Awning roll-out keeps Airstream rolling

September 1, 2008  |  Awnings & Canopies, Markets, Projects

The Airstream recreational vehicle is a heavyweight icon of road travel, with emphasis on the “heavy.” In designing its new 17- and 22-foot Safari Sport RVs, Airstream aimed for a design lightweight enough to be pulled by a standard SUV or V6 minivan. The company looked at everything, in…
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Soaring canopies take flight at Indiana International

September 1, 2008  |  Awnings & Canopies, Projects

Indiana International Airport’s recent renovations included a five-story, 2.5-million-square-foot parking facility topped with helix-shaped canopies designed to emulate the spirals in the ramp. Birdair Inc., Buffalo, N.Y., used approximately 75,000 square feet of PTFE material to form two cano…
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Rainier moves to larger headquarters

September 1, 2008  |  Awnings & Canopies, Graphics, Industry News, Marine, Tents

When showcasing shelter solutions such as tents, yurts and fabric cottages, a bigger facility is better. In July, Rainier Industries, Seattle, Wash., moved a short distance from its previous headquarters into a new 140,000-square-foot facility with ample space for five in-house divisions (wood, fabr…
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Bringing outdoor fabrics indoors for interior design

August 1, 2008  |  Awnings & Canopies, Features, Upholstery

Gina Wicker scoffs at the notion that her mother called the place in their house with the sofa the “living” room. “We were never allowed to go in there,” she says. “It was off-limits to the kids.” Today’s living rooms justify the name, thanks to the transition of outdoor fabrics to int…
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PAMA in the news for Awnings Today PR campaign

August 1, 2008  |  Awnings & Canopies, Industry News

The Professional Awning Manufacturers Association (PAMA), a division of the Industrial Fabrics Association International, is creating a buzz thanks to its Awnings Today PR campaign, now entering its third year. PAMA was featured in a front-page Washington Post (July 12, 2008) Real Estate section. Th…
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Strategies for compliance with building codes

July 1, 2008  |  Awnings & Canopies, Fabric Structures, Features, Graphics, Tents

It’s a story that’s becoming all too familiar: An awning company takes a job fabricating a simple entrance canopy. It’s the type of installation that this company has done hundreds of times before—but this time, that company is given a veritable laundry list of additional requirements. Provi…
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Internally illuminated banner systems for various applications

July 1, 2008  |  Awnings & Canopies, Graphics, Products

Using the platform Light Emitting Capacitor (LEC) technology from CeeLite Inc., Britten Inc. has introduced the first internally illuminated banner systems for both indoor and outdoor applications. BannerBright™ uses thin, flexible and lightweight LEC light source panels that can be used on flat o…
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Retractable cover for unusual patio configurations

July 1, 2008  |  Awnings & Canopies, Products

Problem: Large, irregularly shaped patio spaces are tough to cover with a system that is both rain-proof and retractable. Solution: The SHIELD retractable cover system from Arquati SolarPro becomes taut when fully extended, providing sun, wind and rain protection over unusual patio configurations. T…
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Retractable roof provides flexibility for shopping center

July 1, 2008  |  Awnings & Canopies, Fabric Structures, Projects

The local building codes in Maroussi, Athens, required open “plazas” and “streets” for this shopping center. The client requested a roof from Taiyo Europe that could be retracted to a fully open position within five minutes. Each side is driven by 13 engines along 13 arches of various length…
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Online awning advantages increase consumer awareness

July 1, 2008  |  Awnings & Canopies, Industry News

Many consumers aren’t aware of the role awnings can play in conserving energy and providing protection from solar fading and exposure. Glen Raven Custom Fabrics LLC and Somfy Systems Inc. hope to elevate consumer awareness about the benefits of awnings through a marketing program that will continu…
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