Specialty Fabrics Review interviews Jerry Grimaud, president of Lawrence Fabric & Metal Structures Inc.

Interview by Sigrid Tornquist

What is the most recent piece of equipment your company has purchased, and how has it impacted your company?

It had been three years since we bought anything new because of the recession. In February we bought a router. It has done wonders so far not only in the production of product, but in employee morale. The machine represents the hope we have all been waiting for during the recession.

What other types of equipment does your company use?

Our welders use a bending machine capable of bending 4-inch tubing. Our installers use trucks equipped with utility bodies to hold all the tools and fittings necessary for any installation. And we seem to add a new sewing machine every two or three years. In 2006 we purchased a milling machine, which paid for itself in three years.

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