David Nickerson encourages industry guidelines

June 1, 2011  |  Fabric Structures, Features, Management, Perspective

David Nickerson applies high standards to building fabric structures and encourages industry players to set collective guidelines. By Sigrid Tornquist “At the end of the day, I want to be able to look myself in the mirror,” says David Nickerson, president of Rubb Inc. in Sanford, Maine. “And t…
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Terri Madden creatively streamlines workflow

May 1, 2011  |  Features, Management, Marine, Perspective

Terri Madden streamlines workflow while keeping a creative edge. By Sigrid Tornquist “All of the steps required to achieve Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification placed my business practices under a microscope,” says Terri Madden, MFC, owner of Sand Sea and Air Interiors Inc. in San…
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Wendy Tankard builds the workforce

April 1, 2011  |  Features, Management, Perspective, Tents

Wendy Tankard inspires and equips apprentices to enter the specialty fabrics industry. By Sigrid Tornquist “Without tradespeople on site we wouldn’t have the knowledge to make our products,” says Wendy Tankard, administration director of Baytex Mfg. Co., Mount Maunganui, New Zealand. “And if…
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Mark Mordecai discovers new business opportunities

March 1, 2011  |  Advanced Textiles, Features, Marketing, Perspective

Mark Mordecai engages customers and employees in the process of creating high-performance products. By Sigrid Tornquist “Keeping product lines relevant is really a question of how we can harness the energy and talent of our whole team to make that happen,” says Mark Mordecai, director of busines…
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Riad Shakeer builds his company with diversification

February 1, 2011  |  Fabric Structures, Features, Marine, Marketing, Perspective

Riad Shakeer moves his company forward through product diversification. By Sigrid Tornquist As soon as my business started to grow, I started looking for something else to produce,” says Riad Shakeer, owner of Calypso Marine Canvas Ltd. and Calypso Fabric Architecture Caribbean Ltd. in Chaguanas, …
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Bob Campbell gets it just right

January 1, 2011  |  Awnings & Canopies, Features, Marketing, Perspective

Bob Campbell ignores the competition and focuses on his best small business strategies. By Sigrid Tornquist I don’t worry about the competition. They can do whatever they want to do,” says Bob Campbell, MFC, president of Mt. Lebanon Awning in Presto, Pa. “They can be more expensive than we are…
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Marco Sánchez is on a roll

December 1, 2010  |  Features, Geosynthetics, Marketing, Perspective

Marco Sánchez turns a thesis project into a thriving business. By Sigrid Tornquist “Of course starting the business was a risk,” says Marco Sánchez, general manager of ML Ingeniería and Azoteas Verdes in Mexico City. “It was very complicated at first and we were very close to broke, but by …
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Tony Marsh creates a package deal

November 1, 2010  |  Features, Marketing, Perspective, Tents

Tony Marsh bundles products to offer clients valuable versatility. By Sigrid Tornquist One of the benefits of packaging product lines is that you can offer value and continuity to clients,” says Tony Marsh, managing director and owner of L.H.Woodhouse & Co. Ltd., Nottinghamshire, U.K. “We’…
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Carole Bellon creates results for her clients and company

October 1, 2010  |  Awnings & Canopies, Features, Management, Perspective

Carole Bellon’s straightforward and tough-minded approach to business results in a win-win situation. By Sigrid Tornquist When I was younger I wanted to grow up to be a doctor or a pilot—or a race car driver. I’ve always liked competition,” says Carole Bellon, owner and president of Bellon I…
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Mark Philip commits to innovation and product diversification

September 1, 2010  |  Features, Management, Perspective

Mark Philip taps into his passion for the specialty fabrics industry to update and diversify product lines. By Sigrid Tornquist “The world will always need tradesmen,” says Mark Philip, director of John Herber Ltd., dba The Canvas Technology Centre, Kaiapoi, New Zealand. Although Philip is now i…
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