Barry Adams on the science and art of the awning business

September 1, 2020  |  Features

by Jill C. Lafferty “You have to be an exceptional artist. You’ve got to be able to create a vision for your customer,” says Barry Adams, owner of Peachtree Awnings in Norcross, Ga., and Tennessee Awnings in La Vergne, Tenn. “Where the customer lacks vision, we have to give them a vision…
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Pivoting to the PPE textile products market

September 1, 2020  |  Features

How the manufacturing of medical protective gear is challenging U.S.-based textile businesses—and throwing them a lifeline. by Debra Cobb The COVID-19 pandemic made it abundantly clear that the U.S. is unprepared to supply its health-care and frontline workers, as well as its general populati…
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Jan Kellogg’s strategy for growth at CCP Manufacturing

August 1, 2020  |  Features

Jan Kellogg looks at the big picture for each job that CCP Manufacturing takes on, leading the company into new markets.  by Jill C. Lafferty “I love working with someone who turns to us with a new idea, saying, ‘Hey, can you make this work?’ We love taking the time to be able to do &…
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Fluid markets require flexible equipment

August 1, 2020  |  Features

Custom manufacturers rely on equipment that multitasks across product lines and markets, with minimal downtime. by Maura Keller Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, every custom end-product manufacturer faced some type of financial challenge. Reduced or canceled orders, customer attrition and market c…
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NECPA: A century of survival

August 1, 2020  |  Features

Lessons from four member companies that have survived for a century and continue to thrive. by Cathy Broberg In January 2020, the North East Canvas Products Association (NECPA), a trade organization for the canvas and outdoor fabric industry, marked its 100th anniversary. Members celebrated at its a…
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Kevin Greenwood and Stage Tops USA cover lives events around the globe

July 1, 2020  |  Features

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 …
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Protecting structures with fabric

July 1, 2020  |  Features

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 …
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Protective fabric mesh surrounds a landmark tower

July 1, 2020  |  Features

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 …
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Automation advantages

July 1, 2020  |  Features

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., …
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Fabric offers numerous benefits for awnings and canopies

June 2, 2020  |  Features

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 ne…
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