Enter now: IFAI’s International Achievement Awards
May 13th, 2021
After a year away, the International Achievement Awards (IAA) return for the 75th anniversary of recognizing the best projects across the specialty fabrics industry. The awards are an opportunity for you to showcase your technical skills and talents to the entire industry. The International Achievement Awards is an annual competition that recognizes and promotes awareness […]
Registration is open for IFAI Expo 2021
May 10th, 2021
Registration is open for IFAI Expo 2021. IFAI Expo celebrates the 100th anniversary of the show this November, and you won't want to miss it! After a long hiatus of in-person events, this year’s show is the perfect place to reconnect with your industry. Register now to get the Early Bird rate! Early Bird rates end […]
Digital revolution transforms fabric structures
May 1st, 2021
The fabrication advantages of automation include labor and time savings and greater accuracies. Autometrix Inc. cutting and patterning equipment is often used for pattern drafting and nesting to minimize waste and reduce costs. Photo: Autometrix Inc. New software and computer-driven fabrication speed production and improve accuracy. by Bruce N. Wright, FAIA While CNC (computer numerical […]
Rolling out the sidewalk
May 1st, 2021
The Montana Brewing Co., located on the ground floor in the defunct Montana Power Co. building, was one of the first small-scale brewpubs to appear when such facilities sprung up across the country. As the first brewing company in Billings, Mont., it staked out a claim on the main thoroughfare in the historic district of […]
U.S. Embassy in London honored for efficient design
May 1st, 2021
Birdair’s ETFE film is optimized to shade interiors at the U.S. Embassy in London from east, west and south sun while admitting daylight and framing large open-view portals to the outside. Its pattern visually fragments the facade while intercepting unwanted solar gain. Photo: U.S. Embassy London. The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), […]
Scott Sutherland: Ready for anything
May 1st, 2021
In the summer of 2020, Scott Sutherland was elated with record-shattering sales, but he was also in a situation he had never imagined: out of aluminum, out of fabric, out of nearly every component used to make tents. The pandemic roller coaster had sent the event tent industry from a bust to a boom, with […]
Keeping up the shade market momentum
May 1st, 2021
Incorporating Sattler, Sunbrella and Norbar fabrics, ShadeFLA recently shaded the pool deck at Goodtime Hotel in Miami, Fla., including 17 cabanas, awnings for two bars and coverage for a 1,200-square-foot restaurant. Photo: ShadeFLA. Shade is on everyone’s mind, according to Margueritte Ramos, owner and sales manager of ShadeFLA. The Miami, Fla.-based company designs and installs […]
Buying and selling in a world with less face time
May 1st, 2021
COVID vaccine options are improving prospects for the economic climate in 2021; however, 2020 had a lasting impact on business practices in the specialty fabrics industry and beyond—particularly in buying and selling—prompting many companies to rethink processes. We have all heard about and discussed the “new normal.” As the months go by, digital interactions have […]