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Sales support driving the way
October 1st, 2013
Alex Kouzmanoff translates customer service into customer satisfaction—by listening. By Sigrid Tornquist “When someone is totally incentivized by sales, there is no backup after the sale is made,” says Alex Kouzmanoff, vice president, Aztec Tents, Torrance, Calif. “We wanted to focus our sales efforts on service and making sure that, whether or not the sale […]
Googling from great heights
October 1st, 2013
Rural, remote and developing areas of the world may soon have access to the Internet, if a promising pilot project recently launched by Google takes flight. Google is working with Raven Industries Inc., Sioux Falls, S.D., on a plan to use high-altitude balloons with equipment that will provide high-speed wireless internet access to locations everywhere. […]
Discarded chairs molt into ‘Hybreeds’
October 1st, 2013
An industrial designer in London, England, admits to having close personal relationships with chairs. “Not every chair speaks to me,” says Charlotte Kingsnorth. “There are special characters. Sometimes I will find beautiful chairs just dumped on the side of the road with a missing spindle or worn upholstery. I can’t resist bringing them back to […]
Civic center sets sail in Newport Beach
October 1st, 2013
Newport Beach, Calif., is the largest recreational harbor on the West Coast, hosting arts and cultural institutions and a vigorous tourist trade. The sprawling, obsolete City Hall didn’t meet standards for seismic safety or the Americans with Disabilities Act, so Newport Beach recently completed a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver-certified civic center […]
Integrated doors for outdoor life
October 1st, 2013
Outdoor rooms allow life to flow seamlessly between the protection of the home and the freshness of the garden, deck or patio. Key to easy access is a door design that connects the two. Centor® North America Inc., Batavia, Ill., recently introduced its Centor 200 Series, doors that include retractable screens and shades for wide […]
MIT Wormworks: a Silk Pavilion
October 1st, 2013
For centuries, silkworms have built cocoons of fibers that, when boiled, generate silk filaments that can be made into fabrics of beauty and diversity. Scientific breakthroughs have now harnessed the power of 3-D printing, a process of making three-dimensional objects from layers of materials. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Mass., has combined the […]
“Controlled chaos” defines space
October 1st, 2013
The commercial cornerstone event of the London Design Festival is the 100% Design exhibition, staged at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre. Industrial designer Benjamin Hubert was commissioned to design an auditorium space for the September 18-21, 2013, event that would accommodate lectures for participants while not discouraging passers-by. Hubert developed a hanging structure comprised of […]
Indoor sportswear market grows
October 1st, 2013
Global demand for indoor sportswear and fitness apparel will grow rapidly, despite constrained consumer spending, according to Issue No. 45 of Performance Apparel Markets, produced by business information company Textiles Intelligence. Factors spurring the growth of fitness gear are public awareness that links exercise and health, an increase in sports activities by women, more indoor […]
Colombian textiles and apparel events
October 1st, 2013
Colombia hosted two major textile and fashion events in 2013 to attract international buyers to its growing textile and fashion apparel industry. The total value of textile exports in Colombia has increased to $342 million, while the overall apparel sector has grown from $595 to $775 million, according to government entity Proexport Colombia. Some of […]
Graniteville Specialty Fabrics is S.C. Manufacturer of the Year
October 1st, 2013
The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce selected coated fabrics and specialty coating company Graniteville Specialty Fabrics, Graniteville, S.C., as its 2013 Manufacturer of the Year. The award recognizes companies that strive for manufacturing excellence, make a positive economic impact, commit to workforce development and demonstrate stewardship of their communities. Graniteville Specialty Fabrics makes custom-coated marine […]