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Fabricators pivot, persevere and prosper

April 1st, 2021

24/7 Events helped create a safe outdoor dining space using a clearspan tent with custom lighting, turf, sanitation stations and distanced tables for a casual dining restaurant chain headquartered in Southern California. Photo: 24/7 Events. COVID-19 made an abrupt entrance in 2020, catching almost everyone off guard. It quickly became clear that waiting it out […]

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A ‘mixed bag’ for U.S. textile manufacturing

April 1st, 2021

When supply chains from Asia were cut off in the spring of 2020, the coronavirus pandemic revealed the extent to which the U.S. was dependent on imports of personal protective equipment (PPE) including nonwoven surgical masks, according to U.S. trade representative Bill Jackson. Photo: © Kateryna Rykun, Dreamstime.com The year 2020 was not a particularly […]

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The textile industry finds a path forward

April 1st, 2021

by Pamela Mills-Senn When the pandemic hit, Autometrix began offering live remote demos in the company’s Ohio office on its demo machine (shown here) to customers interested in its cutting machines. A large screen on the back wall allows for easy video conferencing to discuss details after the demo. Photo: Autometrix Inc. California was the […]

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COVID-19 survey: Labor and supply chain challenges dominate pandemic struggles

April 1st, 2021

More than a year after the declaration of a global pandemic, it’s no surprise that a majority of companies in the industrial fabrics industry were negatively affected by the events of 2020. But the struggles were uneven, with some companies pivoting to new markets and others experiencing a positive effect. Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) […]

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Managing remote workers

March 1st, 2021

Ways for both managers and employees to reap the benefits of remote work. by Lin Grensing-Pophal In 2020 the world suddenly changed for all of us. Impacted by COVID-19, companies around the country and around the world found themselves forced to consider an option that many had formally eschewed—remote work. While remote work, aka telecommuting, […]

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Pandemic demand drives shade market

March 1st, 2021

While 2020 started as a disaster, pandemic-related business picked up substantially as the year went on. Fabric manufacturers such as Glen Raven Custom Fabrics LLC were among companies providing shade products, like the Sunbrella® fabric for these shade structures in Miami, Fla., as restaurants moved to outdoor dining. Photo: Glen Raven Custom Fabrics LLC. Pent-up […]

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How to sell and market during a pandemic

November 1st, 2020

By Madeleine MacRae Determining the best way to sell and, even more so, how to effectively and appropriately market your products and services at a time of such widespread uncertainty and deep market disruption can be a daunting task. As a leader during this unprecedented time, you have a lot on your plate. You have […]

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