Government contracts offer great opportunities for textile companies
September 26th, 2017
Business owners who want to pursue government contracts shouldn’t be discouraged, says Mary Linn Langraf, senior international trade specialist for the U.S. Department of Commerce/OTEXA. Langraf presented a detailed discussion Sept. 26 at IFAI Expo 2017, emphasizing that the textile industry is a robust area of interest for government procurements. The first step in securing […]
Shade sails add usability to outdoor spaces
September 26th, 2017
“Shade Sails 2.0” was one of the opening presentations Sept. 26 at IFAI Expo 2017. The presentation featured Tim Koehler, Lawrence Fabric and Metal Structures Inc., and Tim Akes, MPanel Software Solutions, who discussed two projects that could handle wind and snow loads. The first project at Southwest Illinois Community College was an outside study […]
Glen Raven to acquire Sunbury Textile Mills
September 1st, 2017
Glen Raven Inc. has signed a letter of intent to acquire Sunbury Textile Mills. Under the agreement, Sunbury will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Glen Raven and will operate as part of Glen Raven Custom Fabrics LLC, best known as the makers of Sunbrella® fabrics. Sunbury’s team specializes in decorative jacquard upholstery fabrics targeting […]
OSHA launches injury-tracking system
September 1st, 2017
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) launched its web-based Injury Tracking Application (ITA) on Aug. 1, and extended the deadline for submitting 2016 injury and illness data to Dec. 1, 2017. The reporting requirements are part of a final rule issued in October 2016 to improve tracking of workplace injuries and illnesses. The new […]
‘Knitted light’ produces a photo-luminescent glow
September 1st, 2017
For the last 18 years, the Young Architects Program at The Museum of Modern Art and MoMA PS1 in Manhattan has sponsored a design competition for emerging architects. The challenge was to develop a creative design for a temporary outdoor installation that provides shade, seating and water. Guidelines regarding environmental issues, including sustainability and recycling, […]
Smart building systems and textiles can enhance homes
September 1st, 2017
The Canadian Printable, Flexible, Wearable Electronics Symposium (CPES2017) was held on the outskirts of Toronto in May this year. Buildings, and smart buildings in particular, were a hot topic both in presentations and in the poster exhibition that accompanied the three-day event. Ronald Zimmer, president and CEO of the Continental Automated Buildings Association (CABA) set […]
Scott Filipiak joins Rainier as creative director
September 1st, 2017
Scott Filipiak been named creative director at Rainier Industries, Tukwila, Wash. Rainier has added complete design services to its scope of capabilities, including print, metal, fabric and wood fabrication. Filipiak has an extensive graphic design and fine arts background with experience that includes working with clients on everything from small advertising campaigns to large scale […]
Single-ply membranes gain market share
September 1st, 2017
Polymer-based single-ply membranes are gaining market share from bitumen for waterproofing flat roofs, according to a recent study by Applied Market Information Ltd. (AMI Consulting), Bristol, U.K. As construction activity has strengthened in Europe over the last few years and the market continues to shift toward lighter weight and faster construction techniques, the growth in […]
Mid-century art world embraced the marriage of architecture and textiles
September 1st, 2017
In 1956, all of New York City’s art world was abuzz about a new exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). It wasn’t the retrospective about the French Impressionist painter Henri Matisse, whose works had newly arrived in New York from Paris (a show that originated at the French National Museum of Modern Art), […]