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The Third Dimension
August 1st, 2016
John Bland revolutionizes marine fabrication by applying 3-D CAD principles to the design process. Look at the motor industry—you wouldn’t be happy driving a car that was spec’d 20 years ago,” says John Bland, managing director of Tecsew Ltd., Gosport, Hampshire, U.K. “It’s the same in the textile industry. Whether it’s in the finish, materials […]
Fabric engineering
June 29th, 2016
Ben Fox expands design capabilities for fabric structures, focusing on innovation and education to solve customer problems. "Our company’s roots are unique in that we started out as a construction service and kind of worked our way backward into manufacturing,” says Ben Fox, owner, president and CEO of Legacy Building Solutions, South Haven, Minn. “That’s […]
Tents, trends and technology
June 1st, 2016
From RFID to GPS, Mike Holland uses all the newest tools to keep Chattanooga Tent Co. at the leading edge. "We embrace technology here,” says Mike Holland, president of Chattanooga Tent Co., Chattanooga, Tenn. “Especially when it comes to material handling, we’re always looking for anything that can help us work smarter and be more […]
At the intersection of textiles & technology
May 1st, 2016
Qaizar Hassonjee mines market opportunities and forms partnerships to bring smart fabrics to market. "The intersection of textiles and technology is a huge untapped opportunity for the textile industry,” says Qaizar Hassonjee, senior director, business development and partnerships, for adidas Digital Sports. “Market segments such as hospitality, health care and military are really prime for […]
Envision, build, repeat
March 1st, 2016
Michael Catalano treats his clients as strategic partners—and that keeps them coming back. "We have a saying here: It’s not about the first job. It’s about the next job,” says Michael Catalano, CEO of Capitol Awning Co., Jamaica, N.Y. “And probably 90 percent or more of our work ends up being repeat business.” Michael Catalano […]
Fabric on the frontier
February 1st, 2016
Eric Walton and Devlin Mckee bring fabric solutions to Alaska's wild and wondrous terrain. "The remote area where we work can be a challenge so we have to be flexible and willing to do lots of different things,” say Eric Walton, MFC, and Devlin McKee, CC, owners of Custom Canvas Alaska (CCA) in Fairbanks, Alaska. […]
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. […]
Charting a course
December 1st, 2015
Incoming IFAI board chair Katie Bradford takes the helm, using business expertise and networking know-how to lead the association. "I believe good leadership encourages participation and embraces differences,” says Katie Bradford, MFC, IFM, incoming chair of the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) and owner and president of Custom Marine Canvas, Noank, Conn. “IFAI membership is […]
Demand + supply = prevail
October 1st, 2015
Robert Cole brings decades of experience and common sense to the time-honored but always evolving economic model of supply and demand. One of the great things this industry has to offer is the quality of its suppliers,” says Robert Cole, IFAI Honored Life Member (HLM) and owner of Goodwin-Cole, Sacramento, Calif. “They’ve kept our industry […]
No fear
September 1st, 2015
Per Lindstrand sees obstacles as stepping stones as he develops new methods and products for fabric engineering. Never be afraid to stick your head out. I’d rather have my head slapped one time too many than too little,” says aeronautical engineer Per Lindstrand, founder and president of Lindstrand Technologies, Oswestry, U.K. “You get nowhere unless […]