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Advanced Textiles Expo: Excitement and Renewal
December 1st, 2023
With a new name and renewed enthusiasm, Advanced Textiles Expo (formerly IFAI Expo) returned to Orlando for the first time since 2019. The show boasted the highest attendance since that pre-COVID show, boosted in no small part by the return of more international exhibitors and attendees. Check out our Expo Recap here. The redesigned Emerging […]
Impact of Ukraine war on industry
May 1st, 2022
General George Armstrong Custer was noted for saying, “It’s not how many times you get knocked down that count, it’s how many times you get back up.” While Custer eventually got knocked down one too many times, there is still a lesson to be learned here. Getting knocked down is a part of business and […]
Strategies that can change the workplace and workforce
March 1st, 2019
Picture this: It’s bedtime and children are getting their goodnight kisses. The parents wish them sweet dreams, leave the room and close the door behind them. With their defenders gone, the children begin their nightly debate: Is the boogeyman here? And if so, what exactly are they going to do about it? The boogeyman comes […]
Outside expertise: how to find affordable, professional help when you need it
March 1st, 2018
While most owners of small- and medium-size businesses know the details of their companies intimately, there are often highly technical matters of law, accounting, management and marketing that are best handled by outside experts. Attorneys, accountants, and management and marketing advisers have specialized knowledge about niche areas that few business owners can hope to duplicate. […]
How to expand into new market segments without sacrificing core products
October 1st, 2017
For many custom fabricators, diversification is the name of the game. Recognizing—and seizing—opportunities to venture into new market segments can mean the difference between staying in business or (perish the thought) going under. But companies can also become too diversified, to the point where potential clients don’t have a clear idea of what’s being made […]
Recent tax changes
March 1st, 2016
Tax savings from another late law. Once again, lawmakers waited until late in the year to pass another “extenders” bill. The new “Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act of 2015” retroactively extends quite a few tax-saving provisions, many of them quite narrow in scope such as those for film and theater producers, NASCAR® racetrack […]
Back to shore
January 1st, 2016
Jeff Schmitt balances the reality of off-shore manufacturing with how to bring production back to the U.S. "At the end of the day we’ve got to figure out ways to be competitive,” says Jeff Schmitt, senior vice president of operations for The Coleman Company Inc., Golden, Colo. “As the person responsible for both the U.S. […]
Tapping into innovation
December 14th, 2015
Innovation doesn’t always come easily, but creating a culture that fosters creativity can improve the process (and results) of continuous improvement. Every company knows that innovation is vital, but knowing how to innovate is a different matter. Why are some companies able to launch one new idea or product after the next while others stagnate? […]
Rainier moves to larger headquarters
September 1st, 2008
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, fabric, frame, print and technical), showrooms and a Yurt Village. Rainier manufactures […]
Diatec acquires coated product assets of Arkwright Inc.
September 1st, 2008
Diatec has signed an agreement to acquire the coated product assets of Arkwright Inc., a manufacturer of ink-jet and laser printable papers, films and specialty substrates. Arkwright is a wholly owned subsidiary of Océ N.V. North America, Trumbull, Conn. Sales related to the assets total about $65 million. The assets will be merged with Diatec’s […]