August 1, 2019
By building his business slowly, Carl Pellegrini keeps SeaCanvas focused on quality, creativity and customer service. by Jill C. Lafferty Each project we accept is a new chance to make a change in the current design,” says Carl Pellegrini, the owner-operator of custom marine fabrication company SeaCanvas, based in Egg Harbor Township, N.J. “Let’s say …
Technological advances in the medical field are nothing short of mind-blowing. by Pamela Mills-Senn Take operating room (OR) technology. In today’s ORs, one might find an array of smart surgical tools, augmented reality devices and precision robotics that assist surgeons in performing the most complex and exacting of procedures. Patients are greatly benefiting from these …
by Jeff Moravec Although extreme events such as fires, floods, hurricanes and other disasters were once considered rarities, they are becoming more common. Business owners need to ask themselves how they would survive such an ordeal—and what they need to do to prepare for the possibility. “Don’t think it can’t happen to you,” says Randi …
July 1, 2019
Your first look at the new products and value-added services waiting for you on the show floor at IFAI EXPO 2019 in Orlando, October 1–4. This fall, hundreds of exhibitors will bring you the latest products and information from the entire textile supply chain, from fibers to fabrics to shade systems; from state-of-the-art equipment and …
As awareness heightens over the contribution that pets and other animals make to our lives, more attention is being paid to their comfort and well-being. by Pamela Mills-Senn Nobody ever really thinks about how swimming pools might affect frogs, toads, snakes, squirrels, mice and other small critters. Rich Mason, owner of Crownsville, Md.-based FrogLog®, didn’t …
Pvilion’s Colin Touhey is working to forge strategic partnerships to integrate photovoltaic technology into all kinds of fabric products. by Jill C. Lafferty Every time you are building what you think is a one-off project, you’re probably going to do something similar a second time, a third time, a hundredth time,” says Colin Touhey, CEO …
As NASA sets a course for Mars and a return to the moon, and private companies engage in a new space race, textile companies navigate the aerospace market with high-performance fabrics and products designed for the next frontier. by Amy Goetzman When does a single lemon cost $2,000? When it’s in space. NASA reports that …
June 1, 2019
It’s time for metalwork and framing to move from being bit players to getting top billing. by Jeff Moravec Fabric is typically the star of the show in any fabrication project. What often gets overlooked, however, is the role supporting metal frameworks play—often behind the scenes—in fabric structures. The metal framework may frequently be an …
Today’s tight labor market can turn employees fickle, posing challenges for companies that need to maintain a strong and skilled workforce. But with the right approach—and good benefits and wages—employers can keep ‘em coming back. by Pamela Mills-Senn After spending 18 years as an employee, Chris Ritsema, owner of Holland, Mich., Canvas Innovations LLC, knew …
The global economy is in constant motion. For cargo from consumer goods to dangerous chemicals, a new generation of textile products is helping to get things where they need to go, safely and economically. by Amy Goetzman Everything’s on the move. As economies expand around the world and gross domestic product rises, more commodities—food and …