Trade associations are vehicles for mutually beneficial growth, McKernan says

By Sigrid Tornquist

“At the end of the day, the issues facing our members, whether domestic businesses or international, are essentially the same,” says Pete McKernan, chairman of the Industrial Fabrics Association International’s board of directors. According to McKernan, there are far more similarities than differences in the way we do business, and the benefits outweigh the challenges. We all have to consider taxation, sustainability and trade issues. How those issues play out will affect us differently, but the core considerations are the same. “Our interdependence can strengthen us or weaken us—depending on our approach,” he says. “Trade associations can be vehicles for mutually beneficial growth, and as IFAI grows as an international voice for specialty fabrics, we can position the industry for success.”

Sigrid Tornquist is a freelance author and editor based in St. Paul, Minn. She is also the editor of InTents magazine, another IFAI publication.