Closing a gap in the retractable market

December 1, 2012  |  Awnings & Canopies, Markets, Projects

The 2012 IFF Innovation Award winner closes a gap in the retractable market. By Janet Preus The Industrial Fabrics Foundation (IFF) has presented its 2012 Innovation Award to Uni-Systems, Minneapolis, Minn., for a new retractable fabric roof product called En-Fold. The award was presented at the IFA…
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Wm. J. Mills & Co. grows through the generations

November 1, 2012  |  Awnings & Canopies, Features, Management, Perspective

A three-generational take on the Wm. J. Mills & Co. family business. By Sigrid Tornquist As IFAI celebrates its 100th anniversary, it’s clear that the association is only as strong as its members. For more than 100 years, many current member companies have been shaping their businesses, the as…
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Welding machine proves its worth against hurricane-force winds

November 1, 2012  |  Awnings & Canopies

A “super derecho” blew a new weather term into common parlance in June 2012, when a long-lived 700-mile series of rainstorms with up to 91mph straight-line winds tore through the midwest and mid-Atlantic regions. Over 12 hours, winds flattened trees, collapsed power poles and turned awni…
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Multitasking umbrella tested by concertgoers

October 1, 2012  |  Awnings & Canopies, Projects

At the Isle of Wight Festival in the United Kingdom in June 2012, some of the people carrying umbrellas were beta testers for a new product: the Booster Brolly. Vodafone U.K., Berkshire, England, created a multitasking prototype with the University College London that works like an umbrella—an…
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Gary Barnes solves customer problems—and creates opportunities

October 1, 2012  |  Awnings & Canopies, Features, Management, Perspective

Gary Barnes taps into tenacity and creativity to solve customer problems. By Sigrid Tornquist “In the Navy when the ship’s underway and there’s a problem, you can’t just say ‘I’ve got a headache and I’ve got to go home.’ You’ve got to do something,” says Gary Barnes, MFC, CDR, US…
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Awnings provide cool solutions for homeowners

August 1, 2012  |  Awnings & Canopies, Features, Industry News

PAMA’s Awning Energy Study II shows residential cooling energy savings in fifty U.S. cities. By Michelle Sahlin The Professional Awning Manufacturers Association’s (PAMA) Awning Energy Study II: The Impact on Energy Use and Peak Demand of Awnings and Roller Shades in Residential Building…
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Canopies create outer space for school

July 1, 2012  |  Awnings & Canopies, Projects

Tania Cantoni, marketing and fund-raising manager for St. Peter’s Catholic School in Surrey, England, knows that many schools across the United Kingdom struggle to find adequate space in outdated buildings. More than 1,200 St. Peter’s students press into cramped corridors and a small din…
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Gary Buermann finds a better way to do business

July 1, 2012  |  Awnings & Canopies, Features, Management, Perspective

Gary Buermann designs shop layout for efficiency. By Sigrid Tornquist “When you tour a big awning shop you can see what money can buy in terms of equipment, how much time it will save and what you might expect when your shop grows,” says Gary Buermann, MFC, president of G & J Awning and Canv…
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Jim Carroll Jr. understands the cost of quality

June 1, 2012  |  Awnings & Canopies, Features, Management, Perspective

Jim Carroll Jr. knows how to make a premium product—and price it right. By Sigrid Tornquist “Being busy is one thing. Making money is another,” says Jim Carroll Jr., MFC, owner of Hoover Canvas Products Co., Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. “So many people see neighboring businesses selling product for …
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Sunbrella Clarity offers low-maintenance

April 1, 2012  |  Awnings & Canopies, Products

Sunbrella® Clarity offers low-maintenance attributes designed for the commercial awning industry. The fabric maintains the performance characteristics of traditional Sunbrella awning fabric but makes maintenance of hard-to-reach commercial applications easier. New technology keeps fabric looking…
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