Finders, keepers: long-term customer loyalty
November 1st, 2019
Attracting customers in the market for shade products is one thing; retaining them for future business is another. Managing both objectives requires establishing connections that are meaningful and lasting. by Pamela Mills-Senn A quick Google search on “connecting with customers” reveals all sorts of advice, usually in the form of the “seven best ways,” or the […]
Underwater shade at Penn State
May 1st, 2019
Tensile membrane offers two times more natural light transmission than standard weldable PVDF membranes as well as twice the heat protection, making it ideal for creating an outdoor performance and relaxation space. Photos: ©Lightweight Manufacturing. When you think about outdoor spaces for people to congregate, a water tower is probably not on the list. But […]
Sustainable shade technology
April 1st, 2019
It’s only fitting that the new research and development facility for the Kolon Group, a leading South Korean manufacturer of innovative textiles, would stretch the boundaries of design. The company wanted the facility, dubbed the Kolon One & Only Tower, to embody its commitment to creativity, technology and sustainability. The 820,000-square-foot building is designed to […]
Patio canopy expands church services
April 1st, 2019
Summers are hot in San Ramon, Calif., located 35 miles east of San Francisco in the San Ramon Valley. The community is home to St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, designed in the 1980s by Aaron Green, an associate of Frank Lloyd Wright. The church features a beautiful patio that congregants like to use for […]
Motorized shades for customer comfort
December 1st, 2018
People often agree that a meal tastes better outdoors. That’s why restaurant patios never go out of style. Not only is it enjoyable for patrons, the restaurant benefits from a larger service area with more tables. Princi Italia, a casual dining spot in West Plano, Texas, is one of three locations owned and operated by […]
Transparent, self-adhesive textile shades windows
October 1st, 2018
As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention—or in this case, it’s the father. Specifically, Philippe Lampe, owner of Lampe Textiles in Tielt, Belgium, was looking for a way to provide his son some privacy in his college room. Lampe’s son wanted curtains for his window, but he wasn’t allowed to attach anything […]
Finland’s glare-free West Port terminal
October 1st, 2018
The Port of Helsinki, located on the Baltic Sea, is a bustling gateway from Finland to the rest of Europe. In 2017, 12.3 million passengers traveled through the harbor, making it Europe’s busiest. It’s also Finland’s top port for foreign trade, with 14.3 million tons of goods transported through the harbor in the same year. […]
New brewery serves up shaded comfort
July 1st, 2018
When Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. decided to expand east from its Chico, Calif., headquarters, the company settled on Mills River, N.C., near Asheville. A 320,000-square-foot brewery was built, including a warehouse and bottling facility, taproom and restaurant, amphitheater and an indoor music venue. Sierra Nevada worked with architects and engineers at R.G.A., the firm that […]
Advantage, shade, for 2015 U.S. Open
December 1st, 2015
Every year, the best tennis players in the world congregate at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing, N.Y., to play and watch the U.S. Open, one of the legendary four Grand Slam tournaments that have made Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic household names. The weather in late August and early September varies considerably, but with […]
A round of shade
May 1st, 2015
Aresidential remodeling job transformed a Tucson, Ariz., home and back yard into a relaxing private oasis—minus the gently wafting shade of palm trees or any shade at all. The homeowners contacted Phoenix-based SHADE Industries® to devise an elegant solution to a glaring problem. The SHADE Industries “sails” team looked at the yard’s round patio design […]