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Paul Aumento relies on employees and customers to keep Creative Textile Solutions a responsive manufacturer
March 1st, 2019
Nova Scotia is a small market and Halifax is a smaller city compared to some others, so we’ve had to diversify to continue a successful year-round employment,” says Paul Aumento, co-owner and president of Creative Textile Solutions Ltd., Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. “So we expanded our markets right away to include whatever can be manufactured […]
Riding the pendulum of industry change: Awnings by Bigley and Hogshire
November 1st, 2018
"We have to be diverse and knowledgeable about the various types of products people are making in the industry,” says Taylor Bigley, co-owner and president of Awnings by Bigley & Hogshire, Hampton Roads, Va. “What’s in demand changes—the pendulum swings each way—and we have to react to it.” The roots of Awnings by Bigley & […]
Harold Warner and Dynamic Air Shelters develop larger and tougher inflatable structures
October 1st, 2018
"I love the word resilience,” says Harold Warner, majority owner and president of Dynamic Air Shelters in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. “Whether you’re operating on a physical plane or a psychological plane, resilience enables you to deflect danger and harm. What our company has done is expand and elevate the state of inflatable resilience in response […]
Nigel Richings combines a hands-on, solution-minded approach with a vision for excellence to keep Undercover Canvas and Awnings growing
September 1st, 2018
You can either look at challenges and decide you can make things work and get on with it, or you can worry and then panic,” says Nigel Richings, founder and owner of Undercover Canvas and Awnings Inc. in Wildey, Barbados. “It’s one side of the coin or the other. I just don’t get scared. I […]
SEG graphics find more appeal with architectural clients
August 1st, 2018
Ask average consumers what springs to mind when they hear the words “signs and banners,” and they’ll likely describe wayfinding placards and lengths of logo-imprinted fabric hanging from street poles. And although placards and pennants have their place in the sign and banner arena, this is a market segment with innovative and expanding applications in […]
Miami Awning takes the heat and creates quality results
June 1st, 2018
“A lot of what I’ve accomplished in this industry was about survival—being able to have what I need to get the job done,” says Mike Reilly, owner and CEO of Miami Awning Co. in Miami, Fla. “Now, my aim is to convey what knowledge I can to my sons to make it easier for them […]
Pacific Yurts reflects customer-driven innovation
April 1st, 2018
"I never had an interest in going into business to just duplicate a product that already existed," says Alan Bair, founder and owner of Pacific Yurts Inc. in Cottage Grove, Ore. "But early on I realized the yurt is a unique warm space that is limited only by the imagination. When you go into that […]
Ellington looks to advance industrial textile industry
November 1st, 2017
“With the geopolitical challenges and opportunities the specialty fabrics industry faces, we, as an association, need to make sure that we continue to educate our members and provide them with opportunities,” says Steve Ellington, president of Trivantage LLC, Glen Raven’s distribution and marketing services subsidiary in Glen Raven, N.C. Ellington, who was named IFAI's board […]
Restructing an awning company results in positive results—for employees and the bottom line
August 1st, 2017
Mike Peterson restructures an awning company’s culture by asking hard questions, collaborating on the anwers and fearlessly changing the rules. “Our old philosophy was to focus on profitability and the end result—and in order to get there we did our best to take care of our customers, and our employees came last,” says Mike Peterson, […]
Offering the right shade solutions drives success at Specialty Trim & Awning Inc.
July 1st, 2017
“Every time the phone rings we have a new opportunity to see how we can help somebody,” says Jerry Margrave, MFC, owner of Specialty Trim & Awning Inc., Bakersfield, Calif. “That’s the way we look at it—we’re helping people solve a problem, whether it be sun coming in a window, the need for covered patio […]