Fabric structures provide crucial support in disasters

April 1, 2024  |  Features

Used for wedding celebrations, birthday parties, graduations, festivals and other events, fabric structures and tents serve a variety of lighthearted purposes. But these products also have a serious side, such as when they’re deployed for disasters, for humanitarian relief, for military operations…
The happiness effect

April 1, 2024  |  Features

Tony Ehrbar, owner and CEO of American Tent LLC, in Green Bay, Wis., didn’t realize he wanted to be an entrepreneur until he was 32. Burned out from years of consulting work and dissatisfied with corporate life, he was inspired to take on a new professional challenge after watching an episode of S…
AI saves businesses time, but it needs to learn physics

April 1, 2024  |  Features

Although computers have been working with large amounts of data since their inception, they can’t learn or reason like humans. They follow code instructions to perform a task. Artificial intelligence (AI) computing differs from rote programming in that the algorithms are training the computer to l…
2024 IBC code changes affect temporary structures

April 1, 2024  |  Markets

Every three years the International Code Council® (ICC®) publishes a new set of International Codes®. These include the International Building Code® (IBC®) and the International Fire Code® (IFC®). The latest edition year of the ICC codes is the 2024 set. Advanced Textiles Association (ATA) pa…
From outlet mall to entertainment outlet

April 1, 2024  |  Projects

Changing buying habits over the last couple of decades have spurred shopping centers to evolve as well. Many have been reimagined and reborn, such as the continuing transformation of the former Chesterfield, Mo., outlet mall into The District. The entertainment hot spot is now anchored by restaurant…
Textiles and PFAS: Managing the legal risks

April 1, 2024  |  Markets

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of several thousand fluorinated organic compounds. Because of their unique physical and chemical properties, PFAS have been widely used in everything from consumer products such as textiles to industrial applications such as firefighting foams.