Review, August 2008, Digital Edition - Specialty Fabrics Review

Specialty fabrics 

Industry experts since 1915 

Awnings and Shades 

Geosynthetics 

Graphics 

Lightweight Structures 

Marine 

Protective: Safety and Medical 

Tents and Temporary Shelters 

Transportation and Automotive 

Truck Covers 

Upholstery 

AUGUST 2008 

www.reviewmagazine.info 

Art 

smart 

Cynthia Thompson leverages 

creativity to build a business 

The ins and outs of fabric 

Outdoor fabrics for 

indoor applications 

More, better, faster 

Automation for 

the small shop 

IFAI Expo 2008 

A buyer’s preview

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CONTENTS 

AUGUST 2008 

VOLUME 93 NUMBER 9 

Specialty Fabrics Review ® ISSN 0019 8307, Volume 93, Issue 9 is published monthly (with an annual Buyer’s Guide in May) by Industrial Fabrics Association International, 1801 County Road B W, Roseville, MN 55113-4061. Periodicals Postage Paid at St. Paul, MN and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: send address changes to: 

Specialty Fabrics Review, 1801 County Road B W, Roseville, MN 55113-4061. Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to Station A, PO Box 54, Windsor, ON N9A 6J5. Subscription inquiries, orders and changes contact: Sue Smeed, Assistant Circulation Manager, Specialty Fabrics Review, 1801 County Road B W, Roseville, MN 55113-4061 

Phone 800 225 4324 or +1 651 222 2508, fax +1 651 631 9334 e-mail: subscriptions@ifai.com. 1-year USA $69, Canada and Mexico $79, all other countries $169, payable in U.S. funds (includes air mail postage). Reprints: call 800 385 9402, rdgrimes@ifai.com. Back issues: call +1 651 222 2508, www.ifaibookstore.com. 

Sf Features 

30 The ins and outs of fabric 

Technological advancements 

and changing lifestyles mean it’s 

not your mother’s living room 

any more. 

by Janice Kleinschmidt 

38 More, better, faster 

Automation for the small shop— 

when is it worth it? 

by Jamie Swedberg 

45 2008 IFAI Expo 

Exhibitor Preview 

An advance look at some of the 

latest products, services and 

supplies that will be showcased on 

the exhibit floor at IFAI Expo 2008. 

Sf Perspective 

27 Cynthia Thompson, 

art smart 

Leveraging creative 

instincts to build a 

flourishing tension fabric 

structures business. 

by Sigrid Tornquist

Sf Review 

CONTENTS 

Sf Briefings 

8 ForeThought 

Six degrees of specialty fabrics. 

Sf Focus 

71 Expo watch 

Innovation Theater 

at IFAI Expo 2008. 

73 Business 

Are you a carbon bigfoot? 

Reducing greenhouse 

emissions to earn energy 

savings and customer 

goodwill. 

77 Markets: fabric 

architecture 

Olympic excellence: The 

ETFE-infused “Watercube” 

gets its moment in the sun 

this month in Beijing. 

↑ 

Sf Resources 

91 Info central 

92 New products 

and services 

95 Marketplace 

96 Calendar of events 

98 Editorial sources 

99 Advertiser index 

10 Swatches ↑ 

BMW’s fabric skin; insecticideimpregnated 

nets; from textiles 

to skin; carpet recycling; carbonneutral 

eco boat; hoop buildings; 

industry news and resources. 

22 Showroom 

Military muscle: Strong specialty 

fabrics report for duty. 

25 Problem solvers 

Resist and conquer: 

High-strength performance 

solutions. 

81 World views 

After the earthquake: 

reaching out to China. 

Tent companies donate 

time and materials to help 

provide immediate shelter 

for housing, hospitals and 

schools. 

85 Connections 

The Small Business 

Healthcare Options Program; 

AATCC co-sponsors “Textile 

Printing: Green & Global.” 

100 Beginnings ↑ 

The year in Review: 1970 

How flexible is modern 

architecture? Holcombe 

predicts widespread use of 

air structures. 

Insider 87 

Supporting the industry and 

individual businesses 

The right association: 

Member business 

services add value. 

6 REVIEW 08.08

Visit Sinclair Equipment Co. At IFAI EXPO 08 - Booth # 7059

Sf Briefings 

Galynn Nordstrom 

Senior Editor 

FORETHOUGHT 

“Excellence is an art won by training and 

habituation. We are what we repeatedly do. 

Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” 

~ Aristotle 

Six degrees of specialty fabrics 

Three years ago, the Review ran a story entitled “Looking 

forward, looking back,” telling the tale of a historic 

clipper ship, twice resurrected, fitted with a fore tent 

structure and aft awnings to serve as an in-port museum 

when it’s not sailing around the world. Loane Bros. Inc., a 

Baltimore canvas company with a history that goes back to 

1815, blended tradition and technology seamlessly in helping 

to outfit the Pride of Baltimore II. 

There seems to be a general consensus, at least in North 

American business philosophy, that craftsmanship per se 

has been in decline since the 1980s. Other, happier, schools 

of thought believe that craftsmanship has less to do with 

tradition than with a commitment to excellence, in any 

field. Craftsmanship doesn’t go out of style; it just incorporates 

the latest technologies, equipment and materials 

and continues to give the customers what they want. Or, 

for the real movers in an industry, to predict what the customers 

will want, and then let them know about it to give 

them plenty of time to buy. 

Doing something different 

This month, Transformit’s Cynthia 

Thompson puts her own spin on using 

your creative instincts to create a 

flourishing business. What keeps her 

on the cutting edge is not keeping up 

with the latest trends, but anticipating 

them. “If you’re following the 

trends, you’re too late,” she notes. 

Turn to page 27 for this month’s 

‘Perspective’ interview. 

“BUSINESS OWNERS NEED TO BE INVENTIVE AND FAST 

MOVING AND I THINK WE’VE GOTTEN SLUGGISH,” 

says Cynthia Thompson, founder and owner of Transformit in 

Gorham, Maine. “I think we’re looking to creative people to 

put the juice back into our world.” Thompson, who launched 

her interior tension fabric structures business 20 years ago, is 

intimately acquainted with the cha lenges of taking those creative 

juices and using them to make a living—to supply her 

personal needs, and as the business grew, to contribute 

to the local, national and world economy as we l. 

The ‘right’ brain 

A 

Smart 

lthough Thompson did not approach the inception 

of Transformit with a business plan, a 

business degree or a detailed budget, the company—and 

Thompson—has a record that 

speaks of viability and success. She 

refers to “A Whole New Mind” 

by Daniel H. Pink to explain 

her approach to business. 

“The future belongs to a 

di ferent kind of person 

with a di ferent kind of mind: designers, 

inventors, teachers, storyte lers—creative 

and empathetic ‘right-brain’ thinkers whose 

abilities mark the fault line between who gets 

Art 

Cynthia Thompson leverages her creative 

instincts to build a flourishing tension 

fabric structures business. 

Photos: Kevin Brusie www.reviewmagazine.info • 08.08 REVIEW 27 


by Sigrid Tornquist 

It doesn’t take a marketing genius, for example, to send 

me an e-mail once a month extolling the virtues of a new 

old-vine zinfandel from Sonoma or the latest pinot noir 

from Goldeneye or El Molino. Some purchases are simply 

not optional. Anybody can recognize demand. It takes a 

much more innovative approach to create it. 

An educated consumer is the driving force behind 

craftsmanship. For years, customers were conditioned to 

accept the results of a business climate that focused on creating 

profits from belt-tightening, downsizing, outsourcing 

and using technology to replace committed employees 

rather than to supplement them. Recently, consumers 

have once again become more demanding of the products 

they purchase, and of the companies that make and 

service them. Quality and durability are being recognized 

again as being both ecologically and economically sound. 

That’s a positive trend for the specialty fabrics industry in 

particular—as long as you remember that this increasingly 

savvy and demanding consumer has a lot of choices, and 

you need to make your products stand out. 

A more neglected part of the equation, I think, is the 

need to focus on the employee who is producing the 

product—and to make sure that employee is focused on 

that product, and not simply on a paycheck. That means 

continual training, commensurate rewards, and a culture 

that recognizes initiative, innovation and excellence. An 

educated employee is at least as important as an educated 

customer, and your company’s products are what connects 

the two. 

Two days from now, as I write this, the Pride of Baltimore 

II will be sailing into Duluth harbor, as part of Minnesota’s 

celebration of 150 years of statehood. I plan to be 

up there to take a tour of that ship … with what I hope is 

an educated eye. 

8 REVIEW 08.08


Published since 1915 by the 

Industrial Fabrics Association International 

Specialty Fabrics Review provides timely and accurate 

industry intelligence to the members of the 

Industrial Fabrics Association International and 

the global specialty fabrics marketplace. 

Publisher Mary Hennessy 

mjhennessy@ifai.com 

Editorial Director Susan R. Niemi 

srniemi@ifai.com 

Senior Editor Galynn D. Nordstrom 

gdnordstrom@ifai.com 

Editor Sigrid A. Tornquist 

satornquist@ifai.com 

Contributing Writers Jeff Barbian, Katherine 

Carlson, Rose D’Acquisto, Marc Hequet, Janice 

Kleinschmidt, Jill Lafferty, Jamie Swedberg 

Production Manager Russell Grimes 

rdgrimes@ifai.com 

Art Director Marti Naughton 

Graphic Designer Nicole Von Ruden 

Circulation Manager Mary Moore 

Assistant Circulation Manager Susan Smeed 

subscriptions@ifai.com 

New Business Development Sarah Hyland 

schyland@ifai.com, 800 319 3349 

Classified Advertising Sales/Ad Production 

Kristen Evanson kmevanson@ifai.com 

Advertising Sales Jane Anthone, Terry Brodsky, 

Vivian Cowan, Julia Heath, Katie Lang, Mary 

Mullowney, Sandy Tapp, Elizabeth Welsh 

IFAI President Stephen M. Warner 

smwarner@ifai.com 

Editorial Advisory Committee Lorne Andras, 

Stayput Fasteners/Sunpoint Marine, Sidney, B.C., 

Canada; Harry Daugherty, P.E. Whitehouse, Ohio; 

Peter Douglas, L.F. Pease Co., East Providence, 

R.I.; Cheryl Gomes, QinetiQ North America/ 

Foster-Miller Inc., Waltham, Mass.; Kenneth 

Keberle, Prime Event Group Inc., Tucson, Ariz.; 

Rosemary Ward-Krienke, MFC, IFM, CPP North 

Texas Tarp & Awning, Witchita Falls, Texas 

YEARS OF PROVEN QUALITY & SERVICE 

Visit us at Booth #833 

American Cord 

& Webbing Co., Inc. 

88 Century Drive, 

Woonsocket, RI 02895 

Ph (401) 762-5500 

Fx (401) 762-5514 

Web www.ACW1.com 

1917-2007 

Subscription inquiries, orders and changes contact 

Sue Smeed, Assistant Circulation Manager, Specialty Fabrics 

Review, 1801 County Road B W, Roseville, MN 55113-4061 

Phone 800 225 4324 or +1 651 222 2508, fax +1 651 631 9334, 

e-mail: subscriptions@ifai.com. 1-year USA $69, Canada and 

Mexico $79, all other countries $169, payable in U.S. funds 

(includes air mail postage). 

Specialty Fabrics Review is the official publication of 

the Industrial Fabrics Association International. 

1801 County Road B W., Roseville, MN 55113 USA 

+1 651 222 2508 | 800 225 4324 | www.ifai.com 

© 2008 Industrial Fabrics Association International, all rights reserved 

Visit American Cord & Webbing Co. Inc. At IFAI EXPO 08 - Booth # 5111 

www.reviewmagazine.info • 08.08 REVIEW 9

Sf Briefings 

FORETHOUGHT 

SWATCHES 

SHOWROOM 

PROBLEM 

SOLVERS 

10 REVIEW 08.08

Sf Briefings 

FORETHOUGHT 

SWATCHES 

SHOWROOM 

PROBLEM 

SOLVERS 

New wrinkle: 

fabric skin on BMW’s GINA 

She’s slick, sleek and hooked on speed, but BMW’s GINA isn’t 

your girl-next-door concept car. The radical GINA, which stands 

for Geometry and Functions in ‘N’ Adaptations, is a vehicle dressed 

to impress in a fabric skin over a mechanized electro-hydraulic 

metal and carbon frame. 

The GINA Light Visionary Model (LVM) roadster wears a fabric 

skin comprised of a wire-mesh inner stabilizing layer and a waterand 

temperature-resistant outer layer stretching over the frame. 

The frame shifts on driver command to optimize airflow in certain 

driving conditions, wrinkling and stretching the skin as it moves. 

The eight-cylinder engine hides under a 1.6-foot slit that opens and 

closes. Turn signals and taillights glow through the fabric. The skin 

opens to reveal BMW’s traditional round headlamps. 

Flexibility, resistance to temperature extremes and water resistance 

weren’t the only fabric challenges to BMW designers. The 

dimensional stability—retaining surface tension despite humidity, 

temperature and constant expansion—posed the greater obstacle. 

BMW tapped the expertise of its fabric experts, designers of car 

interiors, to develop patterns, cut the webbing with maximum precision, 

determine the strategic attachment points and stretch the 

fabric over the frame. 

Don’t expect GINA on the road tomorrow, because moving a car 

from vision to prototype to production is a process fraught with road 

blocks. One wag commenting online about the new design writes 

“Instead of a paint scrape, some bounder can slash your body, leaving 

a gaping hole.” Still, with the continuing evolution of composites 

that combine fabric flex and carbon strength, GINA may be the “It” 

girl of the car cognoscenti within a few short years. 

BMW’s GINA concept 

car sports a flexible 

fabric skin that can be 

reconfigured to suit 

driving conditions. 

Photos: BMW Group of 

North America. 


Sf Briefings 

FORETHOUGHT 

SWATCHES 

SHOWROOM 

PROBLEM 

SOLVERS 

That ‘can-do’ attitude in big beer 

It gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “drink and drive” 

when Dave Leach’s huge 1970s Old Style® beer can goes rolling 

down the road on a truckbed. Leach, a Chicago-based collector of 

the world’s largest items, commissioned the grand old can for his 

grand old man, honoring a father whose favorite beer was Old Style 

(originally manufactured by the G. Heileman Brewing Co., now 

owned by Pabst). Road Rage Designs, a Spring Grove, Ill., wideformat 

printer, fabricated the colorful wrapped surface using vinyl 

from Avery Dennison Graphics & Reflective Products Division. 

“We chose Avery Graphics MPI 1007 EZ RS vinyl for this unique 

opportunity because it is easy to work with,” says Kris Harris, vice 

president of Road Rage Designs. “The overlaminate really made 

the colors in the graphics pop on such a large-scale application.” 

Avery Graphics, Painesville, Ohio, provides vinyl and screen print 

film for signs and graphics. “Our vinyl products are easy to position 

and easy to remove,” says Joel Ross, Avery Graphics’ marketing 

communication manager. More information is available at www. 

averygraphics.com. 

Of course, connoisseurs of all-things-biggest can also visit 

the world’s largest six-pack at the former G. Heileman Brewing 

Company in LaCrosse, Wisc., where large tanks used to store beer 

have been refurbished with colorful vinyl replicating the original 

painted surfaces. 

Road Rage Designs wrapped the world’s 

largest beer can in colorful vinyl from Avery 

Dennison. Photos: Avery Graphics. 

12 REVIEW 08.08

S H A P I N G T H E F U T U R E 

Nexis Fibers ® provides a full product range of Polyamide 6.6 

and Polyamide 6 high tenacity multifilament, monofilament 

and staple fibers for the most demanding and sophisticated 

weaving and nonwoven applications in a wide range of 

industries. www.nexisfibers.com 

Nexis Fibers ® LTD - USA 

Phone: 1 843 761 7441 / 1 843 830 5022 

barbara.danak@nexis-fibers.com - franz.geppert@nexis-fibers.com

Sf Briefings 

FORETHOUGHT 

SWATCHES 

SHOWROOM 

PROBLEM 

SOLVERS 

Mosquito-proof netting 

reduces infant mortality 

Malaria kills more than one million people each year, most 

of them children under five years old. Mosquito nets help, 

but don’t prevent insects from transmitting malaria through 

biting a sleeping person through the net. BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, 

Germany, a chemical company long interested in malaria 

and tropical diseases, has developed Interceptor® mosquito 

net coated with the insecticide Fendona® to combat malaria. 

Ninety percent of malaria cases occur in Africa, and a test 

of Interceptor nets in Kenya reduced infant mortality in highrisk 

areas by 44 percent while also killing enough mosquitos to 

lower infection rates for neighbors. The Interceptor nets meet 

the World Health Organization’s criteria for a long-lasting 

insecticide impregnated net (LLIN), do not pose a health risk 

to humans, and remain effective over several years. BASF projects 

the demand for insecticide mosquito nets will reach 50-60 

million per year in the next few years. For more information 

about Interceptor nets, visit the BASF Web site at www.basf.de/ 

science_around_us. 

Women in a post-natal program at 

the Kaduna State Hospital in Nigeria 

receive Interceptor mosquito 

nets and instructions on how to 

use and handle them to prolong 

effectiveness over several years. 

Photo: BASF SE. 

Microcapsules 

applied to textiles 

release substances 

into the skin, 

providing new 

ways of delivering 

medications or 

cosmetics. Photos: 

Hohensteiner 

Institute. 

Touch and go: from textiles to skin 

Drug-delivery systems such as nicotine patches are designed to transfer 

substances from textiles into skin. The Hohensteiner Institute, Bönnigheim, 

Germany, studied various microcapsule depot structures with 

regard to mechanical strength, capacity to release substances in continuous 

and controllable amounts, and resistance to washing; staff also evaluated 

various casing materials and methods of applying microcapsules to 

textile bases, such as cotton and polyester. Elements studied were fed into 

an evaluation matrix to assess the effectiveness of different systems and 

methods of application. 

Microcapsules with a small dimension and a melamine or chitosan casing 

combined with an appropriate binder proved to be most resistant to 

washing when applied to textiles. Chitosan microcapsules filled with cosmetic 

substances are released in sufficient quantities from microcapsule 

depot structures in textiles to skin, suggesting new approaches to cosmetic 

skincare. Encapsulation of biological substances to promote wound healing 

look promising for medical applications, but require further refinement to 

ensure that the dose control is accurate enough. 

Microcapsules and their casing materials must be verified as biologically 

safe in accordance with EN ISO 10993, and the Hohensteiner Institute 

recommends that manufacturers state if microcapsules are being used and 

what ingredients they contain, in the interest of consumer safety. To read 

more about the study results, visit the Web site at www.hohenstein.de. 

14 REVIEW 08.08

Carpet recycling gains 

a stronger foothold 

Carpet re-use technologies have given new 

life to old carpets, spurring growth in 

recycling after a plateau of several years. In 

recognition of this breakthrough, two developers 

of carpet fiber recycling technologies 

received a World Global Energy Award in 

Brussels, Belgium, in May 2008. 

Frank J. Levy, president of Stellamcor Inc., 

Quogue, N.Y., and Sergio Dell’Orco, president 

of Dell’Orco & Villani, Capalle, Italy, 

co-own Post Consumer Carpet Processing 

Technologies (PCC), one of three winners 

in the international event’s “Earth” category. 

Five billion pounds of used carpet end up in 

U.S. landfills each year. “If incinerated,” says 

Levy, “the carpets will release toxic chemicals. 

If accumulated, they never will disintegrate, 

posing terrible problems for future 

generations.” 

PCC equipment can separate nylon fibers 

from polypropylene backing so both can be 

reused. Interface Inc., LaGrange, Ga., the 

world’s third-largest carpet manufacturer, 

now operates the first PCC recycling line, 

up and running since September 2007. The 

company estimates it can process 25 million 

pounds of used carpeting a year. “It was love 

at first sight,” says Eric Nelson, vice president 

of Interface Americas. “[PCC’s] technology 

has really given us a big step forward.” 

PCC’s carpet recycling 

equipment won a 2007 World 

Energy Globe Award in the 

Earth category at a gala event 

in Brussels, Belgium. Photos: 

World Energy Globe Awards. 

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Sf Briefings 

FORETHOUGHT 

SWATCHES 

SHOWROOM 

PROBLEM 

SOLVERS 

The Earthrace trimaran will go 

around the world in 75 days, using 

only carbon-neutral biodiesel fuel. 

Photos: Earthrace. 

On board with Earthrace 

In late April, a 78-foot wave-piercing trimaran running on biodiesel fuel 

set out on a trip around the world to break a speed record of 75 days. 

Earthrace sponsor Jason Pajonk, president of Taylor Made Products, Gloversville, 

N.Y., part of the Taylor Made Group Inc., will be cheering on-shore 

for the carbon-neutral eco boat. The sponsorship was a natural for a company 

that supplies marine aftermarket products from boat covers to electric 

winches. “The advancement of green technology is very important to us,” 

says Pajonk, “and we are pleased to participate in Earthrace’s involvement 

in seeking alternative fuel sources.” 

Launching on a western route from Sagunto, Spain, the boat will travel 

24,000 nautical miles at a maximum speed of 40 knots using only renewable 

fuel. It also sports low-emission engines and non-toxic, anti-foul hull 

design. Refueling spots along the way include Puerto Rico, the Panama 

Canal, Maui, Singapore and the Suez Canal. Find out if the team broke the 

record at www.earthrace.net: click on the “Where is Earthrace?” globe. 

Japan’s ‘hidden treasure’ 

forms eco-friendly 

furniture line 

Sugi trees, or Cryptomeria japonica, make up 13 

percent of Japan’s land mass, planted throughout 

the country during post-World-War-II reconstruction. 

Its Latin name means “hidden treasure of Japan,” and 

furniture manufacturer Hida Sangyo Co. Ltd., Hida- 

Takayama, Japan, and Italian designer Enzo Mari hope 

to make sugi the next wave in sustainable furnishings. 

Hida Sangyo developed an innovative compression 

technology to give durability to the soft sugi wood, a 

renewable and plentiful resource. In fall 2008, the company 

and Mari plan a global launch of the 34-piece HIDA 

furniture collection, made of local Japanese materials 

by Japanese artisans using sustainable processes that 

result in less waste material. “The HIDA concept is to 

create beautiful furniture that is both gentle on the 

environment and on the people manufacturing it,” says 

Hida Sangyo CEO Sanzo Okada. 

AMEICO, New Milford, Conn., will distribute 15 of the 

34-piece HIDA designs. Visit www.ameico.com/product_ 

categories/eco_friendly.htm to see the collection. 

The HIDA furniture line shows off a plentiful and renewable 

resource, the soft sugi wood of Japan. Photos: Hida Sangyo Co. Ltd. 

16 REVIEW 08.08

Sf Briefings 

FORETHOUGHT 

SWATCHES 

SHOWROOM 

PROBLEM 

SOLVERS 

On the hoof, under the hoop 

Beef producers in southwest Iowa asked Iowa State University (ISU) Extension 

specialists about shelters that would keep cattle out of mud, under a roof, and 

in an environment that would preclude manure run-off. In summer 2005, Shawn 

Shouse, ISU Extension field engineer, launched a study of hoop shelters with a 

50- by 120-foot building on a research farm next to a traditional semi-confinement 

feedlot. “We’re primarily studying what it will cost to put cattle in a hoop building, 

and if the cattle will perform as well in a hoop building open lot,” says Shouse. Performance 

factors include cattle weight gain, feed intake, and mud score. So far, the 

results are promising. 

The shelter consists of a large hoop frame covered by a tarp over a concrete or 

geotextile fabric floor. Opportunities for tarp, tent or geotextile fabric manufacturers 

may expand as the hoop building catches on among cattle producers. “Our experience 

at the research farm is if we can hold the tarp on the building, the tarps themselves 

last well, but holding the tarps together in a strong wind is most difficult,” 

says Shouse. The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture calls hoop shelters “a 

low-cost, versatile” option that “may help alleviate run-off and other environmental 

problems associated with open beef cattle feedlots.” 

Where’s the beef? In 

Iowa, beef cattle may be 

in hoop shelters, which 

have distinct advantages 

over feedlots. Shown 

are cattle buildings 

from Accu-Steel Inc., 

Templeton, Ia. 


Sf Briefings 

FORETHOUGHT 

SWATCHES 

SHOWROOM 

PROBLEM 

SOLVERS 

Catching rays: 

shade top kit for 

inflatable boats 

fun-and-sun day on an inflatable boat 

A can lead to a toss-and-turn night with 

severe sunburn. Taylor Made Products, 

Gloversville, N.Y., supplier of marine aftermarket 

products, can intercept some of 

those damaging rays with new shade tops 

that accommodate inflatable boat widths up 

to 5 feet 7 inches and lengths up to 10 feet 8 

inches. 

The kit comes with shade top, frame, 

marine-grade hardware, storage bag and 

instructions. Once permanent hardware is 

mounted to the boat’s bow and stern, the top 

The Taylor Made shade top kits create an arch of sun protection without 

sacrificing headroom or visibility. Photo: Taylor Made Products. 

sets up and breaks down quickly and allows sufficient headroom for boat 

operation. “Inflatable boat owners now have … protection from the sun 

while out on the water, which until now consisted of hats and sunscreen,” 

says Dave Karpinski, vice president of Marketing for Taylor Made. For 

more information, visit www.taylormadeproducts.com. 

One company...multiple solutions. 

Choose Your Solution 

Automated Cutting & 

Plotting Systems 

Design and Cut Software 

Manually-Operated 

Cutting Machines 

Material Feeding & 

Handling Equipment 

The industry’s 

largest range of cutting solutions 

Eastman has a solution for virtually every 

cutting requirement. From our wide range of 

manually-operated fabric cutting machines, 

to our comprehensive line of fully automated, 

computerized cutting systems – we offer 

an infinite number of cutting solutions. 

Every Eastman system has been engineered 

to improve cutting room efficiencies and 

increase productivity. Visit eastmancuts.com 

or call +1-800-872-5571...and choose your 

solution today! 

www.eastmancuts.com 

Visit Eastman Machine Co. At IFAI EXPO 08 - Booth # 6053 

18 REVIEW 08.08

Sf Briefings 

FORETHOUGHT 

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PROBLEM 

SOLVERS 

RESOURCES 

World markets for interior textiles 

The Comité International de la Rayonne 

et des Fibres Synthétiques (CIRFS) 

represents the European synthetic fiber 

industry, and its market forecasts are valuable 

industry intelligence. Textiles Intelligence 

Ltd. is promoting “World Markets for 

Interior Textiles to 2012,” its newest 

report, which gives a global assessment of 

markets for carpets, bedding, towels, table 

linens, curtains and upholstery fabrics. 

The report includes 34 tables of statistics 

showing production, consumption and 

export for major countries and regions, 

analysis of socioeconomic factors that will 

affect markets, and information on price 

effects and trade agreements. To order the 

report, contact Textiles Intelligence Ltd., 

Wilmslow, U.K., phone +44 1625 536136, 

e-mail editorial@textilesintelligence.com. 

[ ] 

Use the Review to get ready for Expo! 

> August: Sneak preview of new products from show exhibitors 

> September: Show overview to plan your time for education and buying 

> October: Show issue featuring stories about multiple markets 

> Expo Guide: Your complete guide to get the most from the show 

Eligible for R&D tax credits? 

The Research & Development (R&D) 

Tax Credit is a misunderstood area of 

the federal tax code, and many companies 

don’t know they qualify for credits. Paradigm 

Partners, Houston, Texas, announced in June 

that the tax-consulting firm would offer free 

feasibility analyses to determine if companies 

qualify for the credit—and a bigger tax 

refund. “Because of recent changes in the 

tax code, many more companies can and do 

qualify,” says Karim Solanji, senior managing 

director of Paradigm Partners. Solanji says a 

brief conference call can help clients determine 

the basics: Does the company perform 

qualifying activities? Can the company take 

the R&D credit? What is a ballpark estimate 

of the company’s R&D credit? To arrange a 

free analysis, e-mail Paradigm Partners at 

Mlauber@ParadigmLP.com. 

Visit Snyder Mfg. Inc. At IFAI EXPO 08 - Booth # 12065, 12067 


Sf Briefings 

FORETHOUGHT 

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PROBLEM 

SOLVERS 

AWARDS & RECOGNITION 

ASID accolades for earth-minded Bella-Dura 

The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) honored 

Wearbest Sil-Tex Mills Inc., Garfield, N.J., with its 2008 

Earth-Minded Award at the Hospitality and Design Show in 

Las Vegas in May. Wearbest’s Bella-Dura performance fabrics 

are tough to wear out (minimum 50,000 double rubs), but 

easy to recycle through a reclamation program established 

by the company. Wearbest president and CEO Irwin Gasner 

says the award “validates our goal of producing an incredibly 

beautiful, durable performance fabric with a recycling and 

an operating reclamation program.” 

Milliken officers accept honors for Most Ethical Company in the Industrial 

Manufacturing Category: (left to right) Brad Kendall, vice-president of Human 

Resources; Alex Brigham, executive director of the Ethisphere Institute; Debra 

Clements, vice president and general counsel; Stephen Martin, editor in chief, 

Ethisphere Magazine; and Joe Salley, president and CEO. 

helped focus Forbes on the top ethical firms. The Ethisphere 

Institute also publishes a Government Contractor Ethics Program 

Ranking and plans a Global Anti-Corruption Quotient 

in the near future. Find out more at the Ethisphere Web site, 

www.ethisphere.com. 

(Left to right) ASID Honorary Fellow Thomas Banks congratulates the Wearbest sales and marketing 

team representing earth-friendly Bella-Dura Fabrics—Tom Notaro, Linda Long and Blake Moore—with 

Michael Adams, editor-in-chief of Hospitality Design Magazine. Photo: Oscar Einzig. 

Milliken makes Forbes list of 

most ethical companies 

On June 3, the Ethisphere Institute, a think-tank dedicated 

to profitable and ethical best practices, and Forbes 

magazine announced the second annual World’s Most Ethical 

Companies list. Milliken & Company, Spartanburg, S.C., 

made the list in the Industrial Manufacturing category. “ They 

[Milliken] go well beyond legal minimums, opting instead 

to bring about innovative ideas that contribute to the public 

well being,” says Alexander Brigham, executive director of 

the Ethisphere Institute. 

Research for the list included 10,000 of the world’s leading 

companies on six continents. Analysts reviewed codes of ethics, 

litigation and regulatory infractions, sustainable practices and 

corporate citizenship, among other issues. Nominations from 

industry peers and feedback from consumer action groups 

Rowley wins WOW! honors 

At the International Window Coverings Expo, the publisher 

of Window Fashions magazine and other sponsors recognize 

industry excellence with the WOW! (World of Windows) 

Awards. Rowley Co., Gastonia, N.C., a manufacturer and 

distributor of 2,700 decorating supplies for workroom, installation, 

design, quilting, upholstery and marine applications, 

took top WOW! 

honors as Client 

and Customer Service 

Company of the 

Year at the Expo in 

Atlanta, Ga. 

The WOW! 

Award goes to a 

company that displays 

an outstanding 

ability to organize, 

manage, and 

execute all aspects of Rowley CEO Bill Taylor accepts the WOW! award 

for outstanding customer service. 

client and customer 

service. “We recognize 

that this is based on years of hard work from our dedicated 

employees,” says Rowley CEO Bill Taylor. To find out more 

about the WOW! Awards, visit www.windowcoveringexpo. 

com/WOW_awards.cfm. 

Rowley also unveiled a new Web site in June, designed 

for easier shopping and navigation, how-to videos, technical 

services and project ideas. See the makeover at www. 

RowleyCompany.com. 

20 REVIEW 08.08

Sf Briefings 

FORETHOUGHT 

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PROBLEM 

SOLVERS 

INDUSTRY NEWS 

Awnings in the spotlight 

The Professional Awning Manufacturers Association 

(PAMA), a division of the Industrial Fabrics Association 

International, is creating a buzz thanks to its Awnings 

Today PR campaign, now entering its third year. PAMA was 

featured in a front page Washington Post (July 12, 2008) Real 

Estate section. The article illustrates how awnings are making 

a comeback, and highlights their energy-saving benefits. 

The Post cited the PAMA Awning Energy Study and market 

research provided by PAMA, and interviewed several PAMA 

members. As the main newspaper for the Washington D.C. 

area and beyond, this article reached many influential leaders 

who are seeking current trends in the marketplace and 

informational resources. To read the article, go to www. 

awningstoday.com and click on the link. 

Nüwa Textiles: strategies for sustainability 

The ancient Chinese goddess Nüwa (pronounced ‘new 

way’) was said to have mended the earth, following 

a battle between fire and water gods. A joint venture of 

fabric mills and specialized dye and finishing plants in 

China and Taiwan has adopted the goddess’s name to signal 

commitment to environmental consciousness. At a time 

when environmental concerns about Chinese goods are 

widespread, Nüwa advocates “the true shade of green.” 

Nüwa® Textiles, Tustin, Calif., provides textile engineering 

for specialty products and manufacture with reduced 

environmental impact. Members of the joint venture, 

Honmyue Enterprise Co. Ltd. fabric mills and Sunny 

Special Dyeing and Finishing Co. Ltd., have international 

environmental certification, including Honmyue’s ISO 

14001 certification and Sunny’s Oeko-Tex® and pending 

bluesign® certifications. Strategies for sustainability include 

advanced energy production, energy conservation, water 

conservation, emissions reduction and effluent treatment. 

“We begin by carefully engineering the manufacturing 

process to reduce both water use and energy consumption,” 

says Nüwa president Michael Shih. “Only then do 

we produce fabrics of durability and creativity.” For more 

about Nüwa, visit www.nuwatex.com. 

PEOPLE 

McNerney joins Rubberlite 

Chris McNerney brings more than 24 years of sales and 

marketing experience to his new role as vice president 

of Marketing at Rubberlite Inc., Huntington, W.Va., a 

supplier of custom-engineered cushioning products. 

McNerney’s career path includes introduction of both 

XLPE and rubber-based closed-cell foams for Uniroyal 

Plastics, Huls Corp., OleTex Inc., RBX Corp. and Armacell. 

Applications for Rubberlite product lines, such as HyPUR-cel ® 

and Visco-cel ® open-cell polyurethane foams, include industrial, 

automotive, military and recreational manufacture. “I felt Rubberlite’s recent investment 

in the latest splitting technology along with their marketing philosophy 

fit well with my business acumen,” says McNerney. 

In Memoriam: 

James William Powell III 

James (Jimmy) W. Powell III, a “Certified for Life” 

Master Fabric Craftsman and honored life member of 

the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) 

since 1974, died May 31, 2008, at the age of 81. Powell, 

the retired owner of Van Nuys Awning, Van Nuys, 

Calif., served on the IFAI Board of Directors from 1974 to 

1979 and chaired IFAI’s Awning Division (now the Professional 

Awning Manufacturers Association) from 1982 to 1986. He 

received the prestigious Chairman’s Award for his work advancing 

the design and application of awnings. He helped develop the Western Canvas 

Products Association and was a founding member of the Southern California 

Canvas Association. Powell was a World War II and Korean War veteran and is 

survived by his wife of 53 years, Virginia. 

Mayer to head Textile 

Machinery Association 

VDMA is a nonprofit organization representing machinery 

and industrial equipment manufacturers, 

and its Textile Machinery Association needed a 

leader with extensive experience in a medium-sized 

company and in the Chinese market. In June 2008, 

the VDMA elected Fritz P. Mayer, managing partner of 

Karl Mayer Textilmaschinefabrik GmbH, Hessian Obertshausen, 

Germany, as chair of the Textile Machinery 

Association. He succeeds Johann Philipp Dido, who 

recommended that VDMA adopt his proposal to elect 

Mayer. Karl Mayer manufactures warp knitting and Raschel machines and has 

3,000 employees in Germany, Brazil, China, Great Britain, Italy, Japan and the 

U.S. The elected role ends in 2011. 


military 

muscle 

sky surveillance 

[Aerostar International Inc.] Sioux Falls, S.D., U.S.A 

The TIF-25K Tethered Aerostat System, which took its maiden voyage 

in September 2007, provides an easy-to-use, mobile aerial platform 

that can be deployed within hours of arrival on site. The aerostat body 

consists of a proprietary nylon-based fabric with various laminates 

and coatings that give it UV protection as well as helium retention. 

Payloads can include audio and imagery surveillance, communication 

relay, reconnaissance, intelligence gathering, aerial targets, atmospheric 

sampling, search-and-rescue equipment, and aerial video relay 

applications. The complete turn-key system consists of a 76-foot-long 

aerostat with a swivel gantry mooring trailer and winch system. 

22 REVIEW 08.08

Sf Briefings 

FORETHOUGHT 

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PROBLEM 

SOLVERS 

easy deployment 

[Vertigo Inc.] Lake Elsinore, Calif., U.S.A. 

[Outdoor Venture Corp.] Stearns, Ky., U.S.A. 

Vertigo’s rapid deploying tent systems with AirBeam technology 

are replacing the aluminum frame TEMPER tents used in Force 

Provider, the U.S. Army’s premier base camp. Force Provider’s 

Expeditionary Base Camp—including 10 Vertigo AirBeam 

TEMPERs—is the Army’s newest forward operating camp, capable 

of supporting 150 troops indefinitely. The lightweight, low 

volume, high-pressure AirBeam tent framework allows the entire 

Expeditionary Base Camp to be transported in a single C-17 and can 

be fully deployed by eight troops in less than four hours. Outdoor 

Venture Corp. is developing a general-purpose line of AirBeam 

supported tents that will complement the TEMPER AS tent system. 

versatile tent 

[Custom Covers] Southampton, U.K. 

This military utility shelter by Custom Covers is the 

first generation of a family of tents designed for use 

as general service tenting or as temporary deployable 

accommodations, providing versatile protection against 

high winds, snow loads, and other adverse weather 

conditions. The shelter requires little perimeter 

clearance, and allows for multiple leg heights and 

flexible installation and layout. The modular structure 

varies in widths ranging from 3 to 12 meters, while its 

length is unlimited. 


R 

Look at us and view the difference 

SolarShades from 2-feet to 40-feet wide in our 3-inch cassette 

engineered for interior or exterior applications! 

Our unique 3-inch cassette blends 

seamlessly with your trim and spans up 

to 40-feet wide. 

Part of the Eastern Awning Group ❘ Watertown, CT ❘ (800) 445-4142 

mail@worldscreeninc.com ❘ www.worldscreeninc.com 

Courtesy of Sun Control Products 

WE’VE 

IMPROVED 

YOUR GAME… 

{ or at least given you a great excuse to play } 

3rd Annual nual IFF Golf Tournament 

| Birkdale Golf Club, October 20, 2008 | Huntersville, NC 

Beth Hungiville 

IFF Managing Director 

+1 651 225 6545 

info@indfabfnd.com 

www.indfabfnd.com 

w w Industrial Fabrics Foundation 

Education Research Technology 

IFF_Golf_HP.indd 1 7/29/08 2:09:57 PM 

24 REVIEW 08.08

Sf Briefings 

problem 

S LVERS 

Resist and conquer 

Our monthly installment of common 

industry-specific problems and the 

products that can bring you solutions. 

High-strength performance solutions 

that help save time and money. 

FORETHOUGHT 

SWATCHES 

SHOWROOM 

PROBLEM 

SOLVERS 

P: 

Diamond in the rough 

Truck owners want tonneau covers consistent 

in appearance with the rest of the vehicle. 

P: 

Ambidextrous strength 

Kevlar ® thread works well in sewing 

operations, but it can be tough to 

cut cleanly. 

S: Komar Alliance has designed a 

complete line of nippers, scissors 

and shears to cleanly and efficiently 

cut Kevlar or other tough threads. 

The products, made with hardened 

stainless steel blades, have a special 

serrated edge, last two-to-four times 

longer than conventional shears and 

can be re-sharpened. The Kevlar 

Kutters are stocked in both rightand 

left-hand styles. 

Contact > Komar Alliance, Warminster, Penn.; 

800 220 1029, www.komar.com. 

P: 

S: 

Bigger is better 

DiamondTex, a heavy-duty fabric with 

textured vinyl coating, simulates the 

diamond-plate material commonly used 

for truck beds and tool boxes. The rugged 

and unusual look of DiamondTex tonneau 

fabric makes a lasting impression. 

Contact > Bainbridge International, Canton, Mass.; 800 422 5684, 

steven.collier@bainbridgeint.com, www.bainbridgeint.com. 

Fabricated structures require a heavy-duty 

closure with easy access and durability. 

S: Big structures benefit from Big Zip #15 

Premium Heavy-Duty molded plastic 

zippers. Big Zip offers 100-percent corrosion 

resistance to salt water, teeth injectionmolded 

from DuPont Delrin ® acetal resins, 

marine grade 316 polished stainless steel 

slider, a unique resin pull handle and 

polyester double-braided 16 carrier cord. 

The resins are UV stabilized for long life. 

Contact > Lenzip Manufacturing Corp., Rolling Meadows, Ill.; 

+1 847 368 9000, info@lenzip.com, www.lenzip.com. 


Sf Briefings 

FORETHOUGHT 

SWATCHES 

SHOWROOM 

PROBLEM 

SOLVERS 

P: 

Calling for reinforcements 

Placing typical steel reinforcement in concrete 

slab-on-grade industrial, commercial and highperformance 

floors takes time and is difficult 

to conform to construction drawings. 

S: WIRAND ® fibers are produced with 

low-carbon steel wire with high-tensile 

strength. Introducing WIRAND fibers into 

the concrete mix eliminates the need for 

common steel reinforcement, adds additional 

reinforcement and achieves better 

performance under strain. WIRAND also 

increases concrete’s impact resistance, 

prevents plastic shrinkage cracking and 

performs better in varied temperatures. 

Contact > Maccaferri Inc., Williamsport, Md.; 800 638 7744, 

agallovich@maccaferri-usa.com, www.maccaferri-usa.com. 

P: 

Grommets over graphics 

Metal grommets cover up parts of expensive, 

high-resolution graphics, and 

the occasional grommet failure leads 

to costly field repairs. 

S: For secure grommets made of clear 

PVC, FIAB’s Automated Grommet 

Welder does the trick. The RF generator 

operating on single-phase 

208-volt power is small and can be 

moved to the fabric, takes three seconds 

to punch the hole and weld the 

grommet, and gives a seal with 30-40 

percent greater strength than a metal 

grommet. 

Contact > JTE Machine Systems Inc., Orange Park, 

Fla.; 800 355 4583, tevling@jtemachine.com, 

www.jtemachine.com. 

Be sure to check next 

month’s issue for “The 

laws of attraction,” and 

visit our Web site, www. 

reviewmagazine.info, for 

each month’s updated list 

of Problem Solvers. 

P: 

Rapids transit 

Commercial whitewater rafting exposes 

materials to extreme conditions: rock and 

sand abrasion, daily use, high UV light, 

constant high pressures and tensions. 

Manufacturers of rafts and inflatable 

kayaks want a premium material that 

performs better than existing PVC boats. 

S: The new generation Hypalon ® 

coated polyester fabric benefits 

from new technology for bonding the 

elastomer directly to the polyester 

substrate without the need of an 

inside neoprene sheet. The result: 

significantly less adhesion loss, 

meaning fewer repairs. Hypalon is 

highly abrasion resistant, colorfast 

and available in both 1,000- and 

1,500-denier substrates and 59- and 

72-inch widths. 

Contact > Reeves (A Trelleborg Company), Spartanburg, 

S.C.; +1 864 595 2261, craig.ray@trelleborg.com, www. 

trelleborg.com/reeves. 

P: 

S: 

Tough threads 

P: A mattress manufacturer has difficulty 

cutting the new fire-retardant thread 

now required for mattresses. 

S: New Kai ® 7000 Series shears with 

corrugated blades slice through 

aramid materials, such as Kevlar ® , 

fiberglass and composite/carbon 

fibers. 

Contact > Wolff Industries, Spartanburg, S.C.; 

800 888 3832, dennis@wolffind.com, www.wolffind.com. 

Cutting edge 

Kevlar ® , designed to resist penetration, 

is difficult to cut in individual or multiple 

layers. 

Clauss 8” Bent Kevlar Shears cut 

Kevlar materials, as well as other 

tough fabrics such as canvas, plastic 

and upholstery. 

Contact > Clauss Cutlery, Daphne, Ala.; 800 835 2263, 

c.baumgarten@acmeunited.com, www.claussco.com. 

26 REVIEW 

08.08


by Sigrid Tornquist 

Art 

Cynthia Thompson leverages her creative 

instincts to build a flourishing tension 

fabric structures business. 

Smart 

“BUSINESS OWNERS NEED TO BE INVENTIVE AND FAST 

MOVING AND I THINK WE’VE GOTTEN SLUGGISH,” 

says Cynthia Thompson, founder and owner of Transformit in 

Gorham, Maine. “I think we’re looking to creative people to 

put the juice back into our world.” Thompson, who launched 

her interior tension fabric structures business 20 years ago, is 

intimately acquainted with the challenges of taking those creative 

juices and using them to make a living—to supply her 

personal needs, and as the business grew, to contribute 

to the local, national and world economy as well. 

The ‘right’ brain 

Although Thompson did not approach the inception 

of Transformit with a business plan, a 

business degree or a detailed budget, the company—and 

Thompson—has a record that 

speaks of viability and success. She 

refers to “A Whole New Mind” 

by Daniel H. Pink to explain 

her approach to business. 

“The future belongs to a 

different kind of person 

with a different kind of mind: designers, 

inventors, teachers, storytellers—creative 

and empathetic ‘right-brain’ thinkers whose 

abilities mark the fault line between who gets 

Photos: Kevin Brusie www.reviewmagazine.info • 08.08 REVIEW 27

The key to success is to risk thinking 

VITAL STATISTICS 

Cynthia Thompson 

Transformit 

Gorham, Maine 

Since 1988 

Designs, produces and installs 

interior tension fabric structures 

IFAI member since 1991 

www.transformit.com 

FAVORITE BOOK FROM CHILDHOOD 

The Three Musketeers 

—by Alexandre Dumas 

“One for all, and all for one.” 

ahead and who doesn’t,” writes Pink (page1). Though “A Whole New Mind” was published 

almost 20 years after Thompson founded Transformit, the book echoes her philosophy 

on business and life—design and creativity often embody success and are, according to 

Pink, the way of the future. 

When Thompson started the business, few artists had preceded her in establishing 

art-based businesses, and banks were not receptive to her requests for financing. She had 

a Master of Fine Arts degree in sculpture, but no formal business training. She persisted 

without financing, and as her reputation grew, so did Transformit. 1996 was a banner year 

of notable projects, including one she did for the Olympics and one for the White House. 

“After that, the bank said ‘I guess you can make a living,’” Thompson remembers. “And 

they gave me a loan.” 

For Thompson, a right-brained approach has kept her business on the cutting edge. 

During a presentation she made at the Institute for Civic Leadership last winter, an audience 

member asked her how she kept up with the latest trends. “I don’t,” Thompson said. 

“If you’re following the trends, you’re too late.” 

In the early years of Transformit, Thompson installed a 400-foot piece constructed of 

spandex over an outdoor fountain for an arts festival in Portland, Maine. “My mom stood 

on the sidelines watching me install it, thinking I would drown underneath the structure,” 

Thompson says. “But I completed the installation—after a lot of struggle and getting 

dumped in the pond.” Then she stood in awe watching the spandex fill with air, droplets of 

water darkening the multi-colored fabric. The fabric floated upward 60 feet, deflated and 

floated up again as if it were inhaling and exhaling the Portland air. “I didn’t know it was 

going to do that,” she says. 

The road less traveled 

T 

he experience of taking on a large project like that and choosing spandex for an 

outdoor application, was just one step on the way to even more substantial projects 

with challenging applications. Thompson thrives on taking the jobs no one else will. 

“We take the jobs that are unique, or will bring us intellectual property,” Thompson says. 

“That is our niche—design and creativity.” Currently, Thompson and Transformit are 

Sf Review asks What is your...? 

INDUSTRY PREDICTION 

I think the concept of rental will 

become more popular instead 

of making more stuff for the 

planet. Hopefully, with fabric 

structures walking lightly on the 

earth, we will play a big part in 

change for the better. 

BEST ADVICE 

When you fail, 

you’ve got to try 

it again. When 

somebody tells 

you “no,” you’ve 

got to say “yes.”

unconventional thoughts. ~ Trevor Baylis, inventor 

working on several large architectural projects including one for the new 

Dallas Cowboys Stadium. The project will be installed in the VIP lounge 

and incorporates large lighting elements that are tension fabric structures. 

“That’s where we really shine,” she says. “Doing something different.” 

Doing something different comes naturally to Thompson, who grew up 

in rural Indiana where no one really talked about being an artist, she says. 

She didn’t have the benefit of an artistic mentor so she found her own 

version of one—at the library in Indianapolis. As a teen, Thompson drove 

herself to the city to explore the world via the public library. She wandered 

between the shelves of hardbound books and found herself drawn to one 

particular volume with a vivid, primary striped shirt on the cover. The 

book was about Picasso. “I had never even heard of him,” she says. After 

that, she often escaped to the library for clandestine meetings with Picasso. 

“I felt like I’d practiced being an artist all my life but nobody labeled me 

that way,” Thompson says. “I was a foreign object to my family in the sixties 

in Indiana.” 

Roots 

W 

hat she did experience in rural Indiana was a deep and profound 

work ethic, which no doubt contributed to her ability to create 

a thriving business. “My father and grandfather owned their own 

businesses and got up at four in the morning, went to work, and worked 

hard at what they did,” Thompson says. “So I learned that when you have 

your own business you do that.” 

That attitude toward work, passed on to her by her family, was never 

more evident to Thompson than it was two weeks after 9/11. Thompson 

was scheduled to fly to Holland to install a project and was concerned 

about the safety of flying. She shared her apprehension with her mother, 

now 85, who lives with Thompson. Her mother’s six-word response was 

all Thompson needed to hear: “Go. That’s where the work is.” 

BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY 

I don’t wake up in the morning 

thinking about how much money I’m 

going to make or how I’m going to 

make that money; I think about how 

I am going to make a fabric structure 

that will be such a delight to people 

that they can’t help but buy it. 

BUSINESS STRENGTH 

My ability to be 

innovative at the last 

minute. We take the 

jobs that will bring us 

intellectual property. 

A creative economy 

Thompson’s philosophy of “pursue 

art first and the money will follow,” 

and her success with that approach, 

is why Maine’s Gov. John Baldacci 

invited her to be on a steering committee 

for the “Creative Economy,” 

an initiative begun under Baldacci’s 

predecessor, Angus King. The initiative, 

which was launched in 2000 

by the New England Council and a 

regional coalition of businesses, state 

arts agencies and cultural leaders, 

is designed to revitalize the economy 

through the arts. “I think that in a 

nutshell the Creative Economy meant 

to me that we were creating businesses 

that didn’t make widgets,” 

Thompson says. “We were creating 

businesses that had to do with intellectual 

property.” 

For more information about 

the Creative Economy, visit www. 

creativeeconomy.org. 


}Sunbrella is made in lush 

velvet, defying the notion 

that performance fabrics are 

stiff and unsophisticated. 

Photo: Sunbrella Fabrics. 

30 REVIEW 08.08

Sf Feature 


The 

Ins outs 

and 

of 

fabric 

Technological advancements and 

changing lifestyles mean it’s not 

your mother’s living room anymore. 


Crypton Super Fabrics has created 

an exclusive Tommy Bahama line, 

available through Robert Allen, that 

includes 51 styles and color ways. }Photo: Crypton Super Fabric.

Gina Wicker scoffs at the notion that her mother called the place in their 

house with the sofa the “living” room. “We were never allowed to go in there,” 

she says. “It was off-limits to the kids.” Today’s living rooms justify the name, 

thanks to the transition of outdoor fabrics to interior aesthetics. 

“I think some people, when they hear ‘outdoor fabrics,’ think ‘stiff,’ 

‘boardy,’ ‘plasticky.’ They tend to think of fabrics they might have found on 

outdoor furniture 10 to 15 years ago,” says Jeff Jimison, vice president of sales 

and marketing for Shuford Mills of Hudson, N.C. Now, “performance” fabrics 

such as Shuford’s Outdura® are woven just like indoor fabrics, with finishing 

techniques that create softness and draping. “You really can’t tell the difference,” 

Jimison says, “between the indoor and outdoor fabric”—except that 

“outdoor” fabrics are fade-, moisture- and stain-resistant and are easy to clean. 

Pretty is as pretty does 

“We only use solution-dyed acrylic fibers; the color is locked in, so it can’t be 

bleached out,” Jimison says, adding that bleaching is rarely necessary. “Even 

acetone can be used as a cleaning agent without damaging the fabric. We put 

a water- and additional stain-resistant finish on the fabric, so it repels spills— 

water, orange juice, wine—those things that normally terrorize people when 

they get spilled on their sofas.” 

Even high-end furniture makers and upholsterers are jumping aboard. 

“People can spend $12,000 for a sofa and it’s not cleanable,” notes Wicker, 

design director of Glen Raven Inc., which manufactures solution-died acrylic 

Sunbrella® in North Carolina. “I think as Sunbrella becomes more prevalent in 

that market, [furniture makers] are saying, ‘You know, it makes perfect sense if 

we make that sofa in Sunbrella.’ 

“Customers are finally understanding our story,” Wicker continues. “It has 

taken a long, long time with interior designers. Every time we are at [a trade] 

event, about 50 percent of the designers there have never seen velvet, window 

treatments and decorative products [made with performance fabrics].” 

Let the sun shine in 

Since its debut in 1961, Sunbrella has become well known and respected in 

boating and coastal communities, where awnings and cushions must withstand 

the rigors of the sunny, wet and active marine environment. More recently, the 

fabric sells particularly well in residential areas of the Midwest and New England 

states. Wicker attributes that development to “the trend toward atrium 

windows and open floor plans where a lot of light is allowed to penetrate into 

the house.” In Florida and California, where strong UV rays often pass through 

glass walls, fade resistance is a key selling point, but that alone doesn’t address 

the “living” room issue. 


The 

color of 

contentment 

If using an outdoor fabric indoors brings to mind 

a red-checked picnic tablecloth upholstered onto 

Queen Anne dining room chairs, you’re thinking 

inside a very strange box. It’s time to step outside 

and smell the colors. 

Gina Wicker of Glen Raven, which makes Sunbrella 

® , notes a few trends from the International 

Textile Market Association’s Showtime semiannual 

trade show in High Point, N.C., in early June. 

“Textures and basics [ivory or heather beige with 

the look of linen] seem to be very, very prevalent,” 

she notes. “We saw a lot of interest in warm/cool 

combinations.” Examples include gray, which 

typically comes across as icy, combined with buttercup; 

charcoal gray and cocoa (which, Wicker 

notes, complements today’s black finishes and 

accents); and soft green (such as peridot) or 

ginger/clay (“in the orange family, but subdued, 

more sophisticated than a collegiate orange”) 

combined with cocoa. 

From a pattern perspective, she adds, people 

are looking for fresher, more upbeat styles, such 

as “traditional Jacobian floral or frame damask 

colored in a contemporary way”: replacing navy, 

forest green and burgundy with clay, peridot, 

cocoa or charcoal gray. 

Sarah Hardy, manager of Michael’s Custom 

Built Inc., an upholsterer in San Rafael, Calif., 

notes a trend away from earth tones to crisp 

white and bright colors (lime green, bright orange 

and hot pink). 

“In times when the economy is not good, people 

tend to look for patterns and colors trending to 

a happier place,” Wicker says. “People gravitate 

toward things that make them feel good.” 

Jeff Jimison of Shuford Mills, which makes 

Outdura ® , says they’re seeing a trend toward 

woven jacquards, medallion weaves and dobby 

textures. “Texture is very big right now, whether 

by weaving technique or novelty yarns,” he says. 

“Anything that goes in the home in terms of style 

is expected of us.” 

“We really sell the story to the customer on cleanability,” 

Wicker says. Sunbrella warranties its fabric to the worst-case scenario: 

“three years outside in Phoenix, Arizona. It will last really 

longer than you want it to in some cases.” 

Since developing proprietary pigment technology with Monsanto 

years ago, Glen Raven has used advancing technology to 

tap into the interior market in the last few years. “We have taken 

the same fabrics used in awnings and created chenille and bouclé 

yarns,” Wicker says. “We have changed our weaving construction 

to make the fabric less boardy.” Because faded detailing can make 

an otherwise quality piece of furniture look cheap, Glen Raven 

recommends upholsterers also use Sunbrella trims and thread 

that can withstand the elements, as well as bleach. 

Shuford’s Outdura began as a line for the casual furniture 

industry in 2003. Now it comes in more than 1,200 colors and 

patterns. “We introduce 300 to 400 new styles [combinations of 

patterns and colors] every fall,” Jimison says. “We have a strong 

domestic business with traditional residential furniture manufacturers, 

and we have a growing international customer base. These 

fabrics are becoming very popular in Europe.” 

“We are online right now looking for hot pink outdoor fabric,” 

says Sarah Hardy, manager of Michael’s Custom Built Inc., 

an upholsterer in San Rafael, Calif. Performance fabrics have 

become “a huge trend,” she says. “My collection has more than 

quadrupled in size. 

“I think what happened partly is technology, because it used 

to be that [outdoor fabric] came in canvas and awning weight 

in limited colors,” Hardy says. “They came up with a furniture 

weight that’s softer and more flexible. I have even gotten velvet. 

“If I have somebody come in and they’ve got dogs or kids 

and they can take [the furniture] out and hose if off, that’s pretty 

major ... as opposed to something that’s ‘don’t spill on it; don’t 

eat around it.’” 

The price of performance 

Although Hardy caters to a high-end clientele in the San Francisco 

area, she cautions that performance fabrics sometimes cost 

too much when customers weigh their options. “I have gotten 

over $100, even close to $200 a yard, so some people will turn 

back because of the price,” she says. 

However, Jimison says performance fabrics are no different 

from other fabrics when it comes to a range of price points. 

There are indoor-only fabrics also in the $100 to $200 range. And 

34 REVIEW EW 08.08

While sunrooms, family 

rooms and dining rooms 

comprise the largest segment 

of the market, performance 

fabrics are even working 

their way into bedrooms and 

for window treatments. 

} 

Photo: 

Performance fabrics make their way 

into more intimate areas of the home, 

as shown by this bedding in the Joe 

Ruggiero Collection for Sunbrella ® . 

Sunbrella Fabrics. 


Wicker notes that furniture manufacturers are recognizing 

economic value beyond the longevity factor of performance 

fabrics. For the past few years, she says, they have been buying 

inexpensive fabric from China, but have to buy more at a time, 

which results in warehousing expenses, and have been disappointed 

in quality. 

“Several manufacturers have done surveys on whether 

people would pay a couple hundred dollars more for a sofa 

with Sunbrella than silk, cotton or linen,” Wicker says. “Overwhelmingly, 

results show people are willing to pay extra [for 

furniture that lasts longer].” 

} 

Shuford 

Shuford Mills’ Outdura ® 

performance fabric 

includes a line called 

Rock the Kasbah. Photo: 

Mills. 

Seamless living 

Consumers aren’t just looking for performance fabrics that 

have the right look and feel for interior applications. The 

growth of “outdoor living rooms” has further spurred a focus 

on designs that create a seamless transition between the 

indoors and out. 

“People don’t want to sit on some outdoor fabric,” says 

Lance Keziah, executive vice president of fabric sales for Cryp- 

Every yard of fabric 

we make is highly 

cleanable, stain 

resistant, resistant 

to mold and mildew 

and has an integrated 

moisture barrier 

} 

occur. 

Crypton Super Fabrics’ In & Out features an 

integrated moisture barrier that makes it not 

only useful outdoors where cushions can be 

rained on, but also indoors, where spills can 

Photo: Crypton Super Fabric. 

36 REVIEW 08.08

ton Super Fabrics of West Bloomfield, 

Mich., which manufacturers In & Out 

at its North Carolina plant. “There are 

beautiful fabrics out there, and the hand 

of the fabrics is such that you don’t know 

they’re performance fabrics anymore.” 

In business for 15 years, Crypton, 

which also makes dog beds and has 

partnered with William Wegman and 

Michael Graves for designs, holds 14 

patents on technology and introduced In 

& Out two years ago. The 200-SKU line 

includes polyester, solution-died acrylic 

and polypropylene. 

“Every yard of fabric we make is 

highly cleanable, stain resistant, resistant 

to mold and mildew and has an integrated 

moisture barrier,” Keziah says, 

adding that In & Out is approved by the 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

as disinfectable and the company has 

garnered independent certifications for 

making green products through a green 

chemical process. 

While sunrooms, family rooms 

and dining rooms comprise the largest 

segment of the market, performance 

fabrics are even working their way into 

bedrooms (especially for children, for 

obvious reasons) and for window treatments. 

And manufacturers continue to 

tap into new applications. Glen Raven, 

for example, has a line of 118-inch-wide 

sheers, and Crypton is working on wallcovering 

applications. 

“This is a segment of our business that 

is rapidly growing, and we are spending 

a lot of attention and money on the In & 

Out portion of our business,” Keziah says. 

So let the kids be kids, the dogs be 

dogs, and the living room be the “living” 

room. 

Everywhere you look, it’s Gerber. Industries worldwide 

design and cut material faster, better with Gerber. In fact, more than a billion products in more 

than 100 countries are produced with our flexible materials design and cutting systems for 

greater accuracy, efficiency and productivity. That’s what you need to compete in today’s global 

market. Gerber gives it to you. Our industry-leading CAD/CAM design software increases 

material utilization and saves costs. Our automated cutting and spreading systems are so 

sophisticated, they keep tolerances to within a single millimeter. And with sales and service 

offices located throughout the world, Gerber gives you quick, local support. 

Get what you need to succeed. 

Call Gerber Technology today at 1 800 826 3243 ext. 3851. 

Janice Kleinschmidt is a freelance writer based in 

Palm Springs, Calif. 

Turn to page 98 for contact information on the 

sources used in this article. 

www.gerbertechnology.com 

Visit Gerber Technology At IFAI EXPO 08 - Booth # 4089 


More, 

better, 

faster 

Automation 

for the small shop — 


38 REVIEW 08.08

Sf Feature 


When you walk the aisles of a trade show, it’s hard not to be dazzled by all 

the newest high-end equipment. There are systems available with truly 

remarkable capabilities: high-ply CAD-driven cutters with vacuum compression 

tables; room-sized fabric welders; vision-guided robotic sewing machines. 

But these devices seem to be far removed from the day-to-day reality of the small 

shop. Is there a place for modern technology in a fabrication business that employs 

only, say, one to five people? 

The answer is yes, but only if you separate the concept of automation from futuristic 

visions of bustling robots. Let’s face it—the very smallest and most modest shops are 

happy to be able to mechanize their most routine tasks. It’s a glorious day when the 

newly minted upholsterer is able to retrofit a kickpress grommet setter so that her air 

compressor can whack the male and female pieces together. 

Still, there are many modest, affordable electronics that can improve the accuracy 

and speed of fabricators in small operations. Most are neither new nor flashy. But in a 

world where automation is more and more common, they are a huge boost to an upand-coming 

shop’s morale and bottom line. 


Sew what? 

The basic tool of the small fabricator is the sewing 

machine. Certainly, many shops get away with using halfcentury-old 

machines acquired at auctions and liquidation 

sales. In fact, many make it a point of pride. But Steven 

Kaplan, president of Kaplan Sewing Machine Co. Inc., 

Newark, N.J., says it might be time for them to invest in 

some slightly less hoary technology. 

It was approximately 25 to 35 years ago that certain 

electronic sewing machine features began to come to the 

forefront, especially within the garment industry: automatic 

backtacking, needle positioning and undertrimming, 

for example. These features saved time because they 

eliminated fiddly little tasks that sewers had to complete 

over and over again. 

“These things aren’t new,” Kaplan explains. “But in 

the last five to seven years, what’s really significant for the 

small shop is that the cost of this type of automation has 

dropped dramatically. It has happened largely because of 

the improvement and growth of machines coming out of 

China, and now there are a number of good machines, reasonably 

priced, that come with these automation features 

built in. Because of the drop in price, the small guy now 

has options that he didn’t have before.” 

Another change that has made these automated 

machines more accessible is the way they are powered. 

When they first came out, many shops couldn’t use them 

because they were powered by 220-volt, three-phase 

A Kaplan technician 

demonstrates the 

company’s fully automated 

sewing machine at IFAI 

Expo 2007. President 

Steven Kaplan cites the 

higher efficiency and lower 

cost of modern automated 

sewing machines; he likens 

yesterday’s machines 

to outdated computers. 

Photo: Kaplan Sewing 

Machine Co. Inc. 

It’s often not so much 

the size of the company 

that determines what 

cutting-room electronics 

will be useful; it’s what 

the company does that 

matters. 

motors. Now they are all powered by 110-volt servo motors 

that use very little electricity. 

Are the features useful? Undoubtedly, Kaplan says. 

“Whether you are a huge production shop with 300 

machines, or a small awning shop with two or three 

machines, you have to do the same things when you sew,” 

he points out. “You still have to trim the thread. You have to 

position the needle up or down, depending on what you are 

doing. You have to backtack seams to reinforce them.” 

Harry Berzack, president of The Fox Co., Charlotte, 

N.C., a manufacturer of cutting, slitting and spreading 

equipment, believes that for many small shops, the extra 

efficiency on these tasks is worth the expense. 

“A person might say, ‘Why should I pay $500 more for a 

machine?’ The fact that he would have paid $1000 more 10 

years ago is immaterial. He wants to know why he should 

pay anything more. The answer is that automated sewing, 

needle positioning, undertrimming, backtacking, footlift, 

etc., are labor-saving devices. They are fatigue-saving, and 

they give a more efficient operation. If he’s one person, running 

full-out, and is thinking of getting a second machine, 

maybe automating the machine will make him just efficient 

enough that he can save the cost of hiring a second operator 

for a while. You can’t hire a quarter of an operator, after all. 

So at that point, it makes sense.” 

Kaplan believes that in time, automated sewing 

machines are going to be necessary in order for smaller 

shops to compete. He likens yesterday’s machines to out- 

40 REVIEW 08.08

An automatic fabric carousel 

might seem like a luxury— 

but it’s often the smaller 

shops that don’t have enough 

storage or easy access 

to huge rolls of fabric, 

according to Tony Mariani at 

J&D Associates. Photo: J&D 

Associates. 

dated computers: there’s no sense in trying to limp along 

with a Commodore 64 anymore. 

“If you have two reasonably competent operators who 

have identical items to sew, and you give one an automated 

machine and the other a nonautomated machine, 

I will bet you every time that the person who’s used to 

sewing on the automated machine will produce the item 

faster,” he says. “Their labor [cost] is going to be lower. It’s 

going to cost them less time to produce the same item. If 

you don’t have that capability, eventually you are going to 

be bypassed.” 

An automatic fabric carousel might seem like a massive 

luxury for a small fabricator, but Tony Mariani, marketing 

manager at J&D Associates, Middletown, Pa., says that 

the opposite is sometimes true. It’s those small shops that 

sometimes don’t have anywhere to put giant rolls of fabric. 

Makers of goods such as boat and truck tarps need some way 

to contain the roll goods they use on a day-to-day basis without 

making it difficult and time-consuming to access them. 

“If they store the fabric on static racks, then during peak 

production times they have trouble moving the product to 

keep their cutting table going at full speed,” Mariani says. 

“That’s usually the bottleneck … if they can load up their 

fast-moving goods on a carousel, then they can virtually 

eliminate set-up time and do instant changeovers from one 

style of product to another.” 


When does a carousel become economic? Mariani says it’s 

usually at the point where they get an automatic cutting table. 

That means they’re doing enough production to require quick 

changeovers. 

...and repeat 

Atlantic Coast Canvas, Lexington, S.C., is an 

OEM manufacturer, so it does tend to make the 

same boat covers over and over. However, office 

administrator Debbie Van Newhouse says the 

company switched to digital patterns mainly for 

the security, not for the time savings. 

“We have 30 years’ worth of patterns, and 

losing them could cripple the company. If we 

hadn’t changed from paper files to storing them 

electronically on a disc, then if there should be 

any damage—water, fire, anything—it would 

have taken us years to recover these files,” 

she explains. “The number one reason we 

bought the digitizer was for the [payback on 

our] insurance.” 

Rather than sending the digital files to an 

automated cutting table, Atlantic Coast Canvas 

currently prints out paper patterns with a plotter. 

But Van Newhouse hopes the company will soon 

be designing items on the computer and using 

machinery to cut the pieces automatically. 

Cut to the chase 

At what point does a company need an automated cutting 

table? That’s a far more complicated issue. There are several 

levels of automation in that area, ranging from the very simple 

to the extremely large and complex. 

It’s often not so much the size of the company that determines 

what cutting-room electronics will be useful; it’s what 

the company does that matters. Bainbridge International Inc., 

for example, is no longer a small company. But even when 

the firm’s Huntington Beach, Calif. shop was in its infancy, 

its employees couldn’t get by without a Measuregraph rollmeasuring 

machine. 

“It’s been here forever and ever,” says sales representative 

Robb Foland. “We have to have it. A customer calls and orders 

a certain number of yards of fabric. We put it on the machine, 

and the fabric goes behind a couple of springs and it counts off 

the yards. That’s all it does, but it means we don’t have to roll it 

out by hand and measure it with a yardstick.” 

Bainbridge needs a roll-measuring machine because it 

distributes fabric to end-product manufacturers. When you’re 

talking about counting off 200 or 400 yards of fabric, a yardstick 

simply doesn’t suffice. But there are some fabricators who 

might benefit from a little help with their rolling and cutting, 

too. 

“If your fabric is costing you a dollar a yard, or it’s costing 

you $20 a yard, you have a lot of difference in wastage,” points 

out Berzack. “If you have a small shop that’s doing some really 

premium work, they might be able to justify the expense [of 

automating the process].” 

Say a shop employee needs 8 feet, 6 inches of fabric for a 

pattern piece. He rolls the fabric out by hand and runs a scissor 

across it. But because he can’t count on making a straight cut by 

hand, he errs on the side of safety and cuts off 8 feet, 9 inches. 

He’s wasting three inches of fabric every time. 

That might be all right if the shop makes polyethylene tarps, 

Berzack says, but it adds up quickly if the fabrics are high-tech 

or luxury materials. It could even make the difference between 

profitability and failure. 

42 REVIEW 08.08

Integrating computers 

For small shops working with expensive roll goods, Berzack 

recommends an entry-level end cutter. It’s basically 

a little round-knife machine that runs in a track. “You 

are always perfectly square, and you’re cutting off accurately,” 

he says. “And if you still want to leave that little 

bit of margin … well, a half inch is a lot better than three 

inches.” 

Some small shops might even be able to justify a fabric 

spreader—not the pricey kind that runs up and down the 

cutting table laying cloth out, but the more modest variety 

that pulls fabric from one end. For a shop that does a 

lot of repetitive work, he says, it’s “beautiful.” But if all 

your pieces are different, forget it—you’ll spend all your 

time on setup, and you won’t gain any efficiency. 

What about computerized pattern cutting? The 

first step is some way of producing a digital library of 

patterns—for example, a digitizer or a CAD/CAM software 

package. Again, much of the return on investment 

depends on the repetitiveness of the work. But Berzack 

points out that even custom shops start to delve into their 

archives after a while. 

“Funny enough, custom work, over time, becomes 

repetitive,” he muses. “Once you’ve done a certain size 

awning, it might take a year, two years, or four years, but 

you’re going to get something like it again. So you build up 

a library.” 

Berzack says a simple single-ply automated cutting system 

is within reach of some small shops, but only if they 

produce a significant volume of complex and/or high-end 

work. What makes it doable is the fact that the pieces can 

be amassed one at a time: first CAD/CAM software with a 

plotter, then a feeder to get the fabric on the table, then the 

cutter itself. 

“When you get your initial machine, look ahead and 

make sure that what you’ve got now, and your library that 

you’re booting up, will be able to be read and converted by 

the standard cutting machines,” he advises. “It’s no good 

getting a cheap CAD/CAM unit to start with. You have to 

think ahead.” 

That is, after all, how small shops eventually become 

large ones. With careful planning, the simple, low-end 

automation tools they buy in the early days will continue 

to serve them well for years as they grow. 

Jamie Swedberg is a freelance writer and former editor based near Athens, Ga. 

Turn to page 98 for contact information on the sources used in this article. 

Even when Bainbridge was a 

small company, employees 

couldn’t get by without the 

Measuregraph roll-measuring 

machine, says sales 

representative Robb Foland 

(pictured). It saves time, space 

and wasted fabric. Photo: 

Bainbridge International Inc. 


There’s an exciting mix 

of innovative events 

at IFAI Expo 2008 

It’s a new kind of place – where ideas converge 

with science and technology connects with creativity. 

» Emerging textile technologies 

» Sustainable, eco-friendly products 

» Innovative, contemporary designs 

» Consumer-driven business opportunities 

» Exciting new fabrics and materials 

You'll journey to places you've never seen before. 

Invest in your success. 

Register today to attend IFAI Expo 2008, Oct. 21-23, 2008 and 

connect with the worldwide specialty fabrics community. For the 

best value – select a Full Business Package and don’t miss out 

on any important technical symposium or networking event. 

www.ifaiexpo.com 

» Innovation Theater - New in 2008 

highlighting innovative technical 

textile products 

» Design Exhibition 2008 – 

advanced textiles for health and safety 

» 6th International Conference on 

Safety and Protective Fabrics (starts pre-show) 

» Materials in Transportation – 

Land, Sea and Space 

» Fabric Graphics – 

Your Environmental Edge 

» Fabrics & Finishes for Consumer Demands 

» Ingenious Medical Textile Technologies - 

Nonwovens, Wovens, Knits and More! 

» Going Beyond Green – 

Saving Tomorrow Today 

» 8,000 registered participants and 

450 exceptional exhibits 

» The largest trade show in the 

Americas for specialty fabrics 

Technical symposiums organized in cooperation with: 

CHARLOTTE CONVENTION CENTER

Expo 

IFAI 

CHARLOTTE, NC » OCTOBER 21-23, 2008 


2008 

EXHIBITOR 

What's new? 

»PREVIEW

IFAI EXPO 2008 

Show special: floor models 

North America’s largest annual event for the specialty fabrics industry will keep you 

updated with the ideas, information and resources you need to keep you on the cutting edge 

as we move into 2009. Thanks to the many exhibitors who sent us advance information, 

the following pages bring you an advance look at some of the latest products, services and 

supplies that will be showcased on the exhibit floor at IFAI Expo 2008 in Charlotte. 

For more information on the show, call IFAI’s conferences management department at 

800 225 4324, or visit www. ifaiexpo.com. 

Alpha Productions Inc. 

» Booth 6085 

SunTamer ® is a line of retractable awnings 

and retractable awning hardware. SunTamer 

awnings come in several lines: Continental 

and Solana lateral arm awnings, Cadette 

retractable window awnings, Skylight/ 

Solarium vertical awnings and Cabratrak/ 

Cabriaroll and Solarview window shades. 

All can be motorized or manual depending 

on specifications. Alpha also manufactures 

a recess/pocket for interior applications, an 

interior blackout track and a new retractable 

screen for doors and windows. The company 

also carries a full line of SunTamer solutiondyed 

acrylic fabrics and braids. 

Contact Alpha Productions Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., 

U.S.A.; 800 223 0883, www.alphaproductions.com. 

American & Efird Inc. 

» Booth 1009 

A&E Solarene ® Sewing Thread, made from 

100-percent virgin PTFE resin, carries a lifetime 

guarantee against damage from exposure 

to sunlight, weather, mildew or water. 

SunStop ® 100-percent filament polyester 

thread offers UV protection against fading 

and degradation and is engineered for outdoor 

markets (marine, canvas, awning and 

tent). Available in the top 16 Sunbrella colors 

as well as custom colors. 

American Dornier 

» Booths 910, 912 

Dornier Rapier Weaving Machines work with 

rigid rapier rods that do not require guide 

elements in the weaving shed, ensuring gentle 

handling of warp ends for filament yarns. 

The rods also ensure controlled central filling 

thread transfer. Ballistic woven fabrics 

in all protection classes (civilian, police and 

military) are produced on Dornier weaving 

machinery, where precise warp control and 

woven fabrics free from capillary losses are 

important. 

Contact American Dornier, Charlotte, N.C., U.S.A.; 

+1 704 394 6192, www.lindauerdornier.com. 

American Keder Inc. 

» Booths 416, 418 

The Calott-Slider is the newest design in the 

Crocodile Keder ® line of ball hangers. Its 

wider, thicker neck offers increased strength 

and significant resistance to wind action, particularly 

in temperatures below freezing. 

Contact American Keder Inc., Rindge, N.H., 

U.S.A.; 877 908 3233, www.keder.com. 

Contact American & Efird Inc., Mount Holly, N.C., 

U.S.A.; +1 704 951 2246, www.amefird.com. 

46 REVIEW 08.08

Aristocrat Awnings by 

Craft-Bilt Mfg. Co. 

» Booth 7047 

Going green? Partner in Aristocrat’s Shading 

the Planet and boost the bottom line 

with customers who want to save energy. 

Aristocrat’s Manor Awning offers a full cassette 

feature, and the new Exterior Retractable 

Solar Shade and Retractable Canopy 

offer outdoor shade. Aristocrat’s Slim Fit ® 

shades small spaces as narrow as 4 feet 11 

inches, while its Palace Awnings allow for up 

to 40-foot spans. All Aristocrat awnings are 

made in the United States, and come fully 

assembled and ready to install. 

Contact Aristocrat Awnings by Craft-Bilt Mfg. Co., 

Souderton, Pa., U.S.A.; 800 422 8577, 

www.aristocratawnings.com. 

Atkins & Pearce 

» Booth 612 

Company focuses on going green by moving 

into the environmental area with its Reforestation 

Pot, a braided cotton sack filled with 

soil, seed, fertilizer and moisture-absorbing 

crystals that together create an ideal place 

for plants to grow. A possible use for the pots 

is reforestation of strip mines. Other alternative 

energy solutions include a braid that 

has the same tensile strength as steel but 

weighs and costs much less. Possible uses 

include helium energy balloons, suspension 

bridges, stadiums and other large construction 

projects. 

Contact Atkins & Pearce, Covington, Ky., U.S.A.; 

800 837 7477, www.atkinsandpearce.com. 

Belton Industries Inc. 

» Booth 4123 

Belton manufactures a wide range of flameresistant 

woven polypropylene fabrics for a 

variety of industrial applications. These fabrics 

meet or exceed a wide range of FR standards, 

including ASTM E-84 and NFPA 701. 

Contact Belton Industries Inc., Belton, S.C., U.S.A.; 

800 225 4099, www.beltonindustries.com. 

Bodelin Technologies 

» Booth 4017 

The world’s first handheld USB2 microscope, 

the high-resolution ProScope HR, can be 

used for QA inspections in areas as diverse as 

cotton fiber, plastics molding, solder inspection, 

welding, rubber and corrosion testing. 

ProScope HR connects to PC and Mac computers 

using the USB2 port, and comes with 

free downloadable software to capture stills, 

video and time lapse images. Three choices 

of measurement software are all accurate 

to within 10 microns, and pre-calibrated for 

Bodelin modular lenses. 

Contact Bodelin Technologies, Lake Oswego, Ore., 

U.S.A.; 800 441 6877, www.proscopehr.com. 

Bradmill Outdoor USA 

» Booth 11049 

SolarGuard ® fabric protection system is highly 

resistant, environmentally safe and completely 

invisible, providing a self-healing shield with 

a unique formula that functions after thousands 

of abrasion tests. Leaves textiles soft 

to the touch but safe from weather, washing 

and abrasion. 

Solarbloc Firefoil ® is a fire-resistant outdoor 

canvas collection of poly-cotton. It’s 

durable and resists mold, stain and mildew. 

Low maintenance and a self-cleaning surface 

are other benefits. Firefoil is a 100-percent UV 

blockout fabric. 

Contact Bradmill Outdoor USA, Evergreen, Ala., 

U.S.A.; +1 215 578 1043, www.bradmilloutdoor.com.au 

Broadway Industries 

» Booth 812 

Shipmaster Eco Line Bags are made of 

30-percent recycled material with added hightech 

resin to maintain film strength. 

Stretch-Pro Micron Film in 12.75 micron 

(80 gauge equivalent) offers ease of use and 

a significant holding force to keep pallets 

tightly secured. 

Contact Broadway Industries, Edison, N.J., U.S.A.; 

800 342 5113, www.shipmasterbags.com. 


EXHIBITOR PREVIEW » IFAI EXPO 2008 

Brooklyn Products International Inc. 

» Booth 735 

Brooklyn Products is a contract manufacturer 

specializing in heat-sealing and fabrication of 

cloth, foam and soft materials. Its process can 

bond two like or unlike surfaces, simulate a 

sewing stitch, and emboss decorative logos 

on cloth, foam or other soft materials. The 

company also can imprint up to five colors on 

cloth, foam or sewing. 

Contact Brooklyn Products International Inc., 

Brooklyn, Mich., U.S.A.; +1 517 592 2185, 

www.brooklynproducts.com. 

William T. Burnett & Co. 

» Booths 716, 718 

Burnett manufactures open-cell polyurethane 

foams for textile, medical, automotive, 

marine and packaging applications. The 

fiber division manufactures thermally bonded 

and needle-punched nonwovens, including 

Whispershield FR Barrier and Whisperweb 

acoustical insulation for the bedding, 

automotive, filtration and home furnishings 

industries. 

Contact William T. Burnett & Co., Jessup, Md., 

U.S.A.; 800 638 0606, www.wmtburnett.com. 

California Webbing Mills Inc. 

» Booth 623 

Manufacturer of industrial webbing, tapes 

and elastics, trims and military-specification 

tapes and webbing. Also offers fabrication 

services for webbing, belts, pouches, duffle 

bags, backpacks and vests. 

Contact California Webbing Mills Inc., Los Angeles, 

Calif., U.S.A.; +1 323 753 0260, www.calwebmills.com. 

CaMillion Fabric Insert 

» Booth 12109 

The CaMillion Fabric Insert replaces traditional 

PVC to help hide staples when stapling 

awnings. Coated with the same fabric stapled 

on the main body of the awning, it’s a perfect 

color and texture match every time. The insert 

seats down into the staple channel and does 

not protrude above the plane of the fabric. It 

works in every staple system on the market 

and comes in every color of Sunbrella ® , Firesist 

® HUV, Weathertyte ® , Nite-Lite ® , Eradi- 

Lite ® and WeatherMax. 

Contact CaMillion Fabric Insert, Baytown, Texas, 

U.S.A.; +1 713 443 4368, www.permastitch.com. 

CITEL 

» Booth 4021 

Walltex 870 is a flexible road-fence system 

designed to prevent serious motorcycle injuries 

and fatalities. Its multizone polyester 

fabric is woven with different densities and 

yarns for impact absorption and coated to 

reduce high friction temperatures. 

Sunless Glass is a sunshade screen fabric of 

coated fiberglass yarns woven with different 

constructions for desired openness factors. 

It’s completely flame retardant and provides 

privacy, sound isolation and energy savings. 

Sunless Glass is a perfect match for CITEL’s 

polyester sunscreen fabrics. 

Avantflex and Membrane are new collections 

of polyester fabrics for the camping and RV 

markets. They’re lighter than cotton, waterproof 

and absorb less humidity. 

Contact CITEL, Sabadell, Spain; +34 937 262 977, 

www.citel.es. 

Clauss 

» Booth 601 

The SpeedPak Utility Knife has a titaniumbonded 

cartridge for quick, convenient 

and safe blade replacement and a nonslip 

ergonomic grip. The knife comes with 10 

ExtremEdge titanium-bonded, double-edged 

blades (also sold separately). Color-coded 

dubbed/round-point, hooked and serrated 

blade cartridges also are sold separately. 

Clauss 8-Inch Bent Kevlar Shears are specially 

designed for cutting Kevlar materials, 

and also can cut plastic, canvas, upholstery 

and more. The micro-serrated blades are 

made of high-carbon alloy steel with molybdenum 

and vanadium. The shears carry a 

lifetime warranty. 

Contact Acme United Corp./Clauss, Fairfield, Conn., 

U.S.A.; +1 251 625 4410, www.claussco.com. 

Clipper Magazine 

» Booth 5012 

Clipper Magazine for new-product promotion 

and brand-building publishes hundreds of 

regional and local editions in 30 states. Each 

edition is distributed by direct mail through 

the U.S. Postal Service for a fraction of the 

cost of other mass media. 

Contact Clipper Magazine, Mountville, Pa., U.S.A.; 

888 569 5100, www.clippermagazine.com. 

48 REVIEW 08.08

Coats North America 

» Booth 10055 

Coats is the world’s largest thread supplier, 

with 40 manufacturing locations and distribution 

in more than 70 countries. Thread 

products include aramid, cord, core, fiberglass, 

filter bag, high temperature, nylon, 

nylon filament-bonded, poly-cotton, polyester, 

polyester filament-bonded, polypropylene and 

PTFE. Coats also carries ready-wound bobbins 

and twine. Its trade names include Aptan, 

Barbobs, Belbobs, Dabond, Gral, Nymo, Nymo 

UVR, Polymatic, Star and Ultra Dee. 

Contact Coats North America, Oakville, Conn., 

U.S.A.; +1 860 483 0772, www.coats.com. 

Consultex Systems Inc. 

» Booth 1040 

Consultex has redesigned its IQ-141 Rotor 

Spray Application System for the film/sheet 

industry to include a smoothing roll, and all 

components are now modular for easy cleaning 

and maintenance. The IQ-141 applies 

chemicals with absolute uniformity, and can 

change its add-on rates on the fly. Applications 

include print primers, anti-stats, antifogs 

and release agents. Consultex also offers 

unwind and rewind stations, including IR 

dryers, static eliminators, Ahlbrandt Corona 

stations and chemicals. 

Contact Consultex Systems Inc., Spartanburg, S.C., 

U.S.A.; +1 864 579 2900, www.consultexsystems.com. 

ContiTech N.A. Inc. 

» Booth 4129 

ContiTech Elastomer Coatings presents new 

materials for personal protective equipment 

featuring highly resistant, media-impermeable 

barrier layers for optimal defense 

against chemicals and gases. The ContiBarrierSystem 

is impermeable even by hazardous 

substances such as chlorine, chlorinated 

hydrocarbons and ammonia, and offers high 

resistance to acids, lyes and other aggressive 

chemicals, along with excellent tear 

resistance. 

ContiTech’s new Life Raft Material is a natural 

rubber that is more rugged, longer-lived 

and more stable at low temperatures than 

polyurethane. 

Contact ContiTech N.A. Inc., c/o ContiTech Elastomer 

Coatings GmbH, Montvale, N.J., U.S.A.; 

+1 201 930 0600, www.contitech-usa.com. 

Cooley Group 

» Booth 5081 

Cooley Coolshield PVDF Membrane is a new 

brand of fluoropolymer membrane for the 

chemical, safety, medical and food industries 

in such applications as tubing, venting, ducting 

and containment of acids, solvents and 

fuels. Coolshield is among the most inert of 

all polymers. Other benefits include resistance 

to UV, flames, chemicals and abrasion; 

long outdoor service life; and high operating 

temperatures. 

Coolthane ® water tanks for military and commercial 

water containment are very flexible 

and highly resistant to punctures, tears, abrasions, 

UV and temperature extremes, and 

offer excellent heat-sealing characteristics. 

Ether-based, Coolthane water tanks offer 

more stability when exposed to water and 

remain stable for years. 

EnviroFlex Digital Printing Membrane 

is up to 60 percent lighter than a standard 

12-ounce substrate, which can substantially 

reduce installation time and fuel costs by 

providing more graphics per roll. Applications 

include billboards, banners, 30-sheet 

poster boards—virtually any digital printing 

job. Options include PVC, PE and PP. 

Weathertyte ® Lite awning substrate is a durable 

textured vinyl composite that has the look 

and feel of a woven fabric and all the benefits 

of high-performance vinyl. It’s easy to handle 

and highly durable throughout the fabrication 

process, has excellent weatherability and is 

completely waterproof, stain-resistant, easy 

to clean, and resistant to UV and fungus. It 

resists sagging and weeping, and can be digitally 

printed. Applications include commercial 

restoration and renewal projects, storefront 

awnings and canopies. 

Contact Cooley Group, Pawtucket, R.I., U.S.A.; 

800 992 0072, www.cooleygroup.com. 

Daeyang Corp. 

» Booth 806 

Windbreak anti-hail and anti-insect nets 

assist in the intensive cultivation of highturnover 

and fast-growing crops and flowers. 

Other Daeyang products include Shade Sail, 

scaffolding nets, mesh truck covers, pool 

covers and privacy screens. 

Contact Daeyang Corp., Seoul, Korea; 

+82 2 854 5500, www.netfiti.com. 



DAF Products Inc. 

» Booth 2013 

DAF Window Panel Double-Polished Clear 

PVC Vinyl is a new product with 1,000 hours 

of UV light protection; it will maintain its flexibility 

and clarity and is fire-resistant. Window 

Panel is nearly window clear with almost no 

flow lines, bubbles or other imperfections, 

and will not scratch. 

Contact DAF Products Inc., Wyckoff, N.J., U.S.A.; 

800 228 9837, www.dafproducts.com. 

Darlington Fabrics/George C. Moore 

» Booth 628 

LastingDegree is a new line of fabrics manufactured 

with soil release and wicking all in 

one. Garments last longer because they get 

cleaner in the wash, and because they can 

be laundered more gently, they retain color 

better. End uses include swimwear, active 

wear, intimate apparel, work wear and sports 

apparel in a variety of textiles: nylon, polyester, 

Spandex in tricot, raschel and novelty 

constructions. 

Contact Darlington|George C. Moore, 

Westerly, R.I., U.S.A.; 800 556 7152, 

www.themoorecompanytextilegroup.com. 

Dazian Fabrics 

» Booth 5010 

Eco-Celtic Cloth is a new, environmentally 

friendly version of Dazian’s Celtic Cloth fabric, 

made of 100-percent recycled polyester with 

the same construction, FR properties and 

washability as Celtic Cloth. Due to the nature 

of the raw materials, Eco products caste in 

shade to off-white, a more natural look than 

the stark white of virgin polyester. 

Eco-Janus is an environmentally friendly 

green alternative to Dazian’s traditional Janus 

fabric. Made of 65-percent recycled polyester 

and 35-percent IFR polyester, Eco-Janus also 

tends toward a soft off-white shade. 

DigiFab Systems 

» Booth 11107 

The DigiFab Grand Format Heat Press is ideal 

for heat transfer of dye sublimation prints to 

polyester and polyblend fabrics in such textile 

and apparel applications as designer clothing, 

home furnishings, wall hangings, sportswear 

and promotional apparel. It is available in 

widths to 132 inches with a Teflon ® -coated 

carbon drum to disperse heat evenly, for 

superior color consistency from edge to edge 

and down the length. 

Contact DigiFab Systems, Los Angeles, Calif., U.S.A.; 

877 344 4322, www.digifab.com. 

DirecTex 

» Booths 825, 827 

DirecTex recently joined with other domestic 

mills to offer a full line of tactical products 

under the banner “Pro Force Tactical Supplies.” 

These product include webbing, binding, 

zippers, hook-and-loop fasteners, metal 

and plastic hardware, mesh, elastic, thread 

and fabrics. They come in Coyote Tan, Foliage 

Green and OD. 

Contact DirecTex, Anniston, Ala., U.S.A.; 

800 845 3603, www.directex.net. 

Diversified Systems Inc. 

» Booth 6501 

The DSI Alpha 600 and 900 lines of sewing 

machines are multipurpose, heavy-duty and 

long-arm, for straight sewing, repair and 

zigzag work. These machines are specifically 

built for large, tough projects. Also offering 

custom-built automated sewing systems as 

well as DSI finishing systems and automated 

material handling. 

Contact Diversified Systems Inc., Greenville, S.C., 

U.S.A.; 800 488 8407, www.dsisystems.com. 

Eco-Trapeze ® is yet another environmentally 

friendly Dazian fabric. Made from 90-percent 

recycled polyester and 10-percent Lycra ® , 

it has the same stretch, FR properties and 

washability as Dazian’s Trapeze. Again, 

because of the recycled nature of the raw 

materials, Eco-Trapeze tends toward a soft 

off-white shade. 

Contact Dazian Fabrics, Secaucus, N.J., U.S.A.; 

877 232 9426, www.dazian.com. 

Photo courtesy of Stella Color. 

50 REVIEW 08.08

Dreamscape 

» Booths 705, 707 

DreamGUARD Protex 3 is a unique aqueous 

topcoat for solvent, eco-solvent and UV digital 

prints on textured vinyl surfaces. The product 

enhances the longevity and appearance of 

wallcovering surfaces. Additionally, surfaces 

covered with Protex 3 liquid wallcovering 

laminate are more resistant to installation 

problems, including marking, marring and 

staining. 

New Dreamscape Textured Wall Wrap is 

twice as durable and four times as thick as 

other peel-and-stick films, so it won’t stretch 

out of shape or shrink during installation. 

Its 13-mil thickness coupled with its unique 

textured surface helps mask imperfections in 

walls and display substrates. 

Contact Dreamscape, Rockaway, N.J., U.S.A.; 

+1 973 625 5570, www.dreamscapewalls.com. 

Dukane Ultrasonics 

» Booth 11083 

Compact, easy-to-use Ultrasonic 40kHz IQ 

hand-held probe system can be equipped 

with a slitting horn that allows users to cut 

and seal both woven and nonwoven synthetic 

materials without fraying. Power supply features 

state-of-the-art digital design, highresolution 

LCD display, multiple weld modes, 

and displays frequency and power output. 

Adjustable amplitude iQ is available in 120 

or 220VAC. 

Contact Dukane Ultrasonics, St. Charles, Ill., 

U.S.A.;+1 630 797 4900, www.dukcorp.com/US. 

Eastern Awning/Worldscreen 

» Booth 7107 

Worldscreen ® solar shades block up to 99 

percent of UV rays and radiant solar heat. 

MicroCassette 40-16 features a uniquely 

small 3 1/8-inch square cassette headbox 

that practically disappears when not in use, 

yet can span a width of 40 feet without fabric 

splits, the result of Worldscreen’s patented 

Floating Fabric Suspension System. Installation 

is simple with snap-in, concealed aluminum 

brackets. 

Sunflexx ® state-of-the-art awning system for 

deck or patio is engineered to withstand great 

upward or downward force from unexpected 

inclement weather. The specialized urethane 

compression shoulder joint allows the arm 

to flex as pressure increases from either 

direction. A separate Sunflexx wind and rain 

package offers extra protection. 

Contact Eastern Awning/World Screen, Waterstown, 

Conn., U.S.A.; 800 445 4142, www.easternawning.com. 

Eastman Machine Co. 

» Booth 6053 

The MPC-5000 Multi-Ply Cutting System to 

be released this fall is an automated reciprocating 

straight-knife cutter with conveyor. It 

can cut up to 5 cm. (2 inches) of compressed 

material and monitor itself to report status 

alerts before errors occur. The MPC-5000 

also features a resealing device, single air 

drill, Intellicut knife control software, and 

a five-stage vacuum turbine for maximum 

edge hold-down. 

The Eastman Saber C-Series Fabric Spreading 

System is a line of computerized, cradlefeed 

spreading machines. Spreader Intelligence 

digital control system guides the 

machine with an Intel ® microcontroller and 

the touchpad controls optimal ratio of material 

feed to machine run speed, assuring tension-free 

spreading. AC motors and inverter 

drives have heavy-duty belts and pulleys. 

Contact Eastman Machine Co., Buffalo, N.Y., 

U.S.A.; 800 872 5571, www.eastmancuts.com. 



Fasnap Corp. 

» Booth 4099 

Fasnap® introduces two new die sets to work 

with its SnapFast® product line and with the 

four-prong eyelet and plain washer in the 

turnbuckle fastener line (includes hole cutter). 

Engineered to work with an electric kick 

press, both dies set product uniformly and 

quickly, saving time and labor. 

Two new colors have been added to Fasnap’s 

color cap snap fastener line: Foliage Green 

and Desert Tan, in matte finish and with various 

post lengths. 

Fasnap produces heavy-duty custom assemblies 

with quality fasteners and webbing. For 

high-strength applications, polyester webbing 

in a variety of widths and colors; for corrosion 

resistance, the stainless steel fastener line. 

The 3P5X Grommeting Machine sets rolledrim 

grommets and spur washers in size #4 

and higher. Designed for heavy-duty applications, 

it comes in several configurations to 

improve productivity and save labor costs. 

Contact Fasnap Corp., Elkhart, Ind., U.S.A.; 

800 624 2058, www.fasnap.com. 

Forsstrom High Frequency AB 

» Booth 6037 

The MG-L is a new mobile and turntable 

radio-frequency welding machine for flexible 

PVC and PU material. Its production capability 

is limitless, combining ground mobility via 

motorized wheels, welding head flexibility 

with 360-degree rotation, and a table height 

of just 18 inches so the machine can move to 

the material—especially important for heavy 

material. 

The TDW Mega can weld with sealing bars as 

large as 16 inches and a radius with a bow 

height of 16 inches. The machine is equipped 

to produce curved windows in structured 

tents, roller doors and more. 

Contact Forsstrom High Frequency AB, Lysekil, 

Sweden; +46 523 666 600, www.forsstrom.com. 

Foshan Gaoming Yilong Plastic 

Industrial Co. Ltd. 

» Booth 11103 

Yilong produces textile fabrics in China for tents, 

advertisements, swimming pools, truck covers, 

containers and membrane structures. 

Contact Foshan Gaoming Yilong Plastic Industrial 

Co. Ltd., Guangdong, China; +86 757 8862 1113, 

www.yilongsujian.com.cn. 

The Fox Co. 

» Booth 5099 

The Intercut FA-601 Pull/Cut/Stack System 

allows an operator to set width, length and ply 

count using a touch screen. Its unique excesscloth 

saver allows extra cloth to be dropped 

below the cutting table and rewound, saving 

fabric. Automatic features include alignment 

of elevator/clamp jaws with track height; 

shut-off on program completion; out-of-cloth 

sensors; and waste removal of edges up to 

1 inch. Safety sensors throughout prevent 

damage to components. 

Contact The Fox Co., Charlotte, N.C., U.S.A.; 

800 438 0167, www.thefoxcompany.com. 

Freudenberg Nonwovens 

» Booth 8119 

Lutradur ® is a line of 100-percent polyester 

spunbond nonwoven material. Freudenberg 

has added PCR (post-consumer recycle) fabrics 

to its product line, manufactured with 

resin chips from recycled polyester bottles. 

All Lutradur products, including PCR materials, 

come in a variety of weights and widths 

for market segments such as automotive, 

building and industrial. 

Contact Freudenberg Nonwovens, Durham, N.C., 

U.S.A.; +1 919 479 7231, www.freudenberg-nw.com. 

Futureguard 

» Booth 2005 

NuImage Awnings by Futureguard includes 

three new retractable fabric awnings, all German-engineer 

and CE-certified, all featuring 

drop-forged arm components with clean fit 

and finish. The line includes the traditionallooking 

G150, the partial cassetted G250 and 

the sleek, fully cassetted K300. 

Contact Futureguard, Auburn, Me., U.S.A.; 

800 858 5818, www.nuimagepro.com. 

Gane Brothers & Lane Inc. 

» Booth 5011 

Gane supplies a wide range of materials for 

the special event, home décor, graphic arts, 

apparel and upholstery markets. Products 

include cracked ice and mira vinyl rolls and 

ribbon, patent vinyl, tinted clears, marble 

prints, glitter films, pressure-sensitive material 

and Pinnacle and Impressions. 

Contact Gane Brothers & Lane Inc., Elk Grove 

Village, Ill., U.S.A.; 800 776 4262, 

www.ganebrothers.com. 

52 REVIEW 08.08

GE Energy 

» Booth 113 

A manufacturer of expanded ePTFE membrane 

films and laminates, GE offers a range 

of waterproof, breathable products for military, 

public safety and corporate work-wear. 

Its eVent ® product lines are Waterproof and 

Windproof with Direct Venting technology; 

Protective with Direct Diffusion technology; 

and Active with Decon technology. 

Contact GE Energy, Kansas City, Mo., U.S.A.; 

+1 267 362 5183, www.ge-energy.com/membrane. 

Gerber Technology Inc. 

» Booth 4089 

Gerber specializes in providing integrated 

computer hardware and software systems 

to the sewn- and flexible-goods industries, 

offering improved information management, 

product and pattern design, grading and 

marker making/nesting, material spreading, 

handling and cutting. Markets include 

industrial fabrics, apparel, transportation, 

furniture, and composition. 

Contact Gerber Technology Inc., Tolland, Conn., 

U.S.A.; +1 860 871 5008, www.gerbertechnology.com. 

W.L. Gore & Associates 

» Booth 7111 

Gore Tenara ® Sewing Thread offers excellent 

seam life and integrity to a variety of outdoor 

and marine fabric applications because 

it will not break down from exposure to UV 

light, extreme temperature changes, salt, 

rain or chemicals. 

Gore Tenara ® Architectural Fabric creates 

possibilities for new, exciting structural fabric 

designs. Its high light transmission, flexibility 

to drape and fold and guaranteed durability 

make it ideal for innovative, luminous, 

tensioned fabric structures and sculptures, 

retractable roofs and air-inflated structures. 

Contact W.L. Gore & Associates, Elkton, Md., 

U.S.A.; 800 276 8451, www.gore.com/tenara. 

Graphics One 

» Booth 7001 

The RIO Dye-Sub Transfer System offers a 

printing width of up to 42 inches and a resolution 

of 1440 dpi. Its new “wave” I-2 printing 

technology eliminates banding for exceptional 

image quality and a maximum printing speed 

of up to 400 square feet per hour. Included 

with the system is the RIO Sublimator, a 

digital heat-transfer system with maximum 

imaging size of 43 inches, maximum paper 

size of 44 inches, transfer speed of up to 7.8 

feet per minute, and work table with a single 

roll holder. 

Contact Graphics One, Burbank, Calif., U.S.A.; 

877 472 7471, www.graphicsone.com. 

Haining Ganglong 

Knitting Dress Co. Ltd. 

» Booth 9117 

The company manufactures materials for 

laminated PVC banner flex (frontlit, backlit and 

two-color banner); blockout; laminated and 

coated PVC tarps; truck side-curtains; coated 

mesh; and large-structure membranes. 

Contact Haining Ganglong Knitting Dress Co. Ltd., 

Haining City, China; +86 873 776 0000, 

www.gl-flex.com. 

Haining Yuli Plastic Co. Ltd. 

» Booth 9117 

Yuli Plastic manufactures and exports PVClaminated 

and -coated compound materials, 

including mesh and fabric for light boxes, tents, 

projection screens and window curtains. 

Contact Haining Yuli Plastic Co. Ltd, Haining City, 

China; +86 573 8798 6585, www.yuliplastic.com. 

Henderson Sewing Machine Co. 

» Booth 7123 

The Juki LK 1910 Automatic Suspension Line 

Tab Machine automatically takes suspensionline 

webbing from a roll, hot-cuts to an exact 

length and then folds in half before inserting 

into the sewing head for sewing to the chute 

edge. The traditional T-bar tack at 2500 RPMs 

takes about half a second per tab. This hotcut 

system can be applied to other sewing 

heads as well, limited only by its need for a 

two-stage clamp. 

Contact Henderson Sewing Machine Co., 

Andalusia, Ala., U.S.A.; 800 824 5113, 

www.hendersonsewing.com. 



Herculite Inc. 

» Booth 6099 

Riviera Marine Fabric uses a uniquely formulated 

vinyl film to achieve a soft, supple 

hand for easy fabrication, with an inner, reinforcing 

core fabric woven from high-strength 

polyester yarn. With excellent resistance to 

cold crack, tear, weather, rot, UV radiation 

and seagull droppings, the fabric’s exclusive 

topcoat provides easy cleaning and long life. 

Architent ® Superior Blackout high-performance 

fabric for tent systems offers optimal 

dimensional stability and resistance to 

stretch. Available in 16-ounce opaque white 

with a high-gloss finish that’s resistant to 

UV degradation, flame retardant, colorfast, 

mildew-resistant and waterproof. Architent 

® Fluoroshield Blackout combines the 

proven performance of Herculite’s Blackout 

fabrics with the additional benefits of the 

Fluoroshield PVDF coating for extended life 

and improved cleanability and maintenance. 

Architent ® HercSpan is specifically engineered 

for larger structures, tent systems 

and recovers, offering dimensional stability 

and resistance to stretch. Opaque white fabric 

is available 19 ounces per square yard, in 

widths to 98 inches. Flame retardant, colorfast, 

mildew-resistant and waterproof. 

Architent ® Military Liner Fabric is designed 

for the Temper Tent and other military applications. 

Lightweight fabric is water resistant, 

fire retardant, and resistant to mold, mildew 

and petroleum products. 

Bantex ® Terra is designed to meet market 

demand for Bantex fabrics that can be used 

with either direct and transfer sublimation 

inks, as well as solvent and UV-curable inkjet 

printing systems. Eco-sensitive products 

contain no VOCs, are free of heavy metals, and 

can be sent to landfills. Bantex ® 13oz Curl 

Free is the only flame-retardant laminated 

blackout material specifically formulated for 

curl-free applications, micro-textured for 

optimum dot gain and higher resolution with 

an identical print surface front and back. 

Sure-Chek ® FR Shield is a technical textile 

composite engineered to comply with the 

open flammability standard 16 CFR Part 1633, 

allowing fabricators to save time, money and 

labor. Fabric is water resistant, fire retardant, 

and resists mold and mildew. 

Contact Herculite Products Inc., Emigsville, Pa., 

U.S.A.; 800 772 0036, www.herculite.com. 

Julius Heywinkel GmbH 

» Booth 4037 

Heytex ® double-wall is a three-dimensionally 

woven structure of high-tenacity polyester 

yarns that interlink two base fabrics with 

spacer threads to make the structure dimensionally 

stable and pressure-resistant after 

inflation. Flood protection bags of heytex 

double-wall effectively seal off windows, 

doors and other openings. The bags are easy 

to install and can be handled by one person. 

Contact Julius Heywinkel GmbH, Bramsche, 

Germany; +49 5468 7780, www.heytex.com. 

Huntsman Textile Effects 

» Booth 713 

Terasil ® DI-HL inks are significantly more 

durable to light and water than traditional 

inks and environmentally friendly. The inks 

will be shown in the new high-speed Fabric 

Superior direct-to-polyester print engine 

from ITNH Inc. 

Contact Huntsman Textile Effects, High Point, N.C., 

U.S.A.; 800 822 1736, www.huntsman.com. 

InterWrap Inc. 

» Booth 633 

RhinoSkin 30 and RhinoSkin 40 are new 

to Interwrap’s line of heavy-duty industrial 

fabrics. Both are strong, durable, woven, 

coated polyethylenes for containment liner 

applications. 

Twillium Ultra for fabric building and structural 

applications has a 4-mil coating layer on 

each side for crack prevention; its patented 

weave design is aesthetically pleasing. 

Contact InterWrap Inc., Mission, B.C., Canada; 

800 567 9727; www.interwrap.com. 

IOSSO Products 

» Booth 12103 

Safe-T-Solve is a liquid that can be sprayed 

on fabric to remove adhesive and residue 

without harming the fabric. Just apply full 

strength, let it sit for several minutes, and 

wipe clean. The product may also be used 

on glue, marker, ink, oil and other stains. 

Safe-T-Solve is made from natural vegetable 

extracts and so is biodegradable, with no 

harmful environmental effects. There are no 

petroleum distillates so there is no odor. 

Contact IOSSO Products, Elk Grove, Ill., U.S.A.; 

888 247 4332, www.iosso.com. 

54 REVIEW 08.08

JHRG LLC 

» Booth 6012 

Storm-A-Rest Hurricane Products, made 

from JHRG’s patented Supreme Protector 

fabric, meet all Florida code requirements 

for certification of high wind zone protection 

of windows and doors. Storm-A-Rest products 

now feature Sunbrella ® trim for rolled 

panels and exclusive WD/Zip window and 

door zippers. 

Contact JHRG LLC, Spring Hope, N.C., U.S.A.; 

800 849 4997, www.jhrg-llc.com. 

Jiangsu Girmes Special Textiles Co. Ltd. 

» Booth 12117 

The company manufactures a broad selection 

of upholstery velvet fabric, painter roller 

fabric, brush velvet, cleaning cloths and home 

textile products for a wide variety of end 

applications. Vertically integrated manufacturer 

starts from yarn and works to finished 

fabrics. 

Contact Jiangsu Girmes Special Textiles Co. Ltd., 

Zhangjiagang, China; +86 512 585 9753, www.gst2.com. 

J.N. Zippers & Supplies Corp. 

» Booth 3027 

J.N. supplies a full line of zippers for heavy 

industrial and garment applications, and also 

carries rubber patches and woven labels. 

Contact J.N. Zippers & Supplies Corp., S. San Francisco, 

Calif., U.S.A.; 888 699 1188, www.jnzipper.com. 

JTE Machine Systems Inc. 

» Booth 11055 

The JTE Double Welder is a stationary welder 

with two stations so two operators can run the 

same or different products in the same footprint 

at the same time. Its two independent 

welding heads, tooling setups, and touchscreen 

technology lend the machine to a wide 

variety of projects. It can even save settings 

from project job to another. 

The FIAB Energy Control Program for the 

FIAB 900 (and higher) series of traveling RF 

welders continuously adjusts energy during 

the weld cycle to optimize total weld energy 

for consistent, high-quality welding. 

The JTE Sonic Bar Welder uses ultrasonic 

frequency to weld almost any thermoplastic 

industrial fabric. A stationary machine that 

can be configured as part of an automated 

solution, this welder’s ½ x 36-inch weld can 

be completed in a four-second cycle with different 

bar widths available as options. 

The JTE Hem Helper folds accurately and 

holds pockets for a straight weld across multiple 

banners, shades and other large projects. 

Its pusher, air-actuated foot pedal and 

guide allow quick, accurate work. It comes 

in 1-meter sections up to the length needed, 

and can be used with the tables of most traveling 

welders. 

Contact JTE Machine Systems Inc., Orange Park, 

Fla., U.S.A.; 800 355 4583, www.jtemachine.com. 

Jung Shin Co. Ltd. 

» Booth 5128 

The company manufactures and exports 

PP and PE bags, tarpaulins and mesh nets, 

shade cloth, gazebos, canopies and scaffolding 

net. 

Contact Jung Shin Co. Ltd., Seoul, Korea; 

+82 2587 4151. 

Kellett Enterprises Inc. 

» Booth 11005 

The LP-13 Shake Absorber ® Vibration Isolation 

Pad features a three-layer flexible 

closed-cell neoprene to absorb mechanical 

vibrations. Applications include industrial 

sewing and weaving machines, air conditioners, 

presses and even stereo systems. 

The company also makes KE Shake Away 

Plus Pads for home use under washers and 

dryers. 

Contact Kellett Enterprises Inc., Greenville, S.C., 

U.S.A.; +1 864 382 3004, www.kellettent.com. 

KL&C Corp. Ltd. 

» Booth 4016A 

A full range of garden products are available, 

including a do-it-yourself garden pond, weed 

control mats, hanging baskets, greenhouses 

and screening. 

Contact KL&C Corp. Ltd., Qindao, China; 

+86 532 807 72468, http://klnc.koreasme.com. 



Kuraray America Inc. 

» Booth 4135 

Vectran ® HT fiber provides solutions for the 

aerospace, composites, inflatables, rope and 

cable, heavy marine and industrial markets, 

along with specialized support to technical 

textile niche markets where strength, durability 

and dimensional stability are critical 

to performance and safety. Vectran HT is 

stronger than steel, with excellent flex-fatigue 

properties, low creep and resistance to moisture, 

thermal, chemical and cuts. 

Contact Kuraray America Inc., Fort Mill, S.C., 

U.S.A.; 1 803 396 7351, www.vectranfiber.com. 

Mauritzon Inc. 

» Booth 7013 

Hiraoka 104T is a lightweight structure, 

awning and walkway fabric exclusive to Mauritzon. 

PVDF-II, a fluorine layer on top of 

PVDF lacquer, prevents dirt adhesion. 104T is 

dimensionally stable, resists weather, has an 

anti-wick treatment and cleans easily. 

Fire-Foil is a flame-resistant poly-cotton 

awning fabric with Solarbloc Bionic Finish to 

create a water- and abrasion-resistant barrier. 

Available in 11 vibrant colors, 79 inches 

wide. 

MarineOne is a soft, pliable marine fabric 

with excellent tear strength and dimensional 

stability. Available in 15 colors with a white 

waterproof backside. 

Contact Mauritzon Inc., Chicago, Ill., U.S.A.; 

800 621 4352, www.mauritzononline.com. 

McGuckin & Pyle Inc. 

» Booth 12000 

A custom machinery designer and manufacturer, 

McGuckin & Pyle has created unwinds, 

rewinds, and slitters for a variety of textile 

customers, and established itself in the area 

of flame lamination systems for industries 

requiring bonding of woven or nonwoven fabrics 

to foam. The company recently designed 

a flame lamination system for AccuMed in 

Buffalo, N.Y., to produce a difficult-to-handle 

tri-laminate at 240 feet per minute. 

MGA Research Corp. 

» Booth 11096 

An independent global testing, equipment 

building, and certified testing supplier, MGA 

provides a wide variety of test services to the 

specialty fabrics market. 

Contact MGA Research Corp., Greer, S.C., U.S.A.; 

888 642 5221, www.mgaresearch.com. 

Miami Thread 

» Booth 8117 

Miami Thread produces para-aramid spun 

Kevlar ® products from DuPont Kevlar and 

a meta-aramid line from Dupont Nomex ® . 

Company also manufactures such standard 

threads as polyester-covered with a polyester 

core, cotton with a polyester core, 100-percent 

spun polyester, gimp and greige yarn, 

and can provide a commercial match for any 

shade of its products. 

Contact Miami Thread, Drexel, N.C., U.S.A.; 

+1 828 438 2791, www.miamithread.com. 

Mid South Extrusion 

» Booth 809 

Mid South manufactures custom-blown film 

for mono and CoEx polyethylene bags and 

films. ExTrudTuff film’s primary markets 

include furniture, bedding, agriculture, carpet, 

converting, shrink/bundling, textiles, 

foam and medical. 

Contact Mid South Extrusion, Monroe, La., U.S.A.; 

800 256 7239, www.midsouthextrusion.com. 

Miller Weldmaster 

» Booth 6073 

Extreme Seam Tape , now for Firesist ® HUV 

and Sunbrella ® , seams together an even wider 

span of awning and marine products. It can be 

welded on Miller hot-wedge or hot-air welding 

machines, and will replace Miller’s BMT 

5000 tape. 

Contact Miller Weldmaster, Navarre, Ohio, U.S.A.; 

877 935 3627, www.millerweldmaster.com. 

Contact McGuckin & Pyle Inc., Downingtown, Pa., 

U.S.A.; +1 610 269 9770, www.mcg-pyle.com. 

56 REVIEW 08.08

MPanel Software 

» Booth 12125 

MPanel’s new FEA (finite element analysis) 

software simplifies nonlinear FEA with an 

easy-to-understand interface program, running 

in AutoCAD and coupled to a powerful 

solver. The software produces stress plots 

for a variety of wind- and snow-load conditions 

and boundary loads for steelwork 

engineering. 

Contact MPanel Software, St. Louis, Mo., U.S.A.; 

+1 314 631 6300, www.mpanel.com. 

Metal, Plastic, Specialty 

(MPS) Hardware 

» Booth 517 

MPS supplies a variety of hardware products 

to the textile industry including webbing, 

hook-and-loop fasteners and metal and plastic 

buckles. The company now offers in-house 

powder coating and wet-spray painting enamels 

for a more aesthetic finish that’s especially 

suited to colored buckles. Its Data Color 

Match System blends custom colors. 

Contact MPS Hardware, Elk Grove Village, Ill., 

U.S.A.; +1 847 350 6994, www.mpshardware.com. 

MYTecSoft Inc. 

» Booth 424 

An IT consulting firm created by manufacturers 

for manufacturers, MYTecSoft specializes 

in SAP, inventory management and developing 

mobile products for Blackberry ® and 

Windows Mobile phones. Featured products 

include mySales, myQuote, myQ and myQ 

Mobile. 

Contact MYTecSoft Inc., Lexington, S.C., U.S.A.; 

+1 803 244 0255, www.mytecsoft.com. 

Naizil Coated Fabrics 

» Booth 4081 

Naizil introduces a fabric to allow creation 

of a unique, frame-supported structure that 

blends into any environment. Called “The 

LOOK,” the 61-inch fabric comes in 22-ounce 

translucent or 23-ounce opaque varieties and 

seven styles. 

Nawon USA Inc. 

» Booth 11039 

The RW2005 Rotary Ultrasonic Machine 

uses ultrasonic energy to weld, slit, cut, 

seal, emboss, seam and punch holes. Features 

include a modern VCO-style generator, 

speed controls on the head for operator 

convenience, pneumatic pattern and puller 

roller lifts and sewing-machine-type treadle 

control. Many predesigned pattern rollers 

are available and one is included with each 

machine. 

Contact Nawon USA, Los Angeles, Calif., U.S.A.; 

800 983 7111, www.nawonusa.net. 

Neocorp Mfg. 

» Booth 519 

Neocorp, manufacturer of cordages and 

custom stretch cord solutions, expands 

to include FR-compliant and Neo-Power ® 

high-strength, lightweight products. All 

Neo-Brand ® products use Neocorp’s patented 

Interlace ® production technology. 

Fibers in stock include aramids, Vectran ® , 

standard synthetics and hypoallergenic 

latex. Cords are available in round, flat, 

square, D, and round shapes. 

Contact Neocorp Mfg., E. Providence, R.I., U.S.A.; 

800 783 8599, www.neocorp.com. 

Neuenhauser Inc. 

» Booth 801 

Genkinger-Hubtex material-handling and 

transport equipment is designed for unloading 

fabric beams from weaving machines into 

narrow cloth aisles. Its large running wheels 

allow for easy transport, with a stable pushing 

bow for easy handling. 

Knotex warp-tying equipment includes the 

AS/2 Quatro machine and tying frame, a fast, 

universal machine with a large range that ties 

many kinds of yarns—natural fiber, synthetic 

fiber, blended, stretch, twisted and untwisted, 

textured and fancy—at speeds up to 600 knots 

per minute. 

Contact Neuenhauser Inc., Greer, S.C., U.S.A.; 

+1 864 879 3650, www.ni-usa.com. 

Contact Naizil Coated Fabrics, Bolton, Ont., 

Canada; 800 387 2764, www.naizilcanada.com. 


PREVIEW » IFAI EXPO 2008 

Nick-O Sewing Machine Co. 

» Booth 8039 

Nick-O offers a variety of new and reconditioned 

industrial sewing machines, parts 

and supplies from an inventory of more than 

13,000 machines. 

Highlead is a line of heavy-duty sewing 

machines for various applications. Models 

include single- and double-needle walkingfoot 

machines and a new 40-inch long-arm 

machine. 

Typical machines sew lightweight to heavyweight 

materials, and also feature heavy-duty 

zigzag machines and single- and doubleneedle 

long-arms. 

Brother machines offer electronic programmable 

bar tackers and pattern tackers for 

small to large bar tacking and heavy-duty 

webbing applications. 

Contact Nick-O Sewing Machine Co., Stanton, 

Tenn., U.S.A.; 800 526 4256, www.nickosew.com. 

Nova Pailung 

» Booth 7129 

The new Pai Lung High Speed Jumbo 

Machine can run production at a 1500-speed 

factor and produce 45-inch diameter rolls of 

fabric. Nova also offers a range of services 

for new, rebuilt and used machines and for 

spare parts such as cylinders, carriers and 

cams. Distributes Pai Lung circular knitting 

machines in the United States, Canada, 

Mexico and Central America. 

Contact Nova Pailung, Monroe, N.C., U.S.A.; 

800 668 2872, www.novamachines.com. 

Novelty Bias Binding Co. 

» Booth 7118 

Novelty Bias offers a range of products for 

a variety of markets, including bias binding 

for cotton, poly-cotton and nylon; hat 

sweatbands; pants waistbands; sleeve heads; 

contract slitting with customer goods; vinyl 

binding and piece goods; crosscut bias binding; 

bengaline; welting and hydem; latex-free 

elastic binding; poly-cotton twill; and cotton 

Supraduck. Markets include apparel, automotive, 

sportswear and sporting goods, furniture, 

luggage, safety, medical and carpet. 

Contact Novelty Bias Binding Co., Cumberland, 

R.I., U.S.A.; 800 854 7139, www.noveltybiasbinding. 

netfirms.com. 

Obeikan Technical Fabrics 

» Booth 733 

Obeflex seamless vinyl-coated polyester 

fabrics are formulated for use with solventbased 

inkjet printers and serve the sign, banner, 

and billboard markets. 

Obetarps are made of PVC-coated polyester 

fabric in brilliant colors, with color-match also 

available. The tarp material can be ordered in 

seamless widths up to 5 meters wide. 

Contact Obeikan Technical Fabrics, Arlington, Vt., 

U.S.A.; +1 802 375 2554, www.obeflex.com. 

Offray Specialty Narrow Fabrics Inc. 

» Booth 600 

Offray develops and manufactures high-performance 

tapes and webbing for military, 

fire safety, fall arrest and electronic textile 

applications. Its primary focus is weaving 

performance fibers such as Kevlar ® , Nomex ® , 

PBI, Vectran ® , Spectra ® and Dyneema ® . Patented 

line of Conductiles offers unsurpassed 

versatility in the emerging technology of 

e-textiles. 

Contact Offray Specialty Narrow Fabrics Inc., Chester, 

N.J., U.S.A.; +1 908 879 3636, www.osnf.com. 

Oplex S.A. de C.V. 

» Booth 2029 

Oplex manufactures three different lines of 

tarps. Duroplex ® is vinyl-laminated for outdoor 

resistance and treated with UV absorbers 

and fire-retardant additives. It weighs 10 

to 18 ounces per square yard. Multiplex tarps 

offer high tensile strength and lamination at 

23 ounces. Carplex is a vinyl-laminated tarp 

in 14- and 18-ounce widths that’s resistant to 

mildew; a blockout version is also available. 

Mallaplex mesh is covered with PVC Plastisol 

for such applications as tennis court screens, 

truck covers and billboards. 

Printing solutions include mesh for outdoor 

use where light is desired: Duroplex ® Frontlit 

for signs, banners and canopies; Lumiplex ® 

Backlit, a translucid, vinyl-laminated tarp; 

and Selloplex, a lightly engraved PVC film for 

improved ink settling. 

Synthetic leathers with jersey or nonwoven 

backing serve the automotive and furniture 

markets with more than 50 leather engravings. 

Contact Oplex, S.A. de C.V., Azcapotzalco, Mexico; 

+52 5555 2300, www.oplex.com.mx. 

58 REVIEW 08.08

Visit Vidir Machine Inc. At IFAI EXPO 08 - Booth # 1005 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visit Alpha Productions Inc. At IFAI EXPO 08 - Booth # 6085 

 

www.reviewmagazine.info • 

Alpha_0806RV_3rdH.indd 1 08.08 REVIEW 7/25/06 59 

Untitled-2 1 2/28/07 4:16: 3:09


PARA’ s.P.A. 

» Booth 7037 

Para’ produces and markets fabrics for sun 

protection, marine covers and garden furniture, 

all distributed under the trademark 

Tempotest ® . Tempotest is a technical fabric 

manufactured with solution-dyed, mold-resistant 

acrylic fiber and a Teflon ® -based finish to 

repel oil and water and resist UV rays. 

Contact PARA’ s.P.A., Sovico (Mi.), Italy; 

+39 0392 070, www.para.it. 

Pennel USA 

» Booth 6124 

Pennel’s 3D fabric is coated with rubber or 

polyurethane for inflatable floors, lifting bags 

and other applications. The material can hold 

up to 80 PSI of pressure, with heights from 

half an inch to 20 inches. 

Contact Pennel USA, Mount Pleasant, S.C., U.S.A.; 

+1 843 881 9026, www.pennelusa.com. 

PHIFER Inc. 

» Booth 1721 

SheerWeave ® Style 2500 is an attractive basket-weave, 

interior sun-control fabric with 1 

percent openness. Its vinyl-coated fiberglass 

yarns block 99 percent of UV rays. Designed 

for applications requiring opacity in a nondirectional 

fabric, it’s manufactured with ease 

of fabrication in mind. 

The SheerWeave 2700 series of fabrics is 

woven in a unique twill pattern that creates 

a two-sided fabric to reduce heat and glare 

reduction and improve visibility. 

The eco-friendly SheerWeave Infinity fabric 

line is PVC-free, 100-percent recyclable and 

Greenguard-certified. Infinity is woven from 

the only core yarn, synthetic or natural, that 

comes from post-industrial waste byproduct. 

Marquésa ® Blends fabrics are 100-percent 

recyclable “eco-chic.” Serving primarily the 

casual furniture industry, Marquésa is highly 

durable, antimicrobial, and resistant to stains 

and fading. Comes in a variety of natureinspired 

colors, from muted greens to brick 

reds to ivory and pebble. 

Contact PHIFER Inc., Tuscaloosa, Ala., U.S.A.; 

800 633 5955, www.phifer.com. 

Pinnacle Converting Equipment 

» Booth 9037 

The Pinnacle Slitter-Rewinder Machine 

converts roll goods into desired widths and 

lengths and offers economical and productive 

self-converting. Pinnacle also offers contract 

converting services, in which customer roll 

goods are slit and rewound or sheeted as 

desired. 

Contact Pinnacle Converting Equipment, 

Charlotte, N.C., U.S.A.; +1 704 376 3855, 

www.pinnacleconverting.com. 

Q-Lab Corp. 

» Booth 223 

An understanding of the spectra of natural 

sunlight and the light sources that make sunlight 

in fluorescent UV and xenon arc-testers 

is critical to making the right testing decisions. 

Q-Lab’s free “Sunlight, Weathering, 

and Light Stability” poster will be available at 

the booth, describing how the QUV Accelerated 

Weathering Tester and Q-Sun Xenon 

Test Chamber work. 

Contact Q-Lab Corp., Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A.; 

+1 440 835 8700, www.q-lab.com. 

Rainier Industries 

» Booths 12095C, 12097, 12099 

Acquisition of Durst 351 and Durst 800 printers 

furthers Rainier’s ability to print white ink 

on hard substrates and roll-to-roll goods, 

allowing the company to choose between 

options for the array of custom fabric, shelter 

and display solution products the company 

fabricates. That choice depends on advantages 

such as under-printing, filling white 

areas, printing white as a spot color, and 

producing cleaner backgrounds on colored 

media. 

Contact Rainier Industries, Tukwila, Wash., U.S.A.; 

800 869 7162, www.rainier.com. 

RBH Designs LLC 

» Booth 814 

VaprThrm ® Insulating Fabric is uniquely 

designed to proactively regulate body temperature. 

Worn close to the skin, it prevents 

evaporative heat loss. VaprThrm is lined with 

a soft, comfortable, rapid-wicking fabric to 

create a microclimate with protection against 

frostbite, exertion and temperature change. 

Contact RBH Designs LLC, W. Hartford, Conn., 

U.S.A.; +1 860 231 7334, www.rbhdesigns.com. 

60 REVIEW 08.08

Reliant Converting Equipment 

» Booth 9127 

The Power Slit Turreted Slitter Rewinder 

features automatic closed-loop tension control, 

touch-screen controls, air shafts, timingbelt 

drives, heavy-duty chassis, length counter 

and slitting with shear, score or razor. With 

its accumulator, the machine can run inline 

with continuous processes such as lamination 

and extrusion. 

elements 

living with the sun 

Contact Reliant Converting Equipment, 

Charlotte, N.C., U.S.A.; 866 994 7477, 

www.reliantconverting.com. 

Rowley Co. 

» Booths 934, 936 

Antique Copper Grommets coordinate in 

finish with trendy new fabrics and rich, dark 

woods. They come in sizes from ¾-inch to 3 

inches inside diameter. 

The largest grommets on the market are 

Rowley’s #15-size grommets with a 2-inch 

inside diameter and the #20-size with a 3-inch 

inside diameter. Both work well in large-scale 

rooms or with oversized fixtures. 

The new Euro Measuring Stick functions 

like a tape measure but is rigid and remains 

at the measured distance, making measurement 

of wide or high openings easy with only 

a single pair of hands. It also functions as a 

template when marking the same measure 

multiple times. 

ELEGANT DESIGN! 

EUROPEAN QUALITY! 

Contact Rowley Co., Gastonia, N.C., U.S.A.; 

800 343 4542, www.rowleycompany.com. 

Safety Components Fabric 

Technologies Inc. 

» Booth 5055 

WeatherMax FR is a solution-dyed, fireretardant 

fabric for awnings, tents and other 

outdoor applications where resistance to fading 

and fire is critical. The 100-percent solution-dyed 

SaturaMax fabric is finished with 

HydroMax and has a coated underside. It’s 

dimensionally stable with no sagging; strong 

and durable; and RF and heat-weldable. 

Contact Safety Components Fabric Technologies Inc., 

Greenville, S.C., U.S.A.; 800 896 6926, 

www.weathermaxfr.com. 

Sattler North America Corp. 

200 Broadhollow Road, Suite 207 

Melville, NY 11747 

Tel: (631) 393-5151 

866 99 AWNING (866 992-9646) 

Fax: (631) 393-5141 

www.sattler-corp.com 

Visit Sattler At IFAI EXPO 08 - Booth #10093 



Sattler North America Corp. 

» Booth 10093 

Reflect 355 awning fabric, of 100-percent 

spin-dyed brand acrylic yarn, is weatherproof, 

waterproof and dirt repellent, blocks heat 

energy and protects from UV rays. 

Firemaster ® Plus has proven in tests to be an 

excellent fire-retardant awning fabric. It also 

has dimensional stability and is waterproof, 

fade-resistant and odorless. 

Contact Sattler North America Corp., Melville, N.Y., 

U.S.A.; 866 992 9646, www.sattler-corp.com. 

Lawrence Schiff Silk Mills 

» Booth 5123 

Schiff introduces its earth-friendly ribbon 

category with five new eco-friendly products. 

Organic Cotton Ribbon is 100-percent 

organic cotton fiber, and Cotton/Hemp Ribbon 

is 65-percent organic fiber and 35-percent 

hemp. Three other natural ribbon products, 

Cotton Satin Weave, Cotton Twill Tape, and 

Cotton Taffeta, are all 100-percent cotton in 

a variety of weaves. 

5038 IR Ribbon is test-certified Infra Red 

Reflectance for the military sector. The Type 

II ribbon is compliant with Class 1, 1A, and 2 

specifications. 

Contact Lawrence Schiff Silk Mills, Quakertown, 

Pa., U.S.A.; +1 215 538 2880, www.schiffribbons.com. 

Seaman Corp. 

» Booth 5047 

The XR-Mariner may be the next wave in 

inflatable boat fabric. Its core technology has 

been used for inflatable rescue RIB boats for 

15 years. Now a new coating formula for the 

marine industry features DuPont Elvaloy ® , 

a polymer known for long-term weathering. 

Coupled with Seaman’s high-strength proprietary 

base fabric, XR-Mariner has excellent 

resistance to UV, abrasion, tears and 

punctures. 

Edward Segal Inc. 

» Booth 933 

The Model G2R83-DF Deep Frame Grommet 

Machine provides fabricators with a tool to 

put grommets in areas that were previously 

inaccessible to any type of conventional grommet 

machine. 

Contact Edward Segal Inc., Thomaston, Conn., 

U.S.A.; +1 860 283 5821, www.edwardsegalinc.com. 

Seiko Sewing Machine Co. Ltd. 

» Booth 4031 

The SAM-31 High-Speed Sewing Machine 

features a compound feed and walking foot. 

The lockstitch sewing machine has automatic 

thread trimmer, backtack and presser foot lift. 

It gathers, and is useful for sewing soft, thick 

materials such as leather, vinyl, synthetics 

and laminated and coated materials. Suitable 

for the automotive and furniture industries. 

Contact Seiko Sewing Machine Co. Ltd., 

Funabashi City, Chiba, Japan; +81 4742 03561, 

www.seiko-sewing.co.jp. 

Shanghai King Tech Industry Co. Ltd. 

» Booth 404 

HYGY Protective Fabric is designed for surgical 

gowns, outdoor clothing and work wear. 

Characteristics include low friction and high 

abrasion resistance. It repels soil and resists 

water, is antibacterial, breathable and low 

absorbent, and shakes dry. 

KTTEX Reflective Fabric for sportswear 

provides protection from weather and gives 

the wearer total visibility at night without sacrificing 

other characteristics of the garment 

such as softness, breathability, durability and 

washability. 

Contact Shanghai King Tech Industry Co. Ltd., 

Shanghai, China; +86 21 3604 0300 810, 888 833 9988 

(USA), www.kttex.biz. 

Shelter-Lite ® Truck Tarp Fabric delivers 

the performance of an 18-ounce tarp fabric, 

making it significantly lighter and easier to 

handle. Its strong nylon base fabric allows for 

great flexibility in cold temperatures. 

Contact Seaman Corp., Wooster, Ohio, U.S.A.; 

800 927 8578, www.xr-mariner.com. 

62 REVIEW 08.08

We’ve Put Our Imprint 

on the Vinyl Industry. 

Robeco has distributed clear vinyl products for over 45 

years. So for all your vinyl needs, turn to the company 

that has the products and the experience to provide 

the quality and service you deserve. 

Turn to Robeco. 

THE BEST IN CLEAR VINYLS FOR: 

• Marine use 

• Tent Window & Flaps 

• Recreational Vehicles 

• Welding Screen Panels 

• Climate & Noise Control 

• Clean Room Components 

• Warehouse Door Strips 

FEATURING: 

• Fire Resistance Specs 

• U.V. Inhibitors 

• Low Cold-Crack 

• Anti- Static 

• Mildew Resistance 

• Glare-Reducing Tints 

• Wide Widths 

Available through your local distributor. 

Warehouses in Chicago • Tampa • New Jersey • Seattle 

“Clearly the Leader” 

100 RING ROAD WEST, GARDEN CITY, NEW YORK 11530 

(516) 248-1521 • (800) 992-1067 • FAX: (516) 248-1524 

www.robecoinc.com 

Visit Robeco At IFAI EXPO 08 - Booth # 6117, 7116 

Visit Rivets Unlimited At IFAI EXPO 08 - Booth # 11093 

Rivets_0806RV-3rdH .indd 1 www.reviewmagazine.info • 08.08 REVIEW 7/27/06 63 1:54:


Shanghai Shenda Kobond New 

Materials Co. Ltd. 

» Booth 837 

Shenda-Kobond is a large-scale manufacturer 

and distributor of PVC-coated fabric 

materials and membrane structure fabrics 

for a wide variety of applications including 

truck covers, tents and awnings, membranes, 

flexible containers and tanks, and banners 

and inflatables. 

Contact Shanghai Shenda Kobond Raw 

Materials Co. Ltd., Shanghai, China; 

+86 6840 6306, www.kobond.net. 

Sinclair Equipment 

» Booth 7059 

The flexible, versatile Sinclair Production 

System is designed to provide a complete 

production work station for cutting, welding 

and grommeting. Additional tables can be 

added to the main vacuum table to increase 

the work surface area for welding and provide 

space for other finishing needs. Sinclair also 

offers a precision rotary cutting system and a 

full line of grommeting machines. 

Contact Sinclair Equipment, Diamond Springs, 

Calif., U.S.A.; 800 624 2408, www.sineqco.com. 

Snyder Mfg. Inc. 

» Booths 12065, 12067 

Snyder is a long-time manufacturer of PVC 

laminate products: 

Snyder Digi-S products include a banner 

line with 17 colors. Three new products in 

the line for solvent digital printing include 

13-ounce gloss and matte products, doublesided 

Advertex silk, and printable mesh with 

backing liner. 

Snyder-Tec includes all tent and structural 

fabrics. 

Snyder-Life contains products from the 

general laminate line for the medical, OEM 

equipment, athletic, pool cover and agricultural 

markets. 

Somfy Systems Inc. 

» Booth 6091 

The Outdoor RTS Lighting Receiver is a new 

accessory for deck or patio, featuring the ability 

to control outdoor lighting with RTS technology 

and Somfy’s Telis RTS transmitters. 

The system is easy to install and compatible 

with Somfy’s RTS motors, controls, sensors 

and other accessories. 

Contact Somfy Systems Inc., Boca Raton, Fla., 

U.S.A.; 877 647 6639, www.somfysystems.com. 

Sommers Plastic Products Co. Inc. 

» Booth 12083 

AgUARDIAN is a new polymer fabrics line 

featuring AgION antimicrobial protection 

for such applications as bacterial-resistant 

upholstery and wall coverings for the healthcare 

and hospitality industries. AgUARD- 

IAN incorporates silver-based antimicrobial 

compound into plastic and synthetic leather 

materials, offering architects and designers 

a safe, durable material with protective 

surfaces that inhibit the growth of bacteria, 

mold and fungus. 

Contact Sommers Plastic Products Co. Inc., Clifton, 

N.J., U.S.A.; 800 225 7677, www.sommers.com. 

Steel Stitch Corp. 

» Booth 7117 

Steel Stitch now offers flat metal canopies 

and aluminum Bahama shutter-style awnings 

in prefabricated, modular designs. 

The high-load, hangar-rod-supported canopies 

come in a variety of soffit and fascia 

styles and powder-coated finishes. 

The Bahama shutters are durable, ready-toinstall 

modular panels complete with outrods, 

also in powder-coated finishes. 

Contact Steel Stitch Corp., Kennesaw, Ga., U.S.A.; 800 

441 3316, www.steelstitch.com, www.gatorstitch.com. 

In addition, Snyder supplies manual and powered 

grommeting equipment, grommets, double-sided 

banner tape, HH-66 vinyl cement, 

various tent cleaners and vinyl patching. 

Contact Snyder Mfg. Inc., Dover, Ohio, U.S.A.; 

800 379 2839, www.snyderman.com. 

64 REVIEW 08.08

GRAPHIC MEDIA 

Stoett Industries Inc. 

» Booth 541 

New line of retractable screen systems, the 

PanoramaLite (patent pending), is designed 

to offer customers an economical way to 

screen off residential garages and architectural 

openings. Offered in a spring-loaded 

manual version, as an alternative to Stoett’s 

large-format motorized Panorama system, 

PanoramaLite has the screen locked into the 

side tracks with the use of snap system. When 

not in use, it rolls up into a small housing. 

Available for openings up to 10 feet wide and 

9 feet tall, in black, white, desert tan, linen 

and brown. 

Contact Stoett Industries Inc., Defiance, Ohio, U.S.A.; 

800 431 2986, www.stoett.com. 

Textile Technology Center 

at Gaston College 

» Booth 11013 

The Textile Technology Center at Gaston College 

serves the textile industry in a variety of 

ways. Its modern pilot yarn-spinning plant 

provides yarn and fabric information. A new 

CCO Sample Weaving System can produce 

woven fabric samples for clients in as little 

as two days. The Center offers extensive 

fiber, yarn and fabric testing and evaluating 

services on state-of-the-art testing equipment. 

It performs defect analyses with a 

scanning electron microscope, consults on 

process improvement and product innovation, 

and offers customized training for individual 

firms. 

Contact Textile Technology Center at Gaston College. 

Belmont, N.C., U.S.A.; +1 704 825 3737, 

http://textilecenter.gaston.edu. 

10oz, 13oz, 13oz double-sided, 

available in many widths and colors 

Products! Opportunities! 

POOL & SPA FABRICS 

UV/Chlorine protected fabrics for 

Pools & Spas (10oz,12oz,14oz) 

HEALTHCARE 

FABRICS 

FABRICS FOR 

HOSPITAL & 

HEALTHCARE 

Pressure reduction 

fabrics, Barrier 

fabrics, & 

Protective 

fabrics 

OUTDOOR 

STRUCTURE FABRICS 

FABRICS FOR TENTS & 

OUTDOOR STRUCTURES 

DAF UltraTop Tent Sidewall, 

Printed Tent Window Panel 

& Tent Tops 

VISIT OUR WEB SITE www.dafproducts.com 

800/228-9837 

420 Braen Avenue • Wyckoff, NJ 07481 

Y 201/251-1222 W 201/251-1221 

Visit Daf At IFAI EXPO 08 - Booth # 2013 



3G Mermet 

» Booth 900 

Mermet highlights two of its fabrics that are 

certified by the Greenguard Environmental 

Institute for low emissions and for safety of 

use in building interiors. 

For exterior applications, Satine Twill Weave 

provides glare control and is engineered for 

both indoor and outdoor use; its light side 

reflects solar energy when facing outward 

and its darker side offers better view-through 

when facing inward. Natte is a 2x2 basket 

weave for excellent outside visibility. 

E-Screen for interior applications is a 2x2 

basketweave fabric available in four openness 

factors: 1, 3, 5 and 10 percent. Because 

it offers transparency while maximizing solar 

protection, it’s commonly used in applications 

where the view is important. M-Screen has a 

designer linen look and is available in 3 and 5 

percent openness and three widths. 

Contact 3G Mermet, Cowpens, S.C., U.S.A.; 

866 902 9647, www.mermetusa.com. 

303 Products Inc. 

» Booth 10099 

303 Products offers free floor displays to 

retail locations selling its outdoor fabric care 

and patio furniture care lines. The outdoor 

fabric care display holds 303 Fabric/Vinyl 

Cleaner and 303 High Tech Fabric Guard, 

both of which clean and re-treat Sunbrella ® 

and other outdoor fabrics. The patio furniture 

care display features 303 Patio Furniture 

Cleaner and 303 Patio Furniture Protectant, 

both of which clean and protect teak, polyethylene, 

vinyl, fiberglass, epoxy and other 

composite resins, powder-coated metal and 

stainless steel. 

Contact 303 Products Inc., Palo Cedro, Calif., U.S.A.; 

800 223 4303, www.303products.com. 

3P Inkjet Textiles Corp. 

» Booth 7007 

3P offers a new line of fabrics for UV-curable 

inks and sublimation transfer printing. The 

odor-free UV-transfer media contain no 

harmful substances, and 3P provides ecologically 

oriented production processes. The 

company offers seven UV-transfer, recyclable 

fabrics—all RF—for indoor and outdoor use. 

Contact 3P Inkjet Textiles Corp., Madison, Conn., 

U.S.A.; 866 374 5835, www.3p-inktextiles.com. 

Tri Vantage LLC 

» Booth 7087 

Tri Vantage introduces two new fabrics from 

Dickson for large structures, clearspans and 

tents. Sunblock and Lac 650 SL fabrics keep 

their looks long-term because their Lowick 

System blocks moisture and resists UV degradation, 

mildew, discoloration and soiling. Both 

fabrics clean easily and are weldable. 

New Phifertex ® 100-percent Marquésa ® 

Blends fabric is an environmentally friendly 

synthetic that is lightweight, yet strong and 

durable for cushion applications. The fabric 

is itself recyclable; it’s also resistant to 

bacteria, mold, mildew, odor and fading, and 

dries quickly. 

The Décor UV line of Riri zippers is highly 

UV-resistant, ideal for marine, canvas, and 

tent applications. The zipper’s plastic slider 

won’t chip or corrode and rides on the teeth 

rather than abrading the tape. The zippers 

come in lengths from 24 to 144 inches. 

Stamoid ® SK fabrics by Ferrari for marine use 

resist UV rays, mold, mildew and extreme 

temperatures, and have excellent longevity 

and durability. Stamoid SK Top (for enclosures, 

bimini tops and dodgers) is coated on 

both sides with silicone. Stamoid SK Cover 

(for marine covers) has silicone coating on 

one side, and features a Nanotop ® invisible 

barrier against condensation, pollution, mold 

and mildew. Stamoid SK Combi (for covers, 

enclosures, and bimini tops) features silicone 

on the front and weldable composite on the 

back. 

The new Sunbrella ® View solar-protective 

window filters up to 95 percent of the sun’s 

heat. Applications include solar screens, 

small retractable awnings, awning roller 

valances, drop-arm awnings, vertical blinds 

and roller shades. 

The Sunbrella Yachting Collection is a new 

line of furniture-weight fabrics for marine 

interiors that includes Sunbrella solids, 

stripes and jacquards. 

The Sunbrella High Point Collection III offers 

117 new styles and patterns in a coordinated 

combination of current styles and classic 

looks, including a large group of traditional 

weaves in basic colors. One addition is Plush, 

with a soft, luxurious chenille-like feel. Also 

new is a selection of reversible patterns. The 

High Point line also now includes a variety of 

color-coordinated embellishments, including 

braid, twist cord edge and brush fringe. 

Contact Tri Vantage LLC, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A.; 

800 786 1876, www.trivantage.com. 

66 REVIEW 08.08

Twitchell Corp. 

» Booth 9093 

Earthtex is a fully recyclable TPO yarn and 

fabric, free of volatile organic compounds 

and coated with the same olefin material 

as its core, allowing closed-loop recycling 

of the end product. 

Textilene ® Specialty Wickers’ unique 

wicker-look construction offers style and 

quality along with the durability to withstand 

tough indoor or outdoor conditions. 

Textilene 90 Solar Screen PVC-coated polyester 

fabric blocks 90 percent of UV rays, 

reduces heat transfer through windows, and 

reduces glare. It’s flame- and fade-resistant, 

highly durable, and offers an alternative for 

insect screen. A similar product, Textilene 

80, provides an 80-percent UV block. 

Textilene Fluorescent Safety Fabric is flexible, 

lightweight, versatile, breathable, heatweldable 

and mildew-resistant. Its high 

color visibility makes it suitable for such 

safety applications as vest, flags, highway 

signage, bags, covers, binders and barriers. 

Textilene Sport Fabric is strong, breathable, 

durable, and comes in vibrant colors. 

Applications include mats, sport netting, 

gymnasium sidewalls and dividers, and 

jump-pit fabric. 

Visit Hiker At IFAI EXPO 08 - Booth # 7025 

Untitled-4 1 7/26/06 1:21: 

SuperScreen ® provides innovative technology 

in home screening protection for pool, 

patio or porch. 

Shadeview Solar Screen Fabric offers a 

color pallete and design that present striking 

alternatives to traditional UV-control 

methods, complementing décor while 

reducing glare. 

Diversatex Plus solution-dyed polypropylene 

fabrics are not only soft and versatile, 

but now feature increased UV performance 

and a coating of a polypropylene-based 

copolymer, ideal for outdoor covers. Diversatex 

7-ounce fabric is resistant to fading, 

mildew, abrasion and rot. Other benefits 

include dimensional stability and 

cleanability. 

Sunsure ® fabric can withstand fading, mildew 

soiling and wear-and-tear for years in 

the outdoors. Applications include umbrellas 

and awnings, which benefit from the 

fabric’s 92 percent shade factor. Sunsure 

colors remain crisp and vibrant even under 

severe weather extremes. 

Contact Twitchell Corp., Dothan, Ala., U.S.A.; 

800 633 7550, www.twitchellcorp.com. 

Visit SuperTex Fabrics At IFAI EXPO 08 - Booth # 9111 

www.reviewmagazine.info • 08.08 REVIEW 67 

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U.S. Wholesale Pipe & Tube Inc. 

» Booth 4036 

Gatorshield ® is a triple-layer rust- and corrosion-resistant 

protection for structural steel 

tubing. Flo-Coat ® is the process of applying 

zinc, chromate and a clear polymer topcoat. 

Contact U.S. Wholesale Pipe & Tube Inc., Holiday, 

Fla., U.S.A.; +1 727 945 9060, www.usw.com. 

The Warm Co. 

» Booth 429 

This nonwovens manufacturer is capable 

of converting natural and bleached cotton, 

polyester, PAN and more in stock and custom 

weights, with fiber blending, fiber coating and 

bleeder/breather and fusible webs. 

Contact The Warm Co., Lynnwood, Wash., U.S.A.; 

www.warmcompany.com. 

The Wolf Machine Co. 

» Booth 5089 

Wolf Machine will introduce a complete line 

of manual, semi-manual and fully automatic 

end-cutting systems for manufacturers of 

all sizes. 

Contact The Wolf Machine Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, 

U.S.A.; 800 543 9653, www.wolfmachine.com. 

Wolff Industries 

» Booth 6128 

The KAI ® 7000 Series shears work on all 

types of fabrics. Lightweight and strong, the 

7000 Series features soft Santoprene ® on the 

handles, which are large to reduce stress and 

made of A-8 high-carbon steel for strength. 

Blades are thick for heavy-duty cutting with 

double-locking nuts for strength. Available in 

overall lengths of 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 inches. 

The new Corru-gator corrugates scissor and 

shear edges quickly, easily and efficiently 

when used with the Twice As Sharp ® scissors 

sharpening system. Features include a ¾-inch 

diamond-plated spiral corrugating wheel and 

cogged belt with step-down gear; standard 

clamp and free-floating arm system. Clamp 

opens wide for thick blades and self-adjusts 

for blade taper. 

You Sung Fabrics 

» Booth 8119 

Quality supplier of high-performance technical 

fabrics in both woven and nonwoven 

construction has capabilities that include 

anti-wick, low shrink and high-tenacity fabrics. 

Company is ISO 9000-2000 certified 

since 2002, and ISO 14001 certified since 

2005. Technical fabric substrates can be used 

in critical-use applications such as coated 

signs, billboards, truck covers, tarpaulins, oil 

booms, inflatables, roofing, military use and 

geosynthetics. 

Contact You Sung Industrial Co. Ltd., Daegu, Korea; 

+82 53 567 0661, +1 203 808 6581 (U.S.A.). 

Zhejiang Huasheng Warp Knitting 

New Material Co. Ltd. 

» Booth 9117 

The company manufactures mercerized velvet, 

short velvet, golden velvet and coil velvet for 

such applications as garments, toys, shoes 

and decoration, and exports to Europe, America 

and Southeast Asia. 

Contact Zhejiang Huasheng Warp Knitting New 

Material Co. Ltd., Haining City, China; 

+86 573 8798 7388, www.wasonknit.com. 

Zhejiang Haining Warpknitting 

Industrial Zone Dev. Co. Ltd. 

» Booth 9117 

Established in 2007, this industrial zone in 

Haining City, China, is now home to 281 businesses, 

with a total output value of more than 

10.2 billion RMB, sales income of 10 billion 

and income tax of 550 million. The zone has 

developed so quickly that it’s become the 

largest warp knitting base in China for production, 

research and sales. 

Contact Zhejiang Haining Warpknitting Industrial 

Zone Co. Ltd., Haining City, China; +86 573 8798 

7852, www.jb98.cn. 

Contact Wolff Industries, Spartanburg, S.C., U.S.A.; 

800 888 3832, www.wolffind.com. 

68 REVIEW 08.08


DESIGN, BUILD, MANAGE 

THE COMPOSITES CONNECTION 

register TODAY for COMPOSITESWORLD Expo! 

COMPOSITES 

WORLDEXPO 

technical conference: sept 2 . 3, 2008 

exhibit hall: sept 3 . 4 . 5, 2008 

Renaissance Schaumburg, IL Hotel & Conference Center 

the industry 

Whether you’re a composites industry veteran or a newcomer to the use of composite 

materials, you need to Get Connected with your peers, suppliers, customers and 

prospects at COMPOSITESWORLD Expo! 

the expo 

Be a part of North America’s only trade show dedicated to showcasing the composites 

industry’s extraordinary technological and end-market breadth. 

get connected— 

plan NOW to participate! 

• Two full days of two-track technical conference sessions 

• Three days of world-class exhibits 

• Valuable networking opportunities 

REGISTER 

TODAY! 

limited booth space is still available! 

Please visit: www.compositesworldexpo.com/exhibit/ 

questions? 

kim hoodin / khoodin@gardnerweb.com / 513.527.8800 / ext. 254 

michelle crider / mcrider@gardnerweb.com / 513.527.8800 / ext. 297 

www.compositesworldexpo.com 

presented by 

GARDNER 

PUBLICATIONS INC. 

co-sponsored by

AWNINGS AND SHADES GEOSYNTHETICS GRAPHICS LIGHTWEIGHT STRUCTURES MARINE PROTECTIVE: SAFETY AND MEDICAL TENTS AND TEMPORARY SHELTERS TRANSPORTATION AND AUTOMOTIVE TRUCK COVERS UPHOLSTERY 

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at IFAI Expo 2008 

Where ideas converge with science—and technology connects with creativity. 

Exclusively at IFAI Expo 2008, the new “Innovation 

Theater” offers attendees a value-added 

educational opportunity to witness the finest 

collection of textile innovations. 

The theater is open daily in the Exhibit Hall 

during IFAI Expo 2008 and presents technical textile developments 

and insight into the innovative products and technologies 

now on the market featured by show exhibitors. 

Attendees will see emerging textile technologies, sustainable, 

eco-friendly products, learn about innovative manufacturing 

systems and get up-to-date on exciting new fabrics 

and technical textile materials. 

Attending the Innovation Theater is an ideal learning 

opportunity for everyone in the specialty fabrics value chain 

including manufacturers, engineers, designers and business 

entrepreneurs. Registered visitors at the IFAI Expo trade show 

are invited to attend each session free of charge, compliments 

of participating exhibitors. Companies and product innovations 

will be announced before the show. 


IFAI Expo 2008 

Exhibit Hall 

Oct 21–22, beginning at 2:30 pm 

Oct. 23, beginning at 12:30 pm 

Register today to attend IFAI Expo 2008, Oct. 21–23, and 

connect with the worldwide specialty fabrics community. The 

Innovation Theater is complimentary to all registered trade 

show participants. For the best value, and to take advantage 

of the educational and technical symposiums, trade show 

and networking events, attendees are encouraged to select 

the full business package to IFAI Expo 2008. 

Companies interested in presenting at the Innovation 

Theater 2008 may contact Todd Lindemann, IFAI’s vice 

president of conference management, +1 651 225 6918 or 

e-mail tvlindemann@ifai.com. 

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CHARLOTTE CONVENTION CENTER 

»Knowledge 

is power 

» Manufacturers 

» Business leaders 

» Entrepreneurs 

» Sales professionals 

Register Today at www.ifaiexpo.com. 

Save time, save money and save the 

environment by registering online before 

September 19, 2008. For best value, register 

for a Full Business Package to IFAI Expo 2008 

for as low as $529 USD and attend dozens of 

educational programs, networking events, 

and the largest specialty fabrics trade show 

in the Americas. Contact Barbara Connett, 

bjconnett@ifai.com, or Jill Rutledge, 

jmrutledge@ifai.com at IFAI, or call us 

at +1 651 222 2508. 

Educational programs organized with: 

Gain valuable knowledge and develop 

new skills to dominate your market, drive 

innovation and help your business grow. 

Awning Business – How To Grow Your Bottom Line , Oct. 21 

» Instill authentic enthusiasm into client communications 

» Create a referral-rich environment for your small business 

» Hear exciting ideas for reducing profit-draining centers 

Fabrics and Finishes for Consumer Demands , Oct. 22 

» Nanotechnologies - what are they and how will they affect 

your manufacturing business 

» Strategies for assessing product safety 

» Learn about new technologies that you can incorporate into future projects 

GovBiz 201 , Oct. 22 

» Secrets to successful subcontracting 

» Making your company more appealing in the bidding process 

» Lessons learned working with government agencies and services 

Fabric Welding Workshops , Oct. 21-22 

» THE hottest equipment on the market 

» Refresher courses on welding of covering systems, industrial products, 

awnings, tents, structures, canopies 


Fabricator Workshops , Oct. 23 

» Marine Inventions - From Dreams to Reality 

» Airbags & Electronics: An Evolution in Automotive Technologies 

» Upholstery - Focus on Fabrics 

» Smart Shop Safety Strategies


Are you a carbon bigfoot? 

Reducing your greenhouse-gas emissions sounds a bit airy, but it might 

pay off in energy savings and customer goodwill—if you can afford it. 

Should you measure your carbon footprint and 

try to reduce it? 

This isn’t about a sooty trail around the office. 

It’s about how much carbon dioxide your company 

pumps into the atmosphere as a result of 

its electricity consumption, motor vehicle fuel use and other 

business daily goings-on. 

Whatever your opinion about global warming, reducing 

your firm’s output of carbon dioxide can mean lower costs— 

reason enough for any business to pay attention. Equally 

important, some if not all of your customers will see your 

reduction in carbon output as simply doing the right thing. 

“I think there’s a strong dose of both altruism and business 

sense to becoming involved in this,” says Russell Simon, 

communications manager with Carbonfund.org of Silver 

Spring, Md., a nonprofit organization that helps businesses 

track and reduce output of carbon dioxide. 

CO2 and other so-called greenhouse gases trap heat near 

the surface of the earth, warming the planet and accelerating 

climate change, according to scientists. Results could be rough 

for life as we know it: changing weather patterns, higher 

ocean levels, spreading of disease, reduced agricultural output, 

shortages of potable water, ever-higher food prices. 

Larger U.S.-based companies are already voluntarily signing 

up to meet target reductions. Doing so may be a good idea 

for smaller businesses as well. Ideally, reduced carbon output 

means reduced energy use. You’ll operate more efficiently, 

you may impress your customers … and you might be better 

prepared for the limits that Washington is expected (eventually) 

to impose. 

by Marc Hequet 

Input, output and recovery 

Basically, measuring your carbon output means analyzing 

your energy use and finding ways to reduce it. That’s not 

all, however. 

What’s the hard part? “I think the real answer most times 

goes to the heart of small businesses, and that is they don’t 

have time,” says Jerry Lawson, national manager of the U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star product certification 

for energy efficiency (energystar.gov/smallbiz). 

Shrinking your carbon output can be as simple as swapping 

incandescent light bulbs for more energy-efficient fluorescent 

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74 REVIEW 08.08 

bulbs, or piggybacking more customer visits 

so you can take one less flight. Flying one 

employee from New York to Los Angeles 

for a business meeting pumps nearly a ton of 

CO2 into the atmosphere, says Carbonfund. 

org. You’ve also probably noticed that it costs 

you a lot of money these days. 

So you may already have considered teleconferencing 

equipment, if you’re in a position 

to acquire it. “It pays off pretty quickly 

for businesses that do a fair amount of travel,” 

says Meredith D. West, assistant administrator 

for policy and strategic planning at the U.S. 

Small Business Administration (SBA). 

If you’re going to buy new energy-efficient 

equipment, 2008 may be the year for it. This 

year only, under the Economic Stimulus Act 

of 2008, you can write off up to $250,000, 

twice the earlier limit. Moreover, a special 

depreciation allowance lets you write off 50 

Visit Covin Sales & Converting At IFAI EXPO 08 - Booth # 5031 

Whatever your opinion 

about global warming, 

reducing your firm’s 

output of carbon dioxide 

can mean lower costs— 

reason enough for any 

business to pay attention. 

percent of what you paid for it. In addition, 

you can take a write-off of the normal firstyear 

depreciation on the the other 50 percent 

of what you paid for the property. 

You’ve probably also heard about the 

prospect of selling carbon credits on the 

Chicago Climate Exchange or another such 

bourse. Some organizations, by lowering 

their own carbon output sufficiently, can 

generate enough carbon offset to sell “carbon 

credits” and make a few bucks. 

Big companies such as electric utilities 

have voluntarily pledged to reduce their own 

output by a targeted amount, and if they miss 

the target, they are obliged under their agreement 

with the exchange to buy carbon credits 

from other outfits that hit their targets. 

This trading system may help reduce carbon 

output globally, but it’s probably not a 

good option for small business yet; there’s 

too much work for busy managers and not 

enough return. 

EPA’s Lawson, however, hopes that 

carbon-credit aggregators will emerge for 

small businesses—perhaps through trade 

associations. Such aggregators would help 

small businesses cut energy costs up front, 

AWNINGS AND SHADES GEOSYNTHETICS GRAPHICS LIGHTWEIGHT STRUCTURES MARINE PROTECTIVE: SAFETY AND MEDICAL TENTS AND TEMPORARY SHELTERS TRANSPORTATION AND AUTOMOTIVE TRUCK COVERS UPHOLSTERY


reducing carbon footprints, realizing immediate savings and perhaps even 

gaining some revenue from aggregators’ sales of carbon credits. 

Don’t hold your breath, though. Maybe eventually you can make a little 

money off your outlays to cut CO2 emissions, but it could be a while. “I 

would like to see the small businesses recover that,” says EPA’s Lawson, 

“but it’s not clear to any of us how they’re going to do that, or whether the 

market will care.” 

Customers care 

You want publicity? Going carbon-neutral might put you in the local paper. 

CarbonFund.org says companies with fewer than 10 employees typically 

account for 77 tons of carbon-dioxide emissions per year. That’s a lot of gas, and 

with a little effort you should be able to cut a few tons. Sustainability matters 

to the public, and newspapers, magazines and even local television stations 

are more willing to listen these days if you go to them with your story. 

Quitting carbon 

Find out more about making your business energy efficient: 

> The U.S. Small Business Administration provides a free document, 

“The Small Business Guide to Energy Efficiency,” at this site: 

www.sba.gov or www.business.gov 

> Energy Star, a collaboration between the U.S. Department of Energy 

and the Environmental Protection Agency, offers a free downloadable 

document on energy savings for business: www.energystar.gov 

> Carbonfund.org is a nonprofit organization that helps businesses track 

and reduce carbon output, for a fee: www.carbonfund.org 

FABRICS 

Natural Canvas (7 oz. - 32 oz.) 

single fill, number & army duck 

Dyed Canvas (10 oz. - 18 oz.) 

single fill, number & army duck 

Nylon (70D - 1680D) Taffeta, Oxford, 

Pack, 1000D Textured Nylon, 

Cordura, Basketweave & Ballistic 

Polyester (150D - 1200D) 600D 

Polyester, 1200 Magnatuff Plus & 

600x300 vinyl backed 

Active/outerwear fabrics 

Custom dye lots 

Military fabrics 

VINYLS 

Vinyl Coated Polyester (10 oz. - 40 oz.) 

Vinyl Laminated Polyester 

(10 oz. & 13 oz. ), certified to meet 

the California Fire Marshall & CPAI 84 

MARINE 

Solution Dyed Polyester - 600 Denier 

Sunforger 100% cotton boatshrunk 

duck (10.10 oz. and 12.63 oz./sq. yd.) 

Top Gun/Topyssey/Odyssey III 

Clear Vinyl - 54"- 20 gauge 

Top Value Fabrics 

www.tvfinc.com 

Corporate Headquarters | Carmel, Indiana 

Toll Free: 800-428-5006 

E-mail: in@tvfinc.com 

West Coast | Carson, California 

Toll Free: 800-228-5972 

E-mail: ca@tvfinc.com 

Northwest | Tukwila, Washington 

Toll Free: 800-798-7694 

E-mail: wa@tvfinc.com 

Visit TVF At IFAI EXPO 08 - Booth #10039 


TVF_0808RV-3rdVExpo.indd 1 7/30/08 1:30:

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76 REVIEW 08.08 

You want publicity? Sustainability matters to the public, and 

newspapers, magazines and even local television stations are more 

willing to listen these days if you go to them with your story. 

Visit Assyst-Bullmer At IFAI EXPO 08 - Booth # 915 

Whether or not the media come around, 

your customers count, and your customers 

may be expecting you to turn green. So goes 

the discussion at Eide Industries Inc., a Cerritos, 

Calif., maker of custom awnings and 

canopies. Carbon reduction is “definitely on 

the radar screen” at his company, says vice 

president Joe Belli. “It’s obviously a very 

important marketing tool,” he adds. “It is 

going to matter to our customers.” 

Why wait? “It will probably raise prices,” 

says Belli, “which would make us less competitive 

right now.” 

How so? Less energy use, less cost, less 

carbon output—that much works. To be 

good carbon cops, however, industrial-fabric 

manufacturers may have to take into account 

the carbon in their products as well. What 

will they have to pay to recycle all those 

awnings and canopies rather than merely 

putting them in the trash? Belli says the cost 

of separating recyclable from nonrecylable 

material in such fabrics is unknown at this 

point. 

He anticipates that at some point either 

customer pressure or government regulation 

will cause the industry to start tracking 

carbon. However, “quite frankly,” says 

Belli, “I don’t know if we’re backed into 

that corner yet.” 

Marc Hequet is a business writer based 

in St. Paul, Minn. 

Turn to page 98 for contact information on 

sources used in this article. 



Olympic excellence 

As the world’s first public top-to-bottom membrane structure, 

the Ethylene-Tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE)-infused “Watercube” 

gets its moment in the sun this month in Beijing. 

For almost five centuries, the Forbidden City— 

located in Beijing, and home of the imperial 

palace—has been the symbol of China’s distinct 

grandeur, as well as its detachment from 

the world. But with the world’s most populous 

country on a fast track to industrialize its infrastructure in 

recent years, it’s no secret that the Chinese government wants 

to make a splash when it hosts the 2008 Summer Olympics 

this month. 

And while there will be plenty of splashing going on 

inside at its new National Aquatic Center, the outside structure 

is sure to leave the most lasting impression. Fittingly 

dubbed the “Watercube,” it’s safe to say the world has never 

seen anything like it. Construction of the $143.2 million 

project began in December 2003. This followed an intense, 

global design competition—initiated by China—that sought 

a structure that was majestic in expression while achieving 

the highest standards of energy efficiency and earth-friendly 

materials. 

The winning contract was awarded to PTW Architects, 

and engineering group Ove Arup Pty. Ltd., both based in 

Sydney, Australia. PTW and Ove Arup worked intimately 

with the China State Construction Engineering Corporation 

(CSCEC) and the CSCEC Shenzhen Design Institute 

(CSCEC+DESIGN). “It was a team inspiration,” says John 

Bilmon, PTW project director on the Watercube. “One of 

the great successes of this project was the collaboration that 

occurred between Australian and Chinese architects and 

engineers working together.” 

by Jeff Barbian 

Photo courtesy of PTW. 

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78 REVIEW 08.08 

Bubble wrapped 

Completed on January 28, 2008, the Watercube, which seats 17,000, is hosting all the aquatic 

events at the Olympic games, with 42 gold medals at stake. The structure’s appearance is both 

highly modern and steeped in tradition. 

The design plays off the natural geometric formation of soap bubbles—based on modern 

physics that demonstrates how bubbles can be arranged in an infinite array—which provides 

a contemporary, casual, organic, and translucent appearance. The design was chosen carefully 

to incorporate the symbolism of the square in Chinese culture, which is the archetype of the 

house in Chinese tradition and mythology. 

According to Bilmon, it took a few cracks at the drawing board before choosing the final 

motif. “We had some designs based on curved panels, and curved sheets; we had some designs 

that were like igloos coming together,” he says. “As a team we discussed those designs, but 

Photo: PTW. 



Photo: PTW. 

what we found to be most important was the 

cultural relevance of this building within the 

setting, within the Beijing landscape, and 

it wasn’t until we had that discussion, led 

principally by our Chinese partners, that we 

found that the most important form for the 

building was a simple square. That required us 

then to find an exciting and modern expression 

for the facades of the building.” 

The Watercube’s side length measures 

177m, with a height of 31m at street level. 

More than 22,000 stainless steel sections form 

the sides of the bubbles, which are welded 

at the joints to more than 12,000 spherical 

steel nodes. At its completion, the Watercube 

became the world’s largest ETFE-clad structure, 

with more than 100,000m2 of transparent 

dual ETFE cushion envelopes, each only 

2.4mm in thickness, making up the 3,000 

irregular bubbles. A pump connection and 

manifold connects each individual bubble 

to maintain inflation. 

Green ETFE 

The environmentally friendly properties 

of the Watercube go hand in hand with the 

advantages of using ETFE as its primary 

material. ETFE cladding enables the structure 

to be about 30 percent more energy efficient 

than traditional glass by allowing more light 

and heat penetration. Its reuse and recycling of 

water is nothing short of groundbreaking, as 

approximately 80 percent of water harvested 

from the roof catchment areas, pool backwash 

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8TMI_THIRDad.indd 80 REVIEW 08.08 1 

PVC Coated & 

Laminated Fabrics 

Truck Tarps | Covers | Curtains | Athletic Mats | Dock Seals 

Coated: 10 oz., 14 oz., 18.5 oz., 22 oz., 40 oz. 

Laminated: 10 oz., 13 oz., 18.5 oz. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

61” wide standard up to 126” 

UV Stabalized 

Mildew Resistant 

NFPA 701+ 

Strong and Durable 

LARGE INVENTORY 

Standard Colors: Black, Gray, White, 

Forest Green, Kelly Green, Lime Green, Navy 

Blue, Royal Blue, Light Blue, Red, Yellow, 

Orange, Pink, Purple, Burgandy, Brown, Beige 

+(Standard on all Laminated Items and Available on Coated) 

Warehouses in Pittsburgh and Atlanta 

800-888-9750 

TMI LLC • 5350 Campbells Run Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15205 

800 888 9750 • 412 787 9750 • Fax 412 787 3665 

website: www.tmivinylsolutions.com • contact: vinylsolutions@tmi-pvc.com 

Visit TMI, LLC At IFAI EXPO 08 - Booth # 8025 

Photo: PTW. 

systems and overland flows are reflowed back into the system. 

For water-strapped Beijing, which has less water per person 

than Israel, this was a vital feature. 

“The building acts like an insulated greenhouse,” says 

Bilmon. “We’ve considered the impact of solar rays hitting 

the building and capturing the energy created by the solar 

rays and reusing that within the building. The energy savings 

may be second to none in the world.” In fact, according 

to PTW, 90 percent of the solar energy falling on the ETFE 

cushions is trapped within the structural zone and used to 

heat the pools and interior. 

Jeff Barbian is a freelance writer based in Minneapolis, Minn. 

Turn to page 98 for contact information on sources used in this article. 

5/12/08 2:26:16 PM 



After the earthquake: 

reaching out to China 

Tent companies donate time and materials to help provide 

immediate shelter for housing, hospitals and schools. 

May 12 changed everything in the Sichuan 

province of China. Local radio in 

Sichuan quoted disaster relief officials 

as saying a third of the buildings in 

Wenchuan collapsed from the quake 

and another third were seriously damaged. In addition to 

taking thousands of lives, the earthquake leveled schools, 

hospitals and houses. As Chinese citizens and international 

helpers began cleanup, several tent companies stepped in 

to donate their time and materials. Losberger Shanghai 

and Röder Tent Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. are two of 

the many companies who have helped in the quake’s 

aftermath. 

On May 21 at midnight, Losberger transported tent 

frames and tarpaulins to Deyang in trucks. Early on May 

23, 12 supervisors and installers for Losberger, under the 

direction of the Chinese general manager Yibin Chen of 

the Losberger subsidiary, followed the tent equipment 

to the disaster area, setting up tents in coordination with 

regional authorities and aid organizations in places where 

they were needed the most. For the time being, all 13 

tents are being used as hospitals or schools. Chen’s team 

also set up five tents which had been purchased from 

Losberger by the retail giant Metro for immediate aid 

in the stricken areas. These temporary shelters were set 

up in Shefang, Shigu and Mianzhu, where they were 

urgently required as hospitals. Existing local hospitals 

Students at the German 

School and Jinan District 

Middle School in Shanghai 

painted their classroom 

tent to express sympathy 

with fellow children in 

the disaster area. Photo: 

Losberger Shanghai. 

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82 REVIEW 08.08 

The American Red Cross has 

announced that it is doubling 

its contributions to the 

disaster from $10 million to 

$20 million. The organization 

will also send a relief delegate 

to China for six months to 

support the Chinese Red Cross 

in managing the effective 

delivery of relief assistance. 

LOWY 

Webbing | Fasteners | Soft Goods | Hot Cutters 

Visit Lowy Enterprises Inc. At IFAI EXPO 08 - Booth # 927 

Classes at the Dujiangan Beijie Experimental Foreign 

Languages School resumed just over a month after 

the earthquake, thanks to 10 tents donated by Röder 

Tent Service. Photos: Röder Tent Service (Shanghai). 

Providing quality components & 

service to manufacturers around 

the world since 1970. 

www.lowyusa.com 

310.763.1111 | info@lowyusa.com 

had been either severely damaged or were 

unable to cope with the numbers of injured 

people in their areas. 

Two additional Losberger tents have now 

been nicely painted by students of the German 

School and Jinan District Middle School in 

Shanghai; the students wanted to express 

their sympathy and support for their contemporaries 

in the disaster area. The tents 

arrived in Sichuan on June 1, the official 

“Children’s Day” in China. They’re being 

used as temporary classrooms and accommodations 

for students. 

Röder Tent Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. 

contacted the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau 

(SCAB) to set up its donation. “Actually, we 

really have a very tight schedule of our rental 

service, due to the Beijing 2008 Olympic 

Games and some other events,” said Röder’s 

Wilona Tsien, the company’s marketing communications 

executive. “We made a quick 

decision to close the rental business in the 

following days [to allow the] donation.” 



The Röder team worked closely with teachers and 

others to set up 10 tents over a one-week period, 

and also to teach them how to set up the tents 

to make sure that they stay safe and stable. The 

tents are designated as classrooms for now, but 

the school can keep the tents and reuse them in 

the future. 

The SCAB allocated Röder’s tents to the 

Dujiangan Beijie Experimental Foreign Languages 

School, to allow the school to re-open 

quickly after the quake and get students back 

into learning. “When we arrived,” Tsien says, 

“we saw the collapsed school and people living 

in tents on the playground, with tough 

living conditions.” Tsien said that the team 

worked closely with teachers and others to 

set up 10 tents over a one-week period, and 

also to teach them how to set up the tents to 

make sure that they stay safe and stable. The 

6th Annual 

IFF Silent Auction 

During IFAI Expo 2008 

October 21 – 23, 2008 

Charlotte Convention Center 

Charlotte, NC 

You are invited to participate 

in a unique fund-raising event 

by donating an item or bidding 

on the items that have been 

donated. Items from donors 

will be displayed at the silent 

auction. Take advantage of this 

unique opportunity and consider 

supporting our auction. 

Beth Hungiville 

IFF Managing Director 

+1 651 225 6545 

info@indfabfnd.com 

www.indfabfnd.com 

INDUSTRIAL FABRICS FOUNDATION 

SILENT AUCTION 

• Education • Research • Technology • 


IFF_Silent_Act_ad.indd 1 7/29/08 2:29: 

‘05

The Largest Stock 

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• Square mesh net 

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Call InCord for all your netting needs – 

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84 REVIEW 08.08 

Visit InCord Ltd. At IFAI EXPO 08 - Booth # 4001 

Visit InterWrap At IFAI EXPO 08 - Booth # 633 

Local radio in Sichuan quoted 

disaster relief officials as 

saying a third of the buildings 

in Wenchuan collapsed from 

the quake and another third 

were seriously damaged. In 

addition to taking thousands of 

lives, the earthquake leveled 

schools, hospitals and houses. 

Photo: Röder Tent 

Services (Shanghai). 

tents are designated as classrooms for now, 

but the school can keep the tents and reuse 

them in the future when necessary. 

Among many others who have aided the 

relief effort, the German military responded 

to quake needs by setting aside 80 large 

military tents. Each of the large tents can 

accommodate more than 700 people and 

is equipped with a power generator and air 

conditioner. 

Turn to page 98 for contact information on sources 

used in this article. 



SHOP for small 

business healthcare 

The Small Business Healthcare Options Program; 

AATCC co-sponsors “Textile Printing: Green & Global.” 

According to the National Federation of Independent 

Business (NFIB), of the estimated 47 

million Americans without health insurance, 

more than 28 million are small business owners, 

their employees and dependents. The Small 

Business Healthcare Options Program (SHOP Act, H.R. 6210) 

has been introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives. 

Reps. Ron Kind (D-Wisc.) and Phil English (R-Pa.) announced 

at a press conference the goal of creating statewide or nationwide 

purchasing pools for small businesses. H.R. 6210 

is companion legislation to S. 2795, which was introduced 

in the Senate in April. 

“We are pleased to learn of the enhancements to the SHOP 

Act as it affects many of our 4,200 rental business members,” 

said Christine Wehrman, executive vice president and CEO 

of the American Rental Association (ARA). “As an active 

association that strives to meet the needs of our members, 

our vice president for government affairs, John McClelland, 

is working very closely with 

political leaders in the House 

Connections is a forum for of Representatives in Washington, 

D.C., to keep this legisla- 

news and information from 

cooperating organizations within 

or connected to the specialty tion moving forward.” 

fabrics industry. 

The bill is designed to make 

For news from the Industrial healthcare more affordable for 

Fabrics Association 

the self-employed and small 

International, publisher of the 

Review, turn to The Insider on 

page 87. 

businesses. According to a summary of the legislation, the 

bill would: 

> Allow small businesses and the self-employed to band 

together in a statewide or nationwide pool by 2011, to 

obtain lower health insurance prices by spreading the risk 

over larger numbers of participants 

> Provide small business owners with an annual tax credit if 

they pay more than 60 percent of employee premiums, and 

a bonus tax credit for paying for more than 60 percent 

> Provide an annual tax credit for the self-employed 

> Keep prices lower by offering a range of private health plans 

that will have to compete for business 

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Give 

us the dirt. 

Send us your dirty fabrics—we’ll return 

them 

cleaned and protected. 

. 

Cleaning outdoor fabrics is our business...Awning Cleaning 

Industries is America’s leading outdoor fabric maintenance company with 

more than 25 years of experience. Send us your outdoor fabric, let us do 

the dirty work and make your life easier. Contact us today for more 

information about our extensive range of services. 

Awning Cleaning Industries– 

The Outdoor Fabric Specialists 

29 Fitch Street, New Haven, CT 06515 

800 542 3009 III info@cleancanvas.com 

www.cleancanvas.com 

86 REVIEW 08.08 

Visit Awning Cleaning Industries At IFAI EXPO 08 - Booth # 4006 

Engineered woven narrow fabrics, 

specialty broadcloth and woven structures 

used in the following applications: 

Medical 

Industrial 

Aerospace 

Commercial 

Military 

Visit Bally Ribbon Mills At IFAI EXPO 08 - Booth # 4134 

Proud distributor of a full 

line of Apco products! 

Contact us at: 

23 North 7th Street 

Bally, PA 19503 

PHONE 610 845 2211 

FAX 610 845 8013 

E-MAIL brm@ballyribbon.com 

WEB www.ballyribbon.com 

Lower healthcare administrative costs, 

and accountability measures that rely on 

oversight by state insurance commissioners, 

are also part of the plan to benefit small 

businesses. It’s anticipated that no further 

action will take place on this bill until after 

the 2008 presidential elections. 

For information about the ARA, an international 

trade organization that supports 

equipment rental businesses, manufacturers 

and suppliers, visit www.ararental.org. 

Textile printing and 

global sustainability 

The American Association of Textile Chemists 

& Colorists (AATCC) and [TC] 2 are jointly 

sponsoring “Innovative Textile Printing: 

Green & Global,” September 17–19 at the 

Sheraton Imperial Hotel, Durham, N.C., 

U.S.A. The conference will highlight fresh 

approaches to textile printing and provide 

insight into the development and production 

of textile prints in the global supply chain. 

Digital textile printing will be presented 

as both an established solution for product 

development and an emerging opportunity 

for production printing of yard goods and 

finished garments. Sustainability issues and 

the need to develop printed textile products 

with environmental consideration will also 

be on the agenda. 

Participants will have the opportunity 

to visit Cotton Incorporated for a tour of its 

design and textile processing areas, to see a 

selection of CAD/CAM technology as well as 

dyeing and finishing. The tour will also visit 

[TC] 2 for fresh insights into 3D technologies 

for product development and the integration 

of digital printing into the sewn product 

manufacturing environment. 

Registrations must be received by Sept. 3. 

For more information about the conference, 

visit www.aatcc.org. 


8BallyRibbon_thirdAD.indd 1 

7/3/08 6:58:44 AM

Insider 

IFAI 

August 2008 

87 Membership matters 

88 Best business practices 

89 Division updates 

90 New members 

90 Important deadlines 

Supporting the industry and individual businesses 

MEMBERSHIP 

MATTERS 

Kathy Mattson, 

director of 

membership, IFAI 

www.ifai.com 

To comment or offer 

feedback on the IFAI 

Insider, please contact 

Melissa Dill at 

+1 651 225 6954 or 

mkdill@ifai.com. 

The Industrial 

Fabrics Association 

International [IFAI], 

publisher of the 

Review, is a not-forprofit 

trade association 

that facilitates 

the development, 

application and 

promotion of specialty 

fabric products 

manufactured by its 

diverse membership. 

Join today and 

make an investment 

in your future. 

www.ifai.com 

Membership business 

services add value 

In a recent survey, our members identified the top three areas 

where they find value: our award-winning publications, industry 

events such as the annual IFAI Expo, and networking opportunities. 

Members also identified our business services as a key enhancement 

to their IFAI membership satisfaction. While our publications 

provide vital industry information, events offer access to education 

and the specialty fabrics marketplace, and networking expands 

sales and business partnership opportunities; the business services 

offer cost savings and resources for day-to-day business operations. 

InfoCentral, our members-only expert “hotline,” provides sourcing 

information and technical help. In addition, your company can 

become part of our member-to-member referral program. Thousands 

of manufacturers use this program to source suppliers and 

other resources. Through this program, members have gained new 

business relationships and customers (see our Spotlight on p. 89). 

Members also save money through our shipping/freight, credit 

card processing, payroll processing, finance and logistics programs. 

As an IFAI member, you can: 

• Get a 20 percent discount off ADP payroll processing, even if 

you’ve been using ADP for years. Make sure you’re taking full 

advantage of these immediate savings. 

• Get discounts on your shipping needs through Fed Ex, DHL, 

Yellow Freight and Roadway. We also recently added a logistics 

analysis program to help you streamline your operational 

expenses. 

• Save thousands of dollars year after year using our credit card 

processing program. 

• Find the best solution to your next capital equipment purchase 

through Lease Finance Group. 

The overall package of business services offers enough moneysaving 

and revenue-generating opportunities to provide a significant 

return on investment for your membership dues. 

IFAI is a partner in your success; we encourage you to sign up for 

these key programs. Visit our Web site at www.ifai.com to check out 

all of your member benefits options. 

Insider 08.08 | 87 

THE MEMBERSHIP 

ADVANTAGE 

My primary reason for 

being an IFAI member is 

the sourcing assistance. 

IFAI’s Information Central 

is consistently able to find 

the right suppliers for my 

products. I’m amazed at 

their ability to find exactly 

what I need. 

Mickey Parrott, president 

Parrott Canvas Co. 

Greenville, NC

BEST BUSINESS 

PRACTICES 

by Rose D’Acquisto, 

a freelance writer 

based in St. Paul, Minn. 

88 | Insider 08.08 

Small company. Big difference. 

C 

ustom Canvas Alaska LLC is a thriving small business, despite some much 

bigger competition not far away. How a shop of five people keeps pace with 

a larger company in a region that has steady, but limited growth potential, can be 

summed up in one word: service. 

Service means “being committed to conducting every aspect of business in an 

honest and dignified manner, and to compete with the highest ethical standards,” 

says owner, Eric Walton, an IFAI-certified (1990) Master Fabric Craftsman with 

more than 30 years in the fabric industry. Along with his business partner, Devlin 

McKee, a Certified Craftsman (2003) with more than nine years experience in 

boat top fabrication, tent construction and other custom canvas work, Walton 

and their staff of three provide highly customized canvas solutions, including 

boat tops, awnings, grill covers, snow flies and more, and serve a large number of 

other small but thriving companies. 

Getting to know customers on a first-name basis and greeting every person 

that walks through the door with a smile is part of the culture at Custom Canvas 

Alaska and makes a huge difference with customers. 

“Frankly, being a small company is our biggest asset. Working as a closeknit 

team, we can provide customers with expert, personalized service. 

When customers call about a job, most of the time they’re going to be talking 

to the fabricator who is working on it,” Walton explains. “We work hard at 

understanding our customers’ needs so we can deliver exactly what they’re 

expecting.” Sometimes that means asking a customer to stand in their boat to 

measure the height for an exact fit. Or, calling customers after they’ve constructed 

a project’s framework, so they can better visualize what it will look like when it’s 

finished. 

Custom Canvas Alaska also has a photo wall in the shop that, according 

to McKee, is a big hit. “Our customers are very proud to have their projects 

photographed and placed up on our wall,” he says. The photos also serve as a 

reference for other customers who are looking for a particular type of project. 

Customers get a broad look at the variety of work that Custom Canvas Alaska can 

do, which leads to additional projects from existing customers or referrals. 

“Word of mouth is very important to our business,” says Walton. “Building 

a solid reputation for great customer service is not only good for getting new 

customers, it’s also good for keeping the customers we already have.” 

Walton appreciates the level of service that he 

receives as well. IFAI, PAMA and MFA have been a 

huge help to his business, especially when it comes to 

finding the right resources and connections. When the 

company recently got stumped on a project, Walton 

submitted a technical question to PAMA’s “Ask Your 

Peers” program and received more than 90 responses. 

“I was completely surprised by all the responses 

I received. I couldn’t get over how friendly everyone 

was, and their willingness to share information,” he 

says. “The tips I received were an enormous help, as I 

was able to learn from other people’s experience and 

avoid mistakes they had already made. To be able to 

tap into such a wealth of knowledge is invaluable to our 

business.”

IFAI DIVISION 

UPDATES 

Fabric Graphics Association 

explores eco-friendly initiative 

To promote more eco-friendly practices, 

FGA’s board of directors will look into 

developing basic guidelines that member 

companies can follow to reduce their carbon 

footprint. The board will explore the 

project after IFAI Expo where more information 

on the subject will be presented. 

Members are invited to apply for two open 

board positions, for a supplier and a product 

fabricator. Contact Jan Schieffer at +1 

651 225 6944, jmschieffer@ifai.com 

Tent Rental Division 

now offers insurance 

The TRD division has teamed up with 

National Insurance Specialists and The 

Hartford to provide quality, customized 

insurance solutions for U.S. members 

through IFAI’s Equipment Rental Insurance 

Program. More details can be found 

on the TRD Web site, www.tentexperts.org. 

TRD’s steering committee will focus on 

other member benefits in August, including 

training for tent installers, recognition 

for participating member companies, and 

the IFAI Tent Expo ’09. 

PAMA moves ahead 

on initiatives 

PAMA’s board of directors is making significant 

headway on a number of committee 

initiatives: The codes task force is gathering 

data and setting priorities for a building 

codes document intended to help members 

interface with building officials. The marketing 

committee is evaluating enhancements 

to the PAMA Web site, including the 

online Ask-Your-Peers networking function. 

The education committee is seeking more 

involvement with energy-related organizations 

following the completion of its 12-city 

Awning Energy Study, now available on the 

Awnings Today Web site. PAMA’s board will 

meet again in August to discuss these and 

other initiatives. 

IFAI Canada campaigns 

IFAI Canada’s board will increase efforts to 

develop and promote Canadian products 

and companies. It is revising the Look for 

the Label Campaign decal and will address 

the campaign in every speaking opportunity 

at IFAI Canada Expo ’09. The board is also 

developing new programs and training, 

particularly sales training, throughout the 

year and will explore joint ventures with the 

Canadian Textile Institute, SAC, HighTex, 

and Alliance Export. For more information, 

visit www.ifaicanada.org. 

Lightweight Structures 

Association seeks new 

board members 

The LSA has three board of director 

positions opening in October. The board 

acts to govern the association’s activities 

and make decisions on member benefits, 

programs and events in light of industry 

trends. To apply for one of these positions, 

contact Beth Hungiville at +1 651 225 6952 

or blhungiville@ifai.com. 

ICC ’08 

IFAI will be exhibiting at the 2008 International 

Code Council (ICC) Annual Conference 

and Final Action Hearings, September 

SPOTLIGHT 

Win-win referrals 

14-23, in Minneapolis, Minn. This important 

event in the building code development 

process for the U.S. is an excellent 

opportunity to establish IFAI as the building 

code officials’ source of information for 

fabric and fabric products. Members of 

the IFAI code committee will be attending 

hearings to represent the interests of the 

specialty fabrics industry. 

www.tarpquote.com launched 

More customers will be able to find members 

of the 

Insider 08.08 | 89 

Truck Covers 

& Tarp 

Association, through its new Web site, www. 

tarpquote.com, launched June 6. The site is 

designed to give trucking companies a onestop-shop 

to get tarp quotes from multiple 

manufacturers. TCTA managing director, 

Kristy Osman, says the site streamlines the 

quote process for truck owners and drives 

new business to members. 

An IFAI referral was a winning solution for new member Blu Dot Design of Minneapolis, 

Minn. Blu Dot Design’s senior designer, Warren Young, sought IFAI’s help in finding the 

right company to collaborate with him on the development of an outdoor lounge chair 

designed by world-renowned architect Ralph Rapson. Young needed an expert in outdoor 

upholstery applications that could work with a unique mesh material chosen for 

the chair. Through IFAI, Young connected with a long-time member of the association, 

Faith Roberts at Banner Canvas. “Faith’s ingenuity has helped bring the [Rapson] chair 

to life. She has been a great partner in refining the execution of this product,” he said. 

“In addition, her high level of craft reflects the quality we require from our products. 

The collaboration with Banner Canvas has been an unquestioned success.” 

IFAI knew the custom work required on the project was a good fit for Banner Canvas, 

noted Roberts. “We would not 

have had this job had it not been 

for IFAI’s referral service. I have 

been more successful in my business 

over the past 22 years with 

IFAI than I ever could have been on 

my own.” 

The Rapson Lounge Chair will 

be offered in Blu Dot’s Collection, 

and Banner Canvas has entered it 

into the International Achievement 

Awards, the winners of which will 

be announced at IFAI Expo 2008. 

Photo: Blu Dot Design.

NEW 

MEMBERS 

IFAI DIVISIONS 

AMA | Automotive Materials 

Association 

TCFFA | The Casual Furniture 

Fabric Association 

FGA | Fabric Graphics 

Association 

GMA | Geosynthetics 

Materials Association 

LSA | Lightweight Structures 

Association 

MFA | Marine Fabricators 

Association 

NFI | Narrow Fabrics Institute 

90 | Insider 08.08 

PAMA | Professional Awning 

Manufacturers 

Association 

SPPD | Safety and Protective 

Products Division 

TRD | Tent Rental Division 

TCTA | Truck Cover & Tarp 

Association 

USIFI | United States 

Industrial Fabric 

Institute 

IFAI Canada 

IFAI Japan 

Agri-Cover Inc. 

Tara Opdahl, 

Sales Support Assistant 

+1 701 253 4512 

tarao@agricover.com 

www.agricover.com 

IFAI division: TCTA 

Manufacturer of roll 

tarps, tonneau covers 

and snow plows 

DiSano’s Creative 

Canvas Inc. 

John DiSano, Owner 

+1 315 894 3137 

+1 315 894 0210 

jdisano1@gmail.com 

www.disanoscreativecanvas. 

com 

IFAI division: MFA 

Custom canvas manufacturer: 

awnings, boat 

tops and covers 

Dukane Ultrasonics 

Kathy Harley, Mktg. Comm. Mgr. 

+1 630 797 4900 

kharley@dukcorp.com 

www.dukcorp.com/us 

Manufacturer of ultrasonic 

plastic assembly 

equipment 

Foster Custom 

Awnings LLC 

Chris Helmke, CEO 

+1 504 276 9900 

cjhelmke@bellsouth.net 

IFAI division: PAMA 

Residential and commercial 

awnings 

Gary’s Custom Canvas 

Gary Warner, Owner 

+1 989 662 7277 

tkgl@aol.com 


Marine canvas 

and upholstery 

Genplus 

Daniel Lee, Manager 

+1 724 799 8164 

genplus2@chol.com 

www.shadecloth.co.kr 

Manufacturer, supplier 

of mesh fabrics shade 

cloth 

Got It Covered LLC 

Lance LeBlanc, Owner 

+1 225 278 9425 

lance@gotitcovered.net 

www.gotitcovered.com 


Automotive, marine 

and motorcycle 

upholstery 

High Velocity 

Steve Camposano 

+1 239 403 2650 

steve@category5.com 

www.category5.com 

Resaler of retractable 

awnings and interior 

rolling shades 

Housley Sailmakers 

Glenn Housley, Owner 

+1 410 263 4913 


New sails, repair and 

cleaning, dodgers, 

biminis, interior and 

exterior cushions, 

standing and running 

rigging, winter covers 

Ideal Canopy Tent & 

Structure Ltd. 

Rajbir Pooney 

+1 604 946 2410 

info@idealcanopy.com 

www.idealcanopy.com 

Canopy tent and 

structures 

Landmark Awning 

& Enclosure LLC 

Clint Oliveira, Owner 

+1 512 791 4679 

clint@enclosureguy.com 

www.enclosureguy.com 

Patios, awnings and 

commercial 

Lisa’s Custom Canvas 

Lisa Robarts, Owner 

+1 757 410 3472 

silvervelcro@yahoo.com 

www.lisascustomcanvas.com 


Marine canvas and 

upholstery, motorcycle 

leather products 

Needle’s Eye 

James Owens, Owner 

+1 301 249 4818 

jowens@ineva.com 

Fleet seats and specialty 

sewing for transportation 

industry 

Peterson Canvas 

Jim Myers, Secretary Treasurer 

+1 970 493 4033 

p_canvas@digis.net 

www.petersoncanvas.com 


Commercial and residential 

awnings, custom 

sewing and canvas 

repair 

Preco Inc. 

Terri Olson, Executive VP, Sales 

and Mktg. 

+1 715 247 3285 

tolson@precolaser.com 

www.precoinc.com 

Manufacturing lasers 

systems and die cutting 

equipment and services 

Reliant Converting 

Equipment 

Simone Watson, 

Office Manager 

+1 704 394 7477 

simone@reliantconverting. 

com 

www.reliantconverting.com 

Manufacturing 

RFD Beaufort Inc. 

Mark Bailey 

+1 330 239 4331 

Life boats, safety rafts 

and pilot suits 

RollingShield 

Jeff Parker, Awning Sales 

+1 305 436 6661 

inforoll@rollingshield.com 


Awnings, roll shutters 

and accordions 

Schaefer Ventilation 

Equipment 

Sara Scapanski, 

+1 320 251 8696 

saras@schaeferfan.com 

www.schaeferfan.com 

IFAI division: TRD 

HVAC equipment 

Sterling Net & Twine 

Co. Inc. 

James Van Loon Jr., President 

+1 973 783 9800 

admin@sterlingnets.com 

www.sterlingnets.com 

Fabric tents and 

fabric marine 

Stoett Industries 

Chris Stover, Operations 

Manager 

+1 419 784 0030 

chris@stoett.com 

www.stoett.com 

Retractable screens 

Stork Twin City Testing 

Amy Ostergren, 

Project Manager 

+1 651 659 7303 

amy.ostergren@stork.com 

www.storksmt.com/tct 

Independent testing 

laboratory 

Strataglass LLC 

Edison Irvine, President 

+1 954 581 2221 

edison@strataglass.com 

www.strataglass.com 


Clear flexible film, 

crystal clear 20/20 and 

strataglass 

Vukelich and Associates 

Mark Vukelich, Owner 

+1 651 407 1873 

lvukelich@comcast.net 

www.knotsak.com (under 

contruction) 

Association management 

and product 

development 

Warwick Mills Inc. 

Mary Ley 

+1 603 291 1000 

purchasing@warwickmills.com 

www.warwickmills.com 

IFAI division: USIFI 

Textiles/R&D 

Weso Products 

Jesse Macdonald, President 

+1 613 283 1947 

wesoproducts@myexcel.com 

www.wesoproducts.com 

Custom automated 

sewing techniques 

Don’t miss your IFAI deadline! 

DEADLINE WHAT IS DUE WHAT TO DO 

08/15/2008 Certification applications Contact IFAI Certification Program manager: certification@ifai.com 

08/16/2008 MFA West Coast Regional Workshop Contact Beth Hungiville: blhungiville@ifai.com 

08/18/2008 October Review ad reservation close Contact your sales rep or call: +1 651 222 2508 

08/25/2008 IFAI Expo Guide ad reservation close Contact your sales rep or call: +1 651 222 2508 

09/12/2008 MFA Lower Atlantic Regional Workshop Contact Beth Hungiville: blhungiville@ifai.com 

09/22/2008 November Review ad reservation close Contact your sales rep or call: +1 651 222 2508 

09/28/2008 FGA/PAMA Pre-Expo Tour registration Contact PAMA: mesahlin@ifai.com or FGA: jmschieffer@ifai.com 

10/20/2008 December Review ad reservation close Contact your sales rep or call: +1 651 222 2508 

10/24/2008 Training for Tent Installer registration Contact Jan Schieffer: jmschieffer@ifai.com, +1 651 225 6944

Don’t let a question sidetrack your business. 

On the job 

08.08 

Our textile professionals answer questions about sources of supply, 

building codes, technical issues and more. This free service is 

exclusively for IFAI members. Contact us at 800 328 4324 

+1 651 225 6935 | e-mail infocentral@ifai.com. 

Sf Resources 

INFO CENTRAL 

Don’t let a question sidetrack your business. 

I have a client that wants me to reupholster 

a 1998 Sea Ray boat. Do you have any idea 

what type of fabric was used? 

Typically, the best option is to contact the boat 

manufacturer and ask. In this case, we were 

directed to contact a local dealer, but the marine 

fabricator who asked got a more specific 

answer. Once he was informed that it was a 

Morbern fabric, finding the contact information 

was easy: 

> Morbern Inc., High Point, N.C.; 

+1 336 883 4332, www.morbern.com 

To contact Sea Ray or look up a dealer 

in your area, visit www.searay.com. 

We use an old Allen Datagraph vinyl cutter 

and are in need of some parts. The phone 

number we have is disconnected; are they 

still in business? 

Apparently they are, although it appears they’ve 

moved since you purchased your equipment. 

We located Allen Datagraph at: 

> Allen Datagraph Systems Inc., Derry, N.H.; 

+1 603 216 6344, 800 258 6360, 

www.allendatagraph.com 

We’re looking for a fabric called Clarino; 

what can you tell us? 

Clarino is the trade name of a synthetic suede 

fabric used in automotive interiors, equestrian 

products and sporting goods. The manufacturer 

of Clarino is Kuraray America Inc. For 

more information, contact: 

> Kuraray America Inc.. Clarino Division, 

New York, N.Y.;+1 212 986 2230, 

www.clarino-am.com 

Addition 

In the May 2008 column, we missed a supplier 

of lightweight ripstop fabric: 

> Bainbridge International Inc., Canton, Mass.; 

+1 781 821 2600, 800 422 5684, 

www.bainbridgeint.com 

We’ve heard that there’s a change in the requirements for 

installing tents in California. What can you tell us about that? 

One of our IFAI members on the West Coast alerted us to this 

issue. The state of California recently adopted the International 

Building Code, but made a key change to the section on structural 

requirements for tents. Rather than referencing Chapter 16 of the 

International Building Code (IBC), it uses language that has been 

tentatively identified as originating in an old version of NFPA 102. 

This could potentially lead to the problem of tent installers needing 

two different sets of engineering calculations. The IFAI Code 

Committee communicated with the California State Fire Marshal 

(CSFM) and has been advised that they are aware of the discrepancy. 

It will be addressed in future revisions. In the meantime, tent 

installers are advised to use Chapter 16 of the IBC and to contact 

the CSFM should they have issues with local officials. 

> Office of the California State Fire Marshal, Sacramento, Calif.; 

+1 916 445 8200, http://osfm.fire.ca.gov 

We need some polyethylene fabric that is woven and coated on 

both sides with polyethylene. It needs to be at least 3.2 meters 

wide and we need to be able to digitally print on it. Any idea 

who supplies it? 

We’d always heard that polyethylene was difficult to print on 

because it’s fairly chemically inert. However, several of the companies 

who replied to our inquiry assured us that a combination of 

finishes on the material and advances in the printing process make 

polyethylene print compatible. For potential suppliers, contact: 

> Cooley Group, Pawtucket, R.I.; 

+1 401 721 6259, 800 992 0072, www.cooleygroup.com 

> Fabrene Inc., Ontario, Canada; 

+1 705 476 7057, 888 322 7363, www.fabrene.com 

> Griffin Industrial, Carthage, Texas; 

+1 903 693 7703, e-mail dockdirt@aol.com 

> Intertape Polymer Group, Bradenton, Fla.; 

+1 941 739 7533, 877 318 5752, www.intertapepolymer.com 

> MaiWeave LLC, Springfield, Ohio; 

+1 937 322 1698, 800 521 3898, www.maiweave.com 

> Raven Industries Inc., Sioux Falls, S.D.; 

+1 605 335 0174, 800 635 3456, www.rufco.com 

> Takashima U.S.A. Inc., Garden Grove, Calif.; 

+1 714 892 5542, www.takashimausa.com 

Compiled by Juli Case, IFAI’s information and technical services manager. 


1 

The owners of Sign Here 

of TN once subcontracted 

digital printing 

products, but after 

purchasing the Mutoh 

ValueJet, have brought 

these signage projects 

in-house for increased 

profitability. 

2 

Start to finish 

All-around quality control: 

fabrics and finishes, testing and cleaning. 

Contract textiles with mileage 

In the green 

1 2 3 

Premium finishing options 

Inspired by the great ‘age of the automobile,’ 

when design and innovation coupled with 

a strong sense of optimism, the Motor City 

Collection of 11 versatile contract fabrics 

embodies the style, design, durability and 

exuberance of Detroit’s automotive heritage 

in the 1950s. Drawn from the classics, the 

designs are inspired by the past but offer style 

and performance that’s clearly up to date. 

Flared fins, chrome grills, stylized headlights 

and taillights … each fabric style offers distinctive 

patterns, designs and colors, suitable 

for a wide range of commercial interiors from 

offices to restaurants. All fabrics in the Motor 

City Collection are treated to resist soil and 

stains, and meet or exceed contract industry 

standards for durability, strength and abrasion 

resistance, with 89 colors available. 

For more information, contact C.F. Stinson, Rochester Hills, 

Mich., U.S.A.; 800 841 6279, www.cfstinson.com. 

92 REVIEW 08.08 

The new ValueJet 1608 Hybrid printer prints direct 

to rigid substrates and roll-to-roll, offering 

both economy and versatility for projects such 

as indoor and outdoor signage. The versatility 

and fast production of the Mutoh printer are enhanced 

by its use of MUBIO Ink, a new BIO ink 

technology exclusive to this printer, composed 

primarily of renewable resources. Recognized 

by the EPA Design for the Environment program, 

the ink is composed of 80 percent plant 

derived substances, contains no harmful VOCs 

and features faster drying times. 

The ValueJet 1608 prints directly onto corrugated 

plastics, polystyrene, PVC, acrylic, polycarbonate, 

foam board, aluminum composite, 

banner materials, wall coverings and more. 

Four-color printer has a maximum resolution 

of 1440 dpi, and automatic media thickness 

detection. 

For more information, contact Mutoh America Inc., 

Phoenix, Ariz., U.S.A.; +1 480 968 7772, www.mutoh.com. 

The Balance program from TSG Incorporated 

delivers a suite of finishes that enhance both 

woven and nonwoven products while leaving 

a smaller eco-footprint. Broad variety 

of green finishing options includes water 

and stain repellents, polyester backings and 

abrasion enhancements, flame retardants, 

antimicrobial finishes and high-performance 

finishes. Each process is formulated to be 

more planet-friendly than traditional finishes. 

The Balance program includes the stateof-the-art 

GreenShield brand of finishes, 

based on inorganic nanoparticle architecture 

and manufactured using green nanotechnology 

principles. 

For more information, contact TSG Incorporated, No. 

Wales, Pa., U.S.A.; +1 215 628 2000, www.tsgfinishing.com.

4 

Sf Resources 

NEW PRODUCTS 

6 

5 

4 Testing performance fabrics 5 Cleaning marine canvas 

6 Responsible, lightweight 

With proper care, boat owners can extend the and recyclable 

The Hydrostatic Head Tester from SDL Atlas 

is designed for easy use, providing quick, useful lives of their canvas boat tops and enclosures. 

Shurhold’s microfiber towels come 

reliable and repeatable testing of the resistance 

of a fabric to the penetration of water in a variety three-pack: The extra-strong 

under hydrostatic pressure. It can be used orange towel serves for effective washing 

effectively with all types of fabrics, including and cleaning; the super-soft dark blue towel 

those treated with water resistant and water is recommended for polishing and shining; 

repellent finishes. Also new from the manufacturer: 

the Air Permeability Tester and the wiping down mirrors and glass. Serious Shine 

and the lint-free light blue towel is best for 

MMT Liquid Moisture Management Tester, is a versatile and effective waterless spot 

which can measure and demonstrate the marine detailer, offering anti-static UV protection 

without leaving any artificial residue. 

ability of a fabric to improve apparel comfort. 

The flexible WaterBlade is gentle enough to 

For more information, contact SDL Atlas: in the U.S., 

use on eisenglass and dries a surface in one 

+1 803 329 2110, info@sdlatlas.com; in the U.K., +44 161 

pass, with an ergonomically designed handle 

480 8485, test@sdlatlas.com; in China, +852 2173 8611, 

to minimize hand fatigue. 

info@sdlatlas.com.cn. 

For more information, contact Shurhold, Palm City, Fla., 

U.S.A.; 800 962 6241, www.shurhold.com. 

EnviroFlex, a new line of eco-friendly and 

lightweight digitally printable materials 

for billboards, banners and other applications, 

offers a variety of options: Frontlit Lite 

(7-ounce), Lite High-Res (5-ounce), PolyFlex 

Lite (5.5-ounce), PolyPoster and PolyPoster 

HighRes (3.8-ounce). Up to 60 percent lighter 

than an industry standard 12-ounce substrate, 

EnviroFlex can reduce installation time and 

lower overall impact on the environment. Engineered 

for use with both UV and solvent inks 

to produce high-quality graphic images, and 

most styles can be recycled through Cooley’s 

RE-Flex recycling program. 

For more information, contact Cooley Digital Products, 

Pawtucket, R.I., U.S.A.; 800 992 0072, www.cooleygroup.com. 


Designed to bring you more: 

• New products/applications 

• Industry professionals insight 

• Global market trends 

• Industry news 

• Problems resolved 

Insight, innovation— 

intelligence you need. 

2 years for the price of 1 

$129 $ 69 / 2 Years U.S.A. 

$ $149 79 / 2 Years Canada/Mexico (U.S. funds) 

$ $299 169 / 2 Years Other Int’l (U.S. funds) 

Please print. 

Name _______________________________________________ 

Company _____________________________________________ 

Address ______________________City _____________________ 

State _______________________ Zip _____________________ 

Phone _______________________ Fax _____________________ 

Email _______________________________________________ 

Bill me 

Check Enclosed $__________ 

Credit Card Payment Visa Master Card Amex Discover 

Card Number: _____________________ 

Expire Date: ____________ 

Card Holder Name: _______________________________________ 

Signature: ___________________________ Date: ____________ 

Title (check one): 

Owner/President/CEO 

Purchasing Manager/ 

Director 

Research & Development 

Manager/Director 

Sales Manager/Director 

Product Designer 

Primary business (check applicable): 

Awnings/ 

canopies 

Tents 

Banners 

Marine products 

Truck covers 

Structures/ 

enclosures 

Graphics/signs 

Bags 

Safety/ 

protective 

Containers 

Fax: +1 651-631-9334 

Mail: IFAI, SDS-12-2108, PO Box 86, Minneapolis, MN 55486-2108 

Offer ends December 31, 2008. Please allow 4-6 weeks for shipment 

of first issue. Offer valid for new subscribers only.

For Sale 

SURPLUS AND SECONDS 

OF CLOSED CELL FOAM 

Available in rolls, sheets and buns. Our prices 

are cheap cheap cheap. 

McCullough Corp. 

248-646-6195 fax: 248-646-8913 

email: mccullou@htdconnect.com 

COMPANY FOR SALE 

Kona, Big Island, Hawaii 

Sales, Install, & Mfg Shade Products 

Fully operational company 

Turnkey Operation $349k 

Retiring Owner Financing Possible 

www.HIBB.com 

Vern (888) 331-8283 

BUSINESS FOR SALE 

Catalog and Internet Retailer of Fabrics 

and Sewing Supplies. Owners retiring. 

2007 Gross $506K. $132K Net Benefit to 

Owners. $2.5 Million. 

For more info E-mail: 

fabricinternet@aol.com 

Help Wanted 

GODSHALL & GODSHALL PERSONNEL 

CONSULTANTS, INC. 

Textile Industry Specialists Since 1969 

Fee Paid Positions 

Phone 864/242-3491 

P.O. Box 1984, Greenville, SC 29602 

E-mail: recruiter@godshall.com 

Visit our Web site for additional 

positions: www.sccareersearch.com 

Call Robert Graham or 

Richard Heard 

SALES REPS WANTED 

Neoprene Sheets, Hook & Loop, 

Webbing, Elastic, Zippers, Buckles 

Most territories available. Established in 

1985, large inventory for fast delivery. 

Please visit www.perfectex.com. 

 

Call 1-800-326-1288 ext. 104 

Charlene Mastin 

or fax resume 714-893-9339 

E-Mail: info@perfectex.com 

Wanted 

Marketplace 

Look for classifieds on our 

website www.ifai.com 

WE BUY 

SHELF-DATED BANNER FABRIC, IND. 

FABRIC, LAMINATED & COATED VINYL, 

SECONDS & CLOSEOUTS. 

CALL CANVYL 514/866-4255 

For more information on classified advertising in IFAI’s Specialty 

Fabrics Review, contact Kristen Evanson at IFAI, 1801 County Rd. 

B W., Roseville, MN 55113-4061 USA. Phone: 800 382 0134, 

fax: +1 651 225 6966 , e-mail: kmevanson@ifai.com. 


96 REVIEW 08.08 

Plan your year. January \\ February \\ March \\ April \\ May \\ June \\ 

September 

VIRGINIA-CAROLINAS CANVAS PRODUCTS 

ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONVENTION/MFA 

REGIONAL WORKSHOP [SEPT. 11–14 ] 

At the Hilton Riverside Hotel, Wilmington, N.C., 

U.S.A. VA-CA CPA includes fabricators from North 

Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee and 

Maryland, as well as suppliers from across the 

country. The convention will include the MFA 

Lower Atlantic Regional Workshop. For information, 

visit http://zone4canvasproducts.com or 

www.marinecanvas.com. 

October 

The Fiber Society’s Fall 2008 Annual Meeting 

and Technical Conference [Oct. 1–3] 

At the Industrial Materials Institute, Boucherville, 

Quebec, Canada. Includes technical presentations 

on high-performance structures and their 

applications, bio-based/sustainable/green 

products and innovative fiber processes. For 

current information and updates, visit www. 

thefibersociety.com. 

NeoCon Xpress [ Oct. 2–3] 

Second annual contract furnishings show for 

interior design and facility management will be 

held at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Los 

Angeles, Calif., U.S.A. For information, visit www. 

merchandisemart.com. 

Composites & Polycon 2008 [ Oct. 15–17] 

At the Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, 

Calif., U.S.A. Sponsored by the American 

Composites Manufacturers Association, housing 

more than 260 exhibitors showcasing the latest 

products and services. For information, e-mail 

info@admanet.org or visit www.acmanet.org. 

China (Shaoxing) International Textile 

Exposition [Oct. 17–20] 

Sponsored by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, 

the 9th annual exposition will be held at 

the World Trade Center in Shaoxing, Zhejiang, 

China. Includes fabrics and equipment for home 

textiles and apparel, high-grade fabrics, textile 

raw materials, dyeing and printing machines. 

For information, e-mail coordinator Mike Wen at 

mike.wen@fecpi.com. 

PAMA & FGA TOUR [ OCT. 20 ] 

In conjunction with IFAI Expo in Charlotte, the 

Professional Awning Manufacturers Association 

and the Fabric Graphics Association are 

sponsoring a special event just before the Expo: 

a tour of the Glen Raven Technical Fabrics facility, 

Alpha Canvas & Awning Co. Inc. and the 

Michael Waltrip Racing NASCAR garage. For 

information, e-mail awndiv@ifai.com. 

Cinte Techtextil China [Oct. 20–22] 

At the Shanghai New International Expo Centre 

in Shanghai, China, co-organized by leading nonwovens 

and textile industry associations across 

China. Held every two years. For information, 

e-mail textile@hongkong.messefrankfurt.com, 

or visit www.techtextil.com. 

IFAI EXPO 2008 [ OCT. 21–23 ] 

The largest specialty fabrics show in the Americas, 

offering hundreds of exhibitors and highimpact, 

innovative symposiums and workshops. 

With the theme “Today’s Answers, Tomorrow’s 

Innovations,” the show will include 450 exhibits, 

8,000 registered participants from around 

the world, and 100 expert speakers addressing 

current and future issues in the specialty 

fabrics industry. For information, contact show 

management at ifaiexpo@ifai.com, or visit www. 

ifaiexpo.com. 

November 

MATRA/TRD WORKSHOP [ NOV. 4–6 ] 

The Mid-Atlantic Tent Renters Association 

(MATRA) show will be held in Providence, R.I.; a 

regional show featuring tent installations, games 

and seminars. IFAI’s Tent Rental Division (TRD) 

will be offering a one-day workshop, “Training 

for the Tent Installer,” on Tuesday, Nov. 4. For information, 

Jan Schieffer, TRD managing director, 

+1 651 225 6944, jmschieffer@ifai.com. 

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\\ July \\ August \\ September \\ October \\ November \\ December 

MFA GREAT LAKES REGIONAL WORKSHOP [ NOV. 7–9 ] 

Held at the Sawmill Creek Resort in Huron, Ohio, 

U.S.A. For more information, contact Beth Hungiville, 

managing director of IFAI’s Marine Fabricator 

Association, blhungiville@ifai.com. 

IAAPA Attractions Expo 2008 [ Nov. 17–21] 

At the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, 

Florida, U.S.A. More than 120 educational 

sessions and 1100 exhibitors to build success 

in amusement parks and fairs of all kinds. For 

information, visit www.iaapa.org. 

Expo-bâches/TexWork ® 2008 [ Nov. 27–29] 

TexWork ® , The International Trade Fair for Technical-Textile 

Professionals, will take place in 

Strasbourg, France, Pavillon K, Parc des Expositions, 

putting equipment and service suppliers in 

touch with fabric makers and installers. The show 

will include several created real manufacturing 

lines to highlight products and technology. For 

information, call +33 4 78 17 61 76 or e-mail 

zakaria.elasri@gl-events.com. 

2009 January 

MFA 2009 NATIONAL CONVENTION [ JAN. 11–13 ] 

The Marine Fabricator Association’s largest event 

of the year will be held at the Hyatt Regency 

Riverfront in Jacksonville, Fla., U.S.A. Includes 

hands-on seminars, exhibits, shop tours and 

many networking opportunities. For more information, 

visit www.marinecanvas.com. 

IFAI TENT EXPO 2009 [ JAN. 19–22 ] 

At the Hilton Palm Beach Airport hotel, West 

Palm Beach, Fla. Explore the largest outdoor 

display of tents and fabric structures, and 

participate in industry-related workshops 

and seminars. For information, contact Jan 

Schieffer, TRD managing director, +1 651 225 

6944, jmschieffer@ifai.com. 

The Special Event 2009 [ Jan. 28–30] 

Tradeshow and conference for professionals who 

produce and manage events will take place at the San 

Diego Convention Center, San Diego, Calif., U.S.A. For 

information, visit http://thespecialeventshow.com. 

NECPA EXPO 2009/MFA UPPER ATLANTIC 

REGIONAL WORKSHOP [ JAN. 29–31 ] 

The annual convention of the North East Canvas 

Products Association will include the Marine 

Fabricator’s Association Upper Atlantic Regional 

Workshop in 2009, at the Mass Mutual Center in 

Springfield, Mass. For information, visit www. 

necpa.org or www.marinecanvas.com. 

February 

CMCFA Convention 2009 [Feb. 5–8] 

At the Doubletree Hotel, Annapolis, Md., U.S.A. 

The Chesapeake Marine Canvas Fabricators Assn. 

is dedicated to promoting professionalism among 

canvas fabricators in the Mid-Atlantic region of 

the U.S. For information, visit www.cmcfa.org. 

2009 Quad-Zone Convention [Feb. 18–21] 

At the South Shore Harbour Resort and Conference 

Center, League City, Texas, U.S.A. A joint 

convention with Zone 7, the newly merged Zones 8 

and 11, Zone 13 (SWIFA) and the Western Canvas 

Products Association (WCPA). For information, 

visit www.canvaszone7.com or www.swifa.org. 

March 

The Rental Show 2009 [Mar. 2–5] 

The world’s largest rental trade show will be held 

at the Georgia World Congress Center in Altanta, 

Ga., U.S.A. Sponsored by the American Rental 

Association (ARA). For information, visit www. 

therentalshow.com. 

IFAI CANADA EXPO 2009 [ MAR. 5–7 ] 

Scheduled for the Coast Plaza Hotel & Conference 

Center in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Includes 

informational seminars, new product exhibitions 

and the 2009 Honours Award winners. For more 

information, contact Elizabeth Newman, IFAI 

Canada executive director, +1 651 225 6925, ednewman@ifai.com, 

or visit www.ifaicanada.com. 

Sf Resources 

CALENDAR 


Sunbrella is made in lush 

velvet, defying the notion 

that performance fabrics are 

stiff and unsophisticated. 

Photo: Sunbrella Fabrics. 

Sf Feature 


30 REVIEW 08.08 www.reviewmagazine.info • 08.08 REVIEW 31 

But these devices seem to be far removed from the day-to-day reality of the small 

shop. Is there a place for modern technology in a fabrication business that employs 

only, say, one to five people? 

The answer is yes, but only if you separate the concept of automation from futuristic 

visions of bustling robots. Let’s face it—the very smallest and most modest shops are 

happy to be able to mechanize their most routine tasks. It’s a glorious day when the 

newly minted upholsterer is able to retrofit a kickpress grommet setter so that her air 

compressor can whack the male and female pieces together. 

Still, there are many modest, affordable electronics that can improve the accuracy 

and speed of fabricators in small operations. Most are neither new nor flashy. But in a 

world where automation is more and more common, they are a huge boost to an upand-coming 

shop’s morale and bottom line. 

38 REVIEW 08.08 www.reviewmagazine.info • 08.08 REVIEW 39 

Sf Feature 


Sf Resources 

EDITORIAL 

SOURCES 

Offer your input on Review stories. We are 

preparing future issues, and we’re looking 

for knowledgeable sources on these topics: 

98 REVIEW 08.08 

Get listed on this page. 

Share your knowledge and expertise. 

Printing innovations 

Think globally: What do you do next? 

Showroom: transportation products 

Contact by September 15, 2008 > 

Galynn Nordstrom | gdnordstom@ifai.com 

} 

The 

Ins 

and 

outs 

of 

fabric 

Technological advancements and 

changing lifestyles mean it’s not 

your mother’s living room anymore. 

30 \ The ins and outs of fabric 

Crypton Super Fabrics, West Bloomfield, Mich. 

800 279 7866 | www.cryptonfabric.com 

Glen Raven Inc., Glen Raven, N.C. 

336 227 6211 | www.glenraven.com or 


Michael’s Custom Built Inc., San Rafael, Calif. 

+1 415 459 0208 | www.michaelsupholstery.com 

Shuford Mills, Hudson, N.C. 

866 688 3872 | www.shufordmills.com or 

www.outdura.com 

More, 

better, 

faster 

Automation 

for the small shop 

— 


38 \ More, better, faster 

hen you walk the aisles of a trade show, it’s hard not to be dazzled by all 

the newest high-end equipment. There are systems available with truly 

Wremarkable capabilities: high-ply CAD-driven cutters with vacuum compression 

tables; room-sized fabric welders; vision-guided robotic sewing machines. 

Atlantic Coast Canvas, Lexington, S.C. 

+1 803 808 2522 

Bainbridge International Inc., 

Huntington Beach, Calif. 

+1 714 373 3322 | www.bainbridgeint.com 

The Fox Co., Charlotte, N.C. 

+1 704 399 4581 | www.thefoxcompany.com 

J & D Associates, Middletown, Pa. 

+1 717 930 0622 | www.jdstorage.com 

Kaplan Sewing Machine Co. Inc., Newark, N.J. 

+1 973 242 8700 | www.kaplansewingmachine.com 

73 \ Are you a carbon bigfoot? 

Carbonfund.org, Silver Spring, Md. 

+1 240 293 2700 | www.carbonfund.org 

Eide Industries, Cerritos, Calif. 

+1 562 402 8335 | www.eideindustries.com 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 

Washington, D.C. 

888 782 7937 | www.energystar.gov 

U.S. Small Business Administration, 

Washington, D.C. 

800 827 5722 | www.sba.gov 

77 \ Olympic excellence 

PTW Architects, Sydney, Australia 

+61 2 9232 5877 | www.ptw.com.au 

81 \ After the earthquake: 

reaching out to China 

Losberger Shanghai, Shanghai, China 

+86 800 819 2121 | www.losbergerchina.com 

Röder Tent Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., 

Shanghai, China 

+86 21 5988 6606 | www.roder-china.com 

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* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

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* 

* 

* 

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59 

9 

76 

86 

86 

76 

82 

74 

65 

18 

2 

37 

Look who’s advertising. 

Alpha Productions 

800 223 0883 

www.alphaproductions.com 

American Cord & Webbing Co. Inc. 

+1 401 762 5500 

www.acw1.com 

Assyst-Bullmer Inc. 

+1 919 467 2211 

www.assyst-us.com 

Awning Cleaning Industries 

800 542 3009 

www.cleancanvas.com 

Bally Ribbon Mills 

+1 610 845 2211 

www.ballyribbon.com 

Canvas Replacements 

800 232 2079 

www.canvasreplacements.com 

Coletech 

800 872 6950 

www.coletech.net 

Covin Sales & Converting 

888 862 6846 

www.covinsales.com 

DAF Products Inc. 

800 228 9837 

www.dafproducts.com 

Eastman Machine Company 

800 872 5571 

www.eastmancuts.com 

Fasnap Corp. 

800 624 2058 

Gerber Technology 

800 826 3243 ext. 3851 

www.gerbertechnology.com 

Cv2, 1 

4 

67 

84 

84 

82 

80 

Cv3 

13 

63 

63 

61 

Ad Index 

When you contact an advertiser in this issue, please tell 

them that you saw their ad in Specialty Fabrics Review. 

Glen Raven Custom Fabrics 


Herculite Products Inc. 

800 772 0036 

www.herculite.com 

Hiker USA Inc 

866 66 HIKER 

www.hikereyelets.com 

InCord Ltd. 

800 596 1066 

www.incord.com 

InterWrap Inc. 

800 567 9727 

www.interwrap.com 

Lowy Enterprises 

+1 310 763 1111 

www.lowyusa.com 

Metro Tag & Label Co. Inc. 

800 221 7840 

www.metrotag.com 

Miller Weldmaster Corp. 

877 935 3627 

www.weldmaster.com 

Nexis Fibers 

+1 843 761 7441 

www.nexisfibers.com 

Rivets Unlimited NY Inc. 

800 267 9334 

www.rivetsunlimited.com 

Robeco/Ascot Inc. 

800 992 1067 

www.robecoinc.com 

Sattler North America 

866 992 9646 

www.sattler-corp.com 

7 

19 

3 

67 

80 

75 

15, Cv4 

59 

24 

Sinclair Equipment Co. 

800 624 2408 

www.sineqco.com 

Snyder Mfg. Inc. 

800 837 4450 

www.snyderman.com 

Stimpson Co. Inc. 

877 765 0748 

www.stimpson.com 

SuperTex Fabrics 

800 858 8033 

www.supertexpvc.com 

TMI LLC 

800 888 9750 

www.tmivinylsolutions.com 

Top Value Fabrics Inc. 

800 428 5006 

www.tvfinc.com 

Tri Vantage, LLC 

800 786 1876 

www.trivantage.com 

Vidir Machine Inc. 

800 210 0141 

www.vidir.com 

 

IFA I Member 

Sf Resources 

AD INDEX 

World Screen Inc 

(Part of the Eastern Awning Systems Group) 

800 445 4142 

www.worldscreeninc.com 

The bolded advertisers are exhibitors at 

IFAI Expo 2008. Plan to attend and visit their 

booths at the show, which will be held in 

Charlotte, NC on October 21–23 2008. 

For more information on IFAI Expo 2008, 

please visit www.ifaiexpo.com. 

For advertising rates and information 

call Sarah Hyland at 800 319 3349. 


Year in Review: 1970 

How flexible is 

modern architecture? 

Technological breakthroughs in materials, 

design and ecological efficiency 

haven’t given fabric structures quite 

the impact envisioned by Mr. Holcombe 

in 1970, although recreation, sports, 

warehousing and agriculture have embraced 

the advantages of fabric in growing 

numbers. The housing market has 

yet to be conquered, but like the Concrete 

Cloth structures now being used 

as shelters (see “A concrete idea,” July 

Review, page 57), it could be the building 

industry’s next big thing—if we just 

let them know. 

B 

efore 

HOLCOMBE PREDICTS WIDESPREAD 

USE OF AIR STRUCTURES 

the year 2000, the house you 

live in may come in a can of liquid 

and a roll of fabric—and be inflated like 

a balloon. 

And by the end of this decade, everything 

from your drinking water 

and the pools your children swim in, 

to the garage you park your car in and 

acre-size farms will be protected by airsupported 

domes. 

That’s the prediction of Gordon B. 

Holcombe, of the Industrial Covers 

group, Pico Division of Sargent Industries, 

San Francisco. He is a pioneer in 

the design and construction of buildings 

utilizing coated fabrics—such as 

nylon, dacron or glass fibers—that are 

air-inflated, or stressed by cables or 

other mechanical means. 

> By the end of this century—in less 

than 30 years—low cost, “air inflated” 

houses will be in widespread use. Constructed 

of highly decorative fabric, 

structurally supported by air from their 

own air conditioning systems, possibly 

made rigid by an extra coating of 

self-hardening liquid sprayed from a 

can, these air houses will be: easily 

assembled, easily divided into large 

rooms—with windows, lighting and 

insulation—and will last for 50 years or 

more. Estimated cost of a 3,000-square 

foot air house, with a year-round interior 

garden: $10,000 at current market 

prices. 

> By 1990, portable “air cabins” for winter 

and summer vacation use will be 

a familiar fixture of America’s recreational 

areas. Adaptable to any climate, 

they’ll even be usable on water as airinflated 

“house boats.” 

> Within ten years—reflecting a decade’s 

preoccupation with environmental 

pollution—every important 

reservoir in the United States will be 

protected from evaporation, pollution 

and radioactive fallout by “floating 

roofs” or inflated fabric covers. 

Other applications of low-cost, air-inflated 

structures foreseen by Holcombe 

range from swimming pool and tennis 

court covers, hydroponic farms and airinflated 

warehouses to private garages, 

parking lot covers, protected boat marinas 

and children’s playgrounds. 

-Industrial Fabric Products Review, May 1970

Visit Miller Weldmaster Corp. At IFAI EXPO 08 - Booth # 6073

It’s all about being ____________. 

competitive 

He will take risks. He will challenge himself and others. 

Maybe that’s what makes him so competitive in everything 

he does. Or maybe it’s that he’s smart enough to take 

calculated risks. And make sure he has the right partners. 

After all, we’ve been meeting his company’s needs for 

nearly three decades. No matter what they might be. 

Tony Krupa 

Former National Trick Ski Champion 

Owner, Addison Awning Co. 

Jackson, Michigan 

We’re all about your goals. 

trivantage.com 

Visit us at IFAI Expo Booth #7087 

Tri Vantage, LLC, a Glen Raven Company

Review, August 2008, Digital Edition - Specialty Fabrics Review

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