
Sponsored Content
Company Profiles
Feature
Kevin Greenwood and Stage Tops USA cover lives events around the globe
July 1, 2020
by Jill C. Lafferty “Everything is visual today,” says Kevin Greenwood, owner/CEO of Stage Tops USA, a Manchester, Tenn.-based company that manufactures and installs roof skins, wind walls, stage scrims and other fabric projects for major live events around the world. “[My clients] want to be seen. The bigger the better. They want to put …
Feature
Protecting structures with fabric
July 1, 2020
When it comes to protecting structures from the elements, fabric has it covered. by Jeff Moravec Fabric serves an unending variety of needs, but sometimes overlooked is its role in protecting us from the dangers of our natural world. Here’s a snapshot of several companies and their products that have been designed to protect structures …
Feature
Protective fabric mesh surrounds a landmark tower
July 1, 2020
A fabric-clad tower in southern Germany brings technicians, elevator experts and the public together in one spectacular vertical setting. By Bruce N. Wright, FAIA Paris’s Eiffel Tower, London’s Big Ben, China’s Three Pagodas, Iraq’s spiral minaret: Over time, all became more than just their function—they became iconic symbols of their location. Likewise, ThyssenKrupp’s fabric-wrapped Rottweil …
Feature
Automation advantages
July 1, 2020
Adding automation can prove challenging, with costs to consider, processes to change and nervous employees to reckon with. Still, fabricators who have taken the leap say there’s no other way to go. by Pamela Mills-Senn When Darren Arthur, owner of Nautilux Custom Canvas LLC in Hazlet, N.J., purchased a single-fly Aeronaut cutter eight years ago—his …
Feature
Fabric offers numerous benefits for awnings and canopies
June 2, 2020
By Bruce N. Wright, FAIA Fabric awnings and canopies can provide energy savings, thermal and visual comfort, weather protection from sun, rain, snow, sleet, hail and wind—all while offering brand identification and architectural aesthetics. Modern architectural fabrics meet many critical design needs, such as durability, ease of maintenance, fire resistance, high strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion …
Feature
New airport canopies welcome travelers
June 1, 2020
More than 107 million travelers pass through the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, making it the busiest airport in the world. With all of the traffic, airport management developed a plan to renew existing facilities, enhancing the airport’s aesthetic appeal and ensuring the best possible customer service. Called ATLNext, the plan calls for a series of …
Feature
Metalwork and framing for fabric applications
June 1, 2020
Fabric is only half of the equation for many manufacturers in the specialty fabrics industry. The other half, metalwork and framing, requires its own set of capabilities. by Laurie F. Junker A frame is the essential component that transforms fabric into architecture, turning a piece of cloth into some sort of protective cover or defined …
Feature
Making the case for fabric
June 1, 2020
Commercial projects use shade to unify and transform large public gathering places By Bruce N. Wright, FAIA “The architecture teleports you to a bazaar in a faraway land!”—Yelp report from a recent visitor to the Irvine Spectrum shopping mall in Irvine, Calif. Many visitors, like the one commenting on Yelp, are drawn back again and …
Feature
A dramatic canopy rebrands a local landmark
June 1, 2020
By Bruce N. Wright, FAIA In downtown Honolulu Harbor, the Aloha Tower Marketplace is one of Hawaii’s most famous landmarks. While it was completed in 1994 as part of a comprehensive revitalization project for a part of the city that had become distant from the center of business and tourist activity, it took a private …
Feature
Promoting shade in the marketplace and happiness in the workplace
May 1, 2020
For Patrick Howe and Wholesale Shade, high-quality custom shade sails are the product of a happy and efficient workplace. by Jill C. Lafferty My day consists of making sure my employees are happy. That’s my number one job,” says Patrick Howe, owner of Wholesale Shade™, a private label shade sail manufacturer based in San Marcos, …
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Company Profiles
Industry News
Textile Roofs 2020 postponed to October
April 28, 2020
The 25th anniversary of the International Workshop on Design and Practical Realization of Architectural Membrane Structures—Textile Roofs 2020—has been postponed because of the COVID-19 crisis. The new dates are Oct. 8-10, 2020, and the location, Archenhold Observatory in Berlin, Germany, remains the same. This year’s event is programmed to combine its traditional workshop and educational formats …
Industry News
Serge Ferrari, Miami Corporation announce distribution partnership
March 3, 2020
Serge Ferrari North America (Deerfield Beach, Fla.) and Miami Corporation (Cincinnati, Ohio) have announced a distribution partnership. Miami Corporation, a distributor for the marine, awning and automotive industries, has added Serge Ferrari’s upholstery fabric line to its product offerings. Serge Ferrari’s Stamskin® One and Stamskin® One Allure are currently stocked and available in 24 colors, …
Industry News
En-Fold® provides all-weather solution at new Pier 17 restaurant
December 2, 2019
Pier 17 is a massive 300,000 square foot building at the waterfront along the East River in New York City. Encompassing retail, entertainment, architectural features and seasonal attractions, the area is intended to further the transformation of the Seaport district into a true destination. The new cocktail bar, R17, is located on the building’s rooftop …
Expo News
2019 Chairman’s Award winner: Scott Campbell, Rainier Industries
October 8, 2019
The Chairman’s Award (originally, the President’s Award) is an honor bestowed by the chairman of IFAI to an individual that has had an extraordinary and meaningful impact on the association. It is rarely given, and awarded at the sole discretion of the IFAI chairman. At IFAI’s annual meeting at IFAI Expo 2019, IFAI chairman Steve …
Industry News
New leadership for IFAI
October 2, 2019
Each year, the Leadership Development Committee of the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) follows a detailed process outlined in association bylaws for electing new board members. As recently announced at IFAI’s annual meeting at IFAI Expo in Orlando, the following individuals have been chosen to serve on the IFAI board of directors: Ron Houle, president …
Industry News
Ulrich Tombuelt hired as CEO of Sattler Corp.
July 31, 2019
Sattler Corp. of Hudson, N.C., has hired Ulrich Tombuelt as its new CEO. Tombuelt has many years of executive management experience in the textile industry in the U.S. and in Europe. Sattler Corp., a division of The Sattler Group, Austria, is known for its high-tech fabrics.
Industry News
Bally Ribbon Mills Announces E-WEBBINGS® E-textile Product Base
July 29, 2019
Bally Ribbon Mills (BRM), an industry leader in the design, development, and manufacture of highly specialized engineered woven fabrics, announces its proprietary E-WEBBINGS® e-textile product base, specifically designed to serve as a customizable base for a wide range of smart textile applications within the Internet of Things (IoT). These smart textiles are made from a …
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 …
