Floating kites soar in Abu Dhabi shade sail structure
June 1st, 2023
The client laid out the request: The concept included off-white, multilayered floating kites with minimal steel structure. The purpose was to provide shade over an existing courtyard in a large mixed-use, low carbon footprint development. Challenges to overcome included how to deal with the existing concrete structure, as the concrete beams and slabs wouldn’t be […]
IFAI Expo: Shade sail dos and don’ts
November 3rd, 2021
Shade sails offer a great business opportunity for fabricators, but it’s important to keep some key “dos and don’ts” in mind. That was the message from Shazeebo owner and founder Patrick Howe during his presentation “Shade Sails Dos and Don’ts—A Deep Dive,” presented at the IFAI Expo in Nashville. There are several considerations for those […]
Shade sails find a place in the sun
August 1st, 2021
It was only a few years ago that Amy Poe, owner of Wyckam Fabric Creations, in Portland, Ore., started hearing about shade sails. Now the company is doing elaborate shade sail projects like this shade cover for the Big Toy Playground at Keizer Rapids Park in Keizer, Ore. Photo: Wyckam Fabric Creations. For something that’s […]
Keeping up the shade market momentum
April 1st, 2021
Incorporating Sattler, Sunbrella and Norbar fabrics, ShadeFLA recently shaded the pool deck at Goodtime Hotel in Miami, Fla., including 17 cabanas, awnings for two bars and coverage for a 1,200-square-foot restaurant. Photo: ShadeFLA. Shade is on everyone’s mind, according to Margueritte Ramos, owner and sales manager of ShadeFLA. The Miami, Fla.-based company designs and installs […]
Matthew Dickerson: Daring to succeed
January 1st, 2021
A 6-by-4-inch yellow paint chip sits in a shadow box on the office wall of Matthew Dickerson, president and CEO of Tenshon, a shade sail manufacturer in Mesa, Ariz. More than a conversation starter, it symbolizes one of the most profound moments—and failures—of Dickerson’s career. Low on funds and barely two years into getting the […]
Shade sail design: How to get it right
November 5th, 2020
During IFAI Virtual Expo 2020’s educational presentation “Shade Sail Design: How to Get It Right,” Timothy Akes, a software expert for MPanel Software Solutions, told participants that design is by far the most important, misunderstood and underestimated aspect of delivering a great and long-lasting shade sail project. “The shade sail shape and how you design […]
Tips for making the right product decisions
November 5th, 2020
A Trivantage-sponsored education session at IFAI Virtual Expo 2020 called “Making the Right Product Decisions” was filled with detailed information about product choices and installation tips to help fabricators successfully create shade projects in commercial, vertical, shade sail, upholstery and marine applications. The session gave participants an in-depth survey of the company’s shade products and […]
Case studies in shade sail design
November 3rd, 2020
Wholesale Shade’s Robin DuBroy, director of training programs, and Gregg Burrows, sales manager, presented a session at IFAI Virtual Expo 2020 about shade sail design and installation. Using numerous case studies of various designs and difficulty levels, the speakers discussed each project in terms of client goals, site challenges and an evaluation of results. Shade […]
Promoting shade in the marketplace and happiness in the workplace
April 1st, 2020
For Patrick Howe and Wholesale Shade, high-quality custom shade sails are the product of a happy and efficient workplace. by Jill C. Lafferty My day consists of making sure my employees are happy. That’s my number one job,” says Patrick Howe, owner of Wholesale Shade™, a private label shade sail manufacturer based in San Marcos, […]
The technology behind shade sails
October 3rd, 2019
The technology behind shade sails is often misunderstood and underestimated, and this causes many shade sails to fail long before their normal life expectancy. This was the message from Alan Stewart, vice president of MPanel Software Solutions LLC, and Timothy Akes, software representative, during a highly-detailed classroom education session at Expo 2019 in Orlando, Fla. […]