Fabrics in the Fast Lane, Specialty Fabrics Review, p.55 - Thrace-LINQ

Transcription

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
DECEMBER 2008
www.reviewmagazine.info
Core
Strength
Junko Takai’s successful mix of fiscal
prudence and product innovation
Finding the ‘killer app’
in narrow fabrics
Staying competitive
in a global market
Special report
IFAI EXPO 2008
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unprecedented.
unrivaled.
unreal.
and that’s just
the warranty.
The next generation of Sunbrella® has arrived with a new
look that reflects our evolution as a performance fabric.
Sunbrella still represents everything you’ve come to
know and love about the number-one awning and marine
fabric in the world. Except now it’s even more unrivaled
with a 10-year best-in-class warranty. Not only that, but
our fabrics now provide 25% more water repellency
than before with no loss of breathability. In a word, it’s
unbelievable. For more information on our wide array
of colors, textures and designs that can withstand stains,
mildew and fading, call Glen Raven Customer Service at
336.221.2211 or visit www.sunbrella.com.
Sunbrella® is a registered trademark of Glen Raven, Inc.
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156 Years of Quality Products & Service
ISO 9001:2000 Certified
Established 1852
1515 SW 13th Court
Pompano Beach, FL 33069
Toll Free #: (877) 765-0748
Fax: (954) 545-7440
Website: www.stimpson.com
E-mail: [email protected]
Stimpson maintains the largest inventory of Grommets & Washers in the industry.
All Stimpson Grommets & Washers meet the latest government and commercial
specifications, and are supported by a full line of grommeting machines.
Stimpson products are Made in the USA...Shipped Worldwide.
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A World of Innovation
High Performance Fabrics
Awning & Marine
Coastline Plus®
Vanguard®
Canopy FS® & Plus®
Brite-Awn®
Herculite Natura™
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Bantex® CF
Printer’s Choice®
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Herculite® 20
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H E R C U L I T E
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Specialty fabrics
CONTENTS
DECEMBER 2008
VOLUME 93 NUMBER 13
Sf Features
28 Thin is in
The future is high-tech if you’re
planning to stay ahead of the game.
by Jamie Swedberg
34 Thinking globally: What’s next?
As the world shrinks, businesses can
capitalize on widening their pool of
customers.
by Janice Kleinschmidt
39 The right stuff: IFAI Expo 2008
Highlights from our highperformance show in Charlotte.
Sf Perspective
25 Core strength
Junko Takai’s dedication to
providing products that make a
difference rests on a conservative
fiscal foundation.
by Sigrid Tornquist
www.reviewmagazine.info • 12.08 REVIEW 5
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Sf Review
CONTENTS
Sf Briefings
8
ForeThought
What's your problem?
Sf Focus
Sf Resources
49 Expo Watch
71 Info Central
Our focus is you: Which
session topics and content
subjects will help you with
your business?
72 New Products
and Services
75 Marketplace
51 Business
A flight to quality: Working
to stay healthy in an ailing
economy.
55 Markets
Fabric in the fast lane:
Geotextiles cut costs, protect
the environment and increase
safety on one of America’s
deadliest highways.
76 Calendar of Events
78 Editorial Sources
79 Advertiser Index
↑
10 Swatches ↑
80 Beginnings ↑
Design Exhibition 2008:
Advanced textiles for health
and safety earned a special
spot at IFAI Expo 2008 in
Charlotte.
20 Showroom
High-tech transportation:
by land or by air, specialty
fabrics offer comfort, strength
and innovation.
23 Problem Solvers
The Performers: Quality,
consistency, fire-resistance,
durability … effective tools
and materials result in
effective products.
The year in Review: 1987
Looking ahead to the
100th Congress.
61 World Views
Welcome to the roller coaster:
Fabric makers depend doubly
on oil, for fuel and for raw
materials. High and volatile
petroleum prices make it an
interesting few quarters.
Insider
67
Supporting the industry and
individual businesses
Strategic planning:
business essential or
obsolete obstacle?
65 Connections
Revitalizing the changing
textile industry: the New
Carolina summit and South
Carolina’s changing textile
industry; Advanced Textiles
’09 moves to Brussels.
Specialty Fabrics Review® ISSN 0019 8307, Volume 93, Issue 13 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: [email protected]. 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.
6 REVIEW 12.08
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Sf Briefings
“We can tell our values by looking at our checkbook stubs.” ~ Gloria Steinem
FORETHOUGHT
What’s your problem?
ike a lot of people lately, I’ve watched the value of my
so-called retirement accounts vaporizing. Should I
shift what’s left to a market-rate savings account? Invest
it all in stainless steel, or wine futures? Just wait until the
market recovers, and in the meantime take a second job as
the world’s oldest and crabbiest cocktail waitress? I really
don’t know.
What I do know, however, is that not once during the
last few turbulent months has my financial advisor (an
employee of the company managing these retirement
accounts) contacted me to ask if I have any questions or
concerns about my increasingly nebulous funds.
This is a problem.
During IFAI Expo in Charlotte in October, I asked a
lot of people about their expectations of the economy and
their company’s performance in it. What they told me,
pared to essentials (see page 45), is this:
• even in this economy, companies are spending money;
L
Galynn Nordstrom,
Senior editor
Perspective:
response ability
Sf Persp
ective
by Sigrid Tornqu
c
o
e
ist
Junk o Takai
’s
to provi ding dedic ation
produ cts
make a
that
difference
rests on
cons ervat
a
ive fiscal
found ation
.
Junko Takai, president of Hivix Co. Ltd..
in Japan, plans to take her company into
the future by developing products that
customers need, and continually reinvesting profits into her core business. Fiscal
prudence can help make innovation
possible, and producing products that
matter is a core value: “We always keep
in mind when contracting with a business: How will this product contribute to society
society,
the good of the people and the good of the environment?” she says.
“SOMETIM
ES WHEN
COMPANI
OF MONEY,
ES MAKE
THEY INVE
A LOT
ST THAT
STOCKS—
MON
they invest
EY INTO
profits into
own busine
something
sses—we reinve
other than
says Junko
their
Takai, presid st our profits into our
core busine
ent of Hivix
Gifu, Japan.
ss,”
Co. Ltd. in
Takai began
Mizuh
working at
manufacturin
Hivix, a compa o-city,
g inflatable
and indust
products for
ny
rial indust
the health
ries, sixteen
care, sports
in several
years ago.
positions,
She worke
and in 2001
company.
d
became presid
ent of the
Safeguarding
the compa
Takai as it
ny’s
interests is
was to her
as important
father, who
of Hivix. In
to
preceded her
fact,
as president
value of reinve it was her father who
taught her
sting profits
the
Japan, about
back into the
10
company.
“In
crisis,” Takai or 15 years ago, we had
says. “Othe
a [financial]
r companies
trouble, but
ended up in
because of
my father,
father resiste
Hivix didn’t
d the conven
.” Her
profits elsewh
tional
ere, and during wisdom of investi
ng
market crash
the Japane
of
se stock
stable. Takai the early 1990s, the
company remain
feels strong
ly about the
kind of conser
ed
wisdom of
vative fiscal
this
of my father
approach to
’s handling
business. “Becau
of the busine
other genera
se
ss, we
tions so they
can take over,” can keep it for
Takai says.
Photos: Bart
Harris Photograp
hy
www.reviewma
gazine.in
fo • 12.08
REVIEW
25
If you’d like to nominate a fellow IFAI manufacturer member for coverage
in the Review, to let us share their unique perspective on the industry,
please contact Galynn Nordstrom, [email protected].
• the companies who succeed are the ones who are
innovative, aggressive, and offer quality products at a
reasonable price;
• in this economy, it’s important to be seen.
Other industry experts interviewed for this month’s
“business” article (page 51) pretty much echoed those sentiments, emphasizing the need to focus on your core qualities
and push product quality, customer service, communication
and innovation. After doing a recent mailing to editorial
contributors, however, I think I can narrow it down even
more. The way to advance your business, whatever the economy throws at us, is simply to solve your customers’ problems.
If you don’t know why your customers need your product, ultimately they aren’t going to know why they need
it, either. If there’s anything you really need to know about
your customers, it’s what problems they are facing, and what
you can do to help them with those problems, especially in a
time when they’re nervous about spending money. It helps,
of course, if you can predict those problems, and show up
with a solution in advance.
The essential corollary to solving your customers’
problems, naturally, is letting them know you can solve
them. Not just being seen, but being known: known for
good products, known for courtesy, known for timeliness,
known for ingenuity, known for community involvement.
Market your expertise. Keep not only your name but your
well-earned reputation in front of your customers. And
don’t wait until they come looking for you (or somebody
else). Had my financial advisor even bothered to send me an
e-mail to see if I was stocking my basement with SPAM® and
bottled water in addition to wine, she probably wouldn’t be
losing a customer, even though, now that I think about it
in my current curmudgeonly state, her company’s fees are
outrageous, also.
So now it’s her problem.
8 REVIEW 12.08
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Specialty fabrics
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
[email protected]
Editorial Director Susan R. Niemi
[email protected]
Senior Editor Galynn D. Nordstrom
[email protected]
Contributing Writers Denise Brown, Juli Case,
Kelly Frush, Marc Hequet, Janice Kleinschmidt,
Jake Kulju, Jill Lafferty, Susan Niemi, Jamie
Swedberg, Sigrid Tornquist
Production Manager Russell Grimes
[email protected]
Art Director Marti Naughton
Graphic Designer Nicole Von Ruden
Circulation Manager Mary Moore
Assistant Circulation Manager Susan Smeed
[email protected]
New Business Development Sarah Hyland
[email protected], 800 319 3349
Classified Advertising Sales/Ad Production
Kristen Evanson [email protected]
Advertising Sales Jane Anthone, Terry Brodsky,
Vivian Cowan, Julia Heath, Katie Lang, Mary
Mullowney, Sandy Tapp, Elizabeth Welsh
IFAI President Stephen M. Warner
[email protected]
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
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: [email protected]. 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
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Sf Briefings
FORETHOUGHT
SWATCHES
SHOWROOM
PROBLEM
SOLVERS
Design Exhibition 2008
Advanced textiles for health
and safety earned a special spot
at IFAI Expo 2008 in Charlotte.
H
ealth and safety are two of the biggest issues facing us today—but going
beyond the simply functional, Design Exhibition 2008 opened up new aesthetic possibilities in how we might use these products. Advanced textiles and
their processes were at the heart of the exhibition, even marrying fine Irish lace
with concrete to create a new functional and tactile experience. Some of the
materials are familiar, but used in unexpected ways; some of the materials are
brand new and just now being made into prototypes. The combinations allow for
a dialogue between everyone involved in the production of these products, from
technologist to designer to manufacturer.
The exhibition was divided into five sectors—space, the built environment,
mobile, personal and natural—reflecting areas in which there is a particular
concentration on fabrics and products that offer some form of protection. Also
included were the winners of the Safety Products Student Design Challenge,
sponsored by the Safety & Protective Products Division and the Narrow Fabrics
Institute, both divisions of the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI).
For a complete list of participants in Design Exhibition 2008, visit www.ifaiexpo.
info/2008/pdf/DesignExhCatalog.pdf.
Photos: Bart Harris/Chicago.
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FORETHOUGHT
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Marie O’Mahony, curator of the Design Exhibition
2008, is professor of advanced textiles at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS), and a visiting
professor at Chelsea College of Art and Design. She
is currently setting up a new master’s course at
the university, while continuing with her consulting,
curating and other research
activities.
O’Mahony is the author and
co-author of several books with
publisher Thames and Hudson
on design and technical textiles,
the most recent being TechnoTextiles2. She is currently working on a
new book, Advanced Textiles: Design
for Wellness and Health.
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For a complete list of participants
in Design Exhibition 2008, visit
www.ifaiexpo.info/2008/pdf/
DesignExhCatalog.pdf.
Thoroughly
modern Murray
1 | www.helenamymurray.com
H
elen Amy Murray has developed a unique,
handcrafted 3D surface technique for
textiles used in commissions for clients; the
material is used as a furnishing fabric, particularly for upholstery and interiors. Inspired
by the carvings in wood and marble from a
trip to India in 2001, Murray has translated
similar effects into textiles and leather work.
In a series of pieces created for Design Exhibition 2008, she has incorporated the latest
advanced fabrics from companies such as
Schoeller Textil AG and Mercader. Schoeller’s
ColdBlack™ and Reflex fabrics are layered
with Mercader’s anti-bacterial leather and
flame-retardant nonwovens to create her
unique 3D appliqué.
The ‘Oriental Flower’ design, shown for both
a chair and wall panel, are not only flame-retardant and antibacterial, but also self-cleaning,
heat reflective (ColdBlack), waterproof and
light reflective (Reflex).
Sharksuits, for the bold
3 | www.neptunic.com
The body as garment
2 | www.interface.ulster.ac.uk/
peopleprofile/peoplekaren.htm
A
rtist Karen Fleming, University of Ulster,
and scientist John McLachlan, Durham
University, developed the Incision Gown, a
garment designed to provide medical students
with information on where operation incisions
are made, and a sense of the meaning of operations for the patient. It’s worn and studied
by medical students during their training to
enhance their technical and emotional understanding of what will happen to their patients
on the operating table.
The gown is shaped like the familiar surgical gown, but has zippers on major surgical
incision sites named on the cloth, alongside
laparoscopic and peritoneal catheter insertion
points. Unzipping the incisions reveals deeper
layers corresponding to sequential muscle and
tissue layers; the silk and rubber echoes the
texture of human muscles and flesh, making
it a unique teaching tool that gives much more
emotional impact than hard plastic models of
the human body.
Camping in comfort
4 | www.coghlans.com
N
eptunic Sharksuits, San Diego, Calif.,
U.S.A., exhibited two of their specialist
suits: the Neptunic NEMO II and the Neptunic
C Suit. NEMO II, suitable for divers working in
relatively stationary positions, is made using
a liquid crystal polymer incorporated into a
composite structure, with gloves and boots
made from a steel mesh, and a polycarbonate
helmet. The ‘C’ in C Suit stands for ‘component’; the suit combines stainless steel, nylon
and polycarbonate and is made up of different
parts. The diver can select to wear just some
components, such as the arms or legs, “for
the bold or the budget-minded,” or the full
garment for full protection.
C
oghlan’s Ltd., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada,
produces a range of products from conventional emergency blankets and hand warmers
to snake bite kits. The No-See-Um Mesh series
of clothing provides the ultimate protection
against mosquitoes and other flying insects.
Cool, lightweight jacket and trousers are made
of polyester, with an elastic drawstring waist
and cuffs and a zipper at the neck for easy
access to the face. Mitts, socks and a head
net complete the protection for the wearer.
The outfit is entirely flame-retardant.
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Sf Briefings
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FORETHOUGHT
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Guardian Angels
Glowing reviews
1 | www.vliegervandam.com
2 | www.meystyle.com
V
lieger & Vandam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, is a fashion accessories company
now offering a series of handbags called
“Guardian Angel.” Each bag appears to contain a gun or a knife, but the outlined shape
has actually been formed into the felted wool
of the bag. The idea grew out of an increasing number of news reports of lawless and
anti-social behavior; perceptions and the fear
of violence fast outgrew the actual number
of crimes committed, so Vleiger & Vandam
designed the bags to give people the impression of feeling secure.
M
Classic design,
space-age materials
State-of-the-art seating
3 | www.signatureprints.com
W
hen Florence Broadhurst established
her hand-printed wallpaper company
in Sydney in 1959, it was one-of-a-kind in
its output of vigorously modern designs intended to radically change design attitudes
in her native Australia. Signature Prints has
re-released a number of her styles, featuring a range of bold and dynamic designs,
including this iconic Japanese Floral, which
was one of Broadhurst’s signature designs
on silver foil Mylar® (boPET polyester film).
Originally developed by DuPont in the 1950s,
Mylar was still a very new product when first
used by Broadhurst, and retains that futuristic
quality today. Mylar foil is recognized for its
high tensile strength, electrical insulation and
reflective properties, which, when combined
with unique designs for wallpaper, offer an
advantageous array of environmental addons in heat and energy preservation for the
home environment.
eystyle, London, U.K., is incorporating LED
lights into its wallpaper designs, giving a
low light level that adds an aesthetic quality but
also provides a spatial marker at night when
all other lights are off. The digital prints have
a futuristic design but often take the dramatic
scale of interior prints from the 1970s; the use
of Swarovski crystals accentuates the impact
of the LEDs as the two work together to create
dramatic impact. The digital designs are printed
onto a synthetic fabric for the wallpaper, with
matching designs created in a flame-retardant
fabric for upholstery and cushions.
4 | www.vrc.rca.ac.uk/modules/members/
profile/index.php?user=179
S
heila Clark, a research fellow at the Royal
College of Art’s School of Fashion and Textiles and Vehicle Design in London, England,
explores a variety of innovative materials for
applications in the automotive industry, predominantly as upholstery. Her materials are
imbued with health-giving properties that add
to driver/passenger comfort and safety.
The blue seat combines a hand-woven glass
fiber panel with a conductive strip to heat the
seat and relax the back’s dorsal muscles while
driving. The reflective seat is trimmed with two
woven fabrics, one with a steel weft yarn that
is soft to the touch yet strong and conductive,
and the other woven using a reflective tape
that gives a light-reflecting flash of silver when
seen at different angles. The well-being seat is
trimmed with two health-giving woven fabrics:
bamboo, a sustainable material with natural
antibacterial characteristics, and an outer
fabric made of silver and wool that also has
antibacterial properties, prevents static electricity and deflects electromagnetic rays—with
great potential for airline interiors.
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ImageCustomized
camouflage
Cold comfort
1 | www.emaharishi.com
G
L
ondon’s Maharishi Hardy Blechman Ltd.
began by producing hemp and other natural
fiber clothing, and soon turned to adapting
and customizing camouflage, then creating its
own versions. Collaboration with artists and
designers, including the graffiti artist Futura,
are a vital element in the creative process.
Gorscuba uses a 3M Scotchlite™ reflective print often customized with hand-painted
embellishment from Futura; the Scubafuturaempora coats also use reflective inks to create
bionic reflective fabrics. While the Gorscuba
designs are mostly used on parka, street and
military styles, the Scubafuturaempora styles
are combined with designs inspired by Chinese
emperors’ robes.
Healing with style
3 | www.beckyearley.com,
www.tedresearch.net
R
ebecca Earley’s radiotherapy treatment
gown series was originally commissioned
by the Queen Elizabeth Centre for the Treatment of Cancer in Birmingham, U.K. Each of
the 100 gowns was designed using her heat
photogram technique of printing plants directly onto fabric. The imagery used shows
homeopathic plants used in the care of cancer
patients. Earley, currently a reader of Textiles
Environment Design and associate lecturer on
textile design at Chelsea College of Art and
Design, changed the existing gown design,
reshaping it and adding functional details to
give a design and feel far removed from the
aesthetically sterile garments that patients
are usually required to wear. The gowns were
printed using Earley’s ‘exhaust print’ method,
which creates no waste fabric, water or chemical pollution.
2 | www.gzespace.com
rade Zero Espace, Florence, Italy, is the
research and development department of
Cove Nove, with the mission to develop new
materials and technologies to improve quality
of life, work and the environment. The Hinoki
LS jacket and coat endeavor to redefine natural
fibers using ‘Hinoki,’ a genus of conifers native
to eastern Asia, whose processed bark gives
a lemon-scented fabric with antibacterial and
insect-repellent properties. The Quota Zero
Jacket uses the latest advanced fabrics to
create a comfort zone and excellent thermal
insulation for the wearer engaged in physical
activity under extreme cold weather conditions.
An extremely thin, strong and durable shape
memory membrane provides protection against
wind and water; bioelastic fabric conforms to
body contours to ensure freedom of movement; Aerogel, a highly insulating, lightweight
silicon dioxide, is inserted into areas requiring
maximum thermal insulation.
Safety gear for
small animals
4 | www.safetygearforsmallanimals.com
B
ill Burns, director of Safety Gear for Small
Animals, is using a branch known as the
Museum of Safety Gear for Small Animals to
spread a message of animal rescue, relocation
and rehabilitation. The itinerant museum consists of 19 scale-model pieces, including a trio
of tents for bio-hazard, radiation and triage, a
mosquito net, safety vest, flotation devices, respirator, visor and hardhat, all intricately made,
with a message that is ironic yet still raises
serious issues. The tiny scale emphasizes the
animals’ vulnerability and brings a fresh look
to the issue of animal rescue and safety.
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Sf Briefings
FORETHOUGHT
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SOLVERS
INDUSTRY NEWS
Teaming up to Outlast ovarian cancer
DNA technology to foil fabric counterfeiters
edding products made with phase-change materials by
Outlast® Technologies, Boulder, Colo., can help mitigate
the hot flashes and night sweats associated with menopause.
So when Outlast found an opportunity to team with the
2008–2009 “Menopause: The Musical” Out Loud Tour™ to raise
funds for and awareness about ovarian cancer, it was a natural
fit for the company. “‘Menopause: The Musical’ encourages
a healthy dialogue about issues of aging and women’s health
and provides a unique opportunity to raise awareness with
female audiences,” says Joanne Grant of TOC Productions
Inc. For more information about the Out Loud Tour, visit
www.menopausethemusical.com; for more information
about Outlast, visit www.outlast.com.
B
B
y mixing high-quality natural fibers with lower quality
synthetics, textile fabricators can make it tough to be
certain that wool, cashmere and silk are the real deal. Applied
DNA Sciences Inc., Stony Brook, N.Y., offers a proprietary
SigNature™ DNA that can be used to authenticate textiles at
all points of the supply chain. In collaboration with Yorkshire
Textiles and Fabrics and the Textile Centre of Excellence
consortium of companies, Applied DNA will test SigNature
in threads, labels and fabrics manufactured by the British
firm. A second phase of testing would use Applied DNA BioMaterial™ Genotyping for raw fibers being used in Yorkshire
fabrics. The three-year project will provide a strategic weapon
against billions of dollars of textile seizures and losses in the
U.K., the U.S. and worldwide. To find out more, visit www.
adnas.com.
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.
R
Part of the Eastern Awning Group ❘ Watertown, CT ❘ (800) 445-4142
mail@worldscree
[email protected] ❘ www.worldscreeninc.com
Courtesy of Sun Control Products
18 REVIEW 12.08
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Sf Briefings
FORETHOUGHT
SWATCHES
SHOWROOM
PROBLEM
SOLVERS
PEOPLE
Miller Weldmaster adds to sales team
Miller Weldmaster serves customers in more than 75
countries, and recently added Truy Pham as a new sales
representative who will work with machine sales to the
sign industry worldwide. Pham graduated from the University of Akron with a B.S. in marketing management and
has experience in sales management.
[
Specialty Fabrics Review recently won two MMPA publishing awards:
Gold for “Overall Excellence”
Bronze for “Best Use of Visuals/Photography,” for the article
“Films, membranes and imagination,” in the March, 2008 issue
The Minnesota Magazine and Publications Association announced the awards in November.
]
Reed joins Cotton Inc.
Cotton Inc., a trade group for upland cotton producers, has
appointed Janet Reed associate director of environmental
research. She will assess all phases of cotton production and processing, identify research opportunities that
benefit cotton markets and provide scientific outreach and
information to retailers and the public. Reed worked most
recently with Syngenta Biotechnology Inc. as regulatory
affairs managers for Cotton Traits, and also worked at the
Texas A & M Experiment Station and Allied Corp. She has
an M.S. in plant genetics and a B.S. in horticulture, both
from the University of Tennessee.
New VP for NanoHorizons Inc.
NanoHorizons Inc., State College, Pa., has announced
the appointment of Timothy Skedzuhn to the position of
vice president of the textile business unit. Skedzuhn has
more than 20 years of sales leadership experience, with
a recognized expertise in the application of antimicrobial
solutions. Chairman and CEO David Woodle commented:
“His leadership will allow us to take our unique nanoscale
antimicrobial technology and effectively tailor it to the
needs of the textile market.”
SGIA honors James Gandy
Gandinnovations president James Gandy received the 2008
DPI Innovator Award at the Specialty Printing & Imaging
Expo’s keynote luncheon. Gandy was honored for his
contributions to the advancements in grand-format digital
imaging, such as the company’s line of AquaJet direct-tofabric digital printers. The DPI Innovator Award recognizes
the creativity and ingenuity of specialty imagers who have
advanced the digital imaging industry and community
through innovation.
Prather joins J & D Associates
J & D Associates, a leading manufacturer of motorized
storage systems based in Middletown, Pa., has hired
James Prather as a regional sales manager. Prather is
based in Fort Wayne, Ind., and will cover the midwest
region, bringing more than 20 years of industrial sales
experience to the job.
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By land or by air,
specialty fabrics
offer comfort,
strength, and
innovation.
HIGH-TECH
TRANSPORTATION
UP, UP, AND AWAY!
[ SKYACHT AIRCRAFT INC. ]
AMHERST, MASS., U.S.A.
The creators of the Personal Blimp set out to build a vehicle that
combines the enjoyment and quiet relaxation of a hot air balloon
ride with the control of other types of aircraft. The Personal Blimp
hull structure has three main components: the fabric envelope of 1.9
oz. urethane-coated calendered rip-stop nylon; a set of flexible ribs
embedded within the fabric; and a tensioning line that runs along the
central axis of the hull. The hull is a classic tension structure wherein
the ribs are under compression and the fabric and tensioning line are
under opposing tension. What is new and different about the Personal
Blimp hull design is the ease with which one can create a lightweight,
sturdy, self-supporting (no fans required) airship envelope. With a cruise
speed of 10 miles an hour, the Personal Blimp uses hot air rather than
helium. Because of its precise steering and ability to hover, potential
applications (in addition to joyrides!) include forest canopy research,
wetlands survey/management, eco-tourism, aerial photography and
film making.
Photo: Robert Cann
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Sf Briefings
FORETHOUGHT
SWATCHES
SHOWROOM
PROBLEM
SOLVERS
COMFORT AMID THE CLOUDS
[ LANTAL TEXTILES ]
LANGENTHAL, SWITZERLAND
Aircraft soft interiors provider Lantal has introduced a fully
pneumatic seat cushion that will be gradually installed in all
business class seats of the SWISS long-haul fleet beginning
in spring 2009. The cushion replaces traditional foam with airfilled chambers, allowing passengers to adjust the pneumatic
pressure of the seat to suit their personal preferences, from
firm when seated upright and medium when relaxing to soft
in the fully flat position. Additional massage functions and
temperature controls can be integrated in the seat for passenger
comfort during long flights. The cushion’s minimal weight, use of
non-flammable materials, and enhanced hygiene characteristics
provide additional benefits to the airline.
STRONG AND LIGHT
[ DELTA 7 SPORTS ] PAYSON, UTAH, U.S.A.
The frame of the Arantix™ Mountain Bike from Delta 7 Sports
includes more than 1,500 linear feet of carbon fiber. Single carbon
fiber strands are woven to create the open lattice IsoTruss®
structure of each frame tube, and each bundle of carbon fiber
strands is wrapped with Kevlar and then baked at 255˚F for four
hours. The ends of the baked tubes are then machined before being
joined with molded carbon fiber lugs to make a complete frame.
The carbon/Kevlar combination creates a bicycle frame that is
dramatically stronger than comparably weighted frames, while being
significantly lighter than frames of the same strength.
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open
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Sf Briefings
FORETHOUGHT
SWATCHES
SHOWROOM
PROBLEM
SOLVERS
problem
S LVERS
The Performers
Our monthly installment of common
industry-specific problems and the
products that can bring you solutions.
Quality
, co
durabil nsistency, fir
ity ... ef
e
fective -resistance,
materia
t
o
ls
o
These a result in effe ls and
ctive pr
re a few
od
to prov
ide for products that ucts.
your fa
perform
b ri c a t i o
n needs
.
Resistant and resilient
P: An outdoor apparel manufacturer needs a
material that resists fraying, snags, abrasions,
cuts and punctures.
S: SuperFabric™ technology engineers
ordinary fabrics into protective solutions,
integrating optimum resistance to cuts,
punctures and abrasion without losing
flexibility. Options such as flame resistance
or specialized grip make SuperFabrics a
complete and customized solution.
Contact > HDM Inc., Oakdale, Minn., U.S.A.; 866 730 6200,
fax +1 651 256 2038, [email protected], www.superfabric.com.
Sharp shears
P: Cutting materials with glues and adhesives
leaves scissors or shears rusted, corroded and
gummed up, leading to user fatigue and equipment damage.
Bundled performance
P: Customers want all of the best performance
features and fire resistance integrated into
one drapery fabric.
S: Bella-Dura™ drapery fabrics have it
S: Users of the Clauss 6-inch and 9-inch
Titanium Bonded Spring-Assisted Shears
experience reduced user fatigue and hand
issues because the titanium bonding keeps
blades sharper longer and resists rust,
corrosion, glue and adhesives.
Contact > Clauss Cutlery, Daphne, Ala., U.S.A.; 800 835 2263, fax
+1 251 625 4464, [email protected], www.claussco.com.
all: inherent resistance to fire, UV light
exposure (1500 hours), bleach cleaning,
microbes, stains and mildew—and can
be recycled. Because the fabrics need no
applied treatments, they retain softness
and drape and come in appealing textures,
patterns and colors.
Contact > Bella-Dura Fabrics, Garfield, N.J., U.S.A.; 800 544 0478,
[email protected], www.bella-dura.com.
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Sf Briefings
FORETHOUGHT
SWATCHES
SHOWROOM
PROBLEM
SOLVERS
Feeling the heat
P: The U.S. military wants durable, comfortable
fabric that, when exposed to high temperature, neither melts nor holds body moisture.
S: Knit CORDURA® NYCO provides no-melt,
no-drip performance, protecting the skin
from high heat and drying two-and-a-half
times faster than a 100-percent cotton
t-shirt. CORDURA NYCO knit fabric is
comfortable to wear, abrasion-resistant
and extremely durable.
Contact > CORDURA by INVISTA, Wilmington, Del., U.S.A.;
800 577 3733, [email protected], www.cordura.com.
Reach exceeds grasp
P: Customers want Solair® retractable awnings that
project out further than existing engineering limits
allow (the awning width minus 16 inches).
Traveling welder
P: Manufacturers using radio frequency (RF) welders
want higher production capacity, reduced labor costs,
minimal power usage and ways to meet more stringent
quality standards.
S: The FIAB 900 is the latest in RF traveling welders,
with a faster generator, a control system that
makes more precise adjustments and a userfriendly interface. FIAB enhanced the 900’s travel
speed, gave it unlimited capacity for storing
information, provided touch screen and joystick
operation, and added optional cooling/heating
system, tape dispenser and remote control.
Further add-ons that improve speed and accuracy
include JTE Machine Systems’ Cut Above, Laser
Kit and Hem Helper.
Contact > JTE Machine Systems Inc., Orange Park, Fla., U.S.A.; 800 355 4583,
fax +1 904 278 2387, [email protected], www.jtemachine.com.
S: Solair’s manufacturers, Astrup Company and
John Boyle & Co., extended their reach by
adding two new brackets to select units. The
Solair XP slide support is longer and its front
bar coupling extension adds more projection
power. The new components allow overlapping
arms to extend up to 150 inches on an awning
96 inches wide. The Solair XP units are available
in white, desert sand, brown and mocha.
Contact > Tri Vantage™ LLC, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A.; www.trivantage.com.
Long-lasting posters
P: Outdoor paper poster graphics suffer bleedthrough, flagging, seam exposure and color
fading, leading to costly reinstallation.
S: Replace paper posters with Coolflex®
B sure to check our Web site,
Be
www.reviewmagazine.info,
w
ww
for each month’s updated list
fo
oof Problem Solvers.
PR, in a five-ounce nonwoven PVC and
3.8-ounce non-PVC PE, both of which are
recyclable. Coolflex PR offers seamless
one-sheet installation, lasts longer than
paper, eliminates flagging and bleedthrough, and doesn’t require glue.
Contact > Cooley Group, Pawtucket, R.I., U.S.A.; 800 992 0072, fax
+1 401 726 8799, [email protected], www.cooleygroup.com.
24 REVIEW 12.08
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Sf Perspective
by Sigrid Tornquist
c
o
e
Junko Takai’s dedication
to providing products that
make a difference rests on a
conservative fiscal foundation.
“SOMETIMES WHEN COMPANIES MAKE A LOT OF
MONEY, THEY INVEST THAT MONEY INTO STOCKS—
they invest profits into something other than their own businesses—
we reinvest our profits into our core business,” says Junko Takai,
president of Hivix Co. Ltd. in Mizuho-city, Gifu, Japan. Takai began
working at Hivix, a company manufacturing inflatable products
for the healthcare, sports and industrial industries, sixteen
years ago. She bagan working in purchasing and information
technology, and in 2001 became president of the company.
Safeguarding the company’s interests is as important to
Takai as it was to her father, who preceded her as president of
Hivix. In fact, it was her father who taught her the value of
reinvesting profits back into the company. “In Japan, about
10 or 15 years ago, we had a [financial] crisis,” Takai says.
“Other companies ended up in trouble, but because of my
father, Hivix didn’t.” Her father resisted the conventional
wisdom of investing profits elsewhere, and during the
Japanese stock market crash of the early 1990s, the
company remained stable. Takai feels strongly about
the wisdom of this kind of conservative fiscal approach
to business. “Because of my father’s handling of the
business, we can keep it for other generations so they can
take over,” Takai says.
Photos: Bart Harris/Chicago.
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Risk and commitment both
VITAL STATISTICS
Junko Takai
Hivix Co. Ltd.
Mizuho, Gifu, Japan
Since 1951
Inflatable products for medical
and healthcare applications,
sports equipment and outdoor
products, and industrial and
auto applications
IFAI member since 2002
www.hivix.co.jp
FAVORITE STORIES FROM CHILDHOOD
German and Japanese
fairy tales
~ morals, life instruction and dreams
Takai balances her conservative fiscal approach with the belief that in order for the
business to flourish, its leaders need to entertain the need for change, and look for the best
places to make those changes. The company, then called Hioki Vinyl Co. Ltd., started as a
vinyl manufacturing facility in 1951, offering products, including rain coats and umbrellas. The company name was changed to Hivix in 1990 at around the same time that it
expanded its product line to include inflatable medical/healthcare, sports and industrial
products.
Predicting customer needs
T
he decision to include medical and healthcare products to the company’s product line was
far from incidental; it emerged out of personal experience—experience that revealed to
Takai’s family a need that their company had the ability to meet. When Takai’s grandmother
experienced a stroke that left her unable to care for herself, the duty and honor of caring
for her fell to the family—and Takai and her mother realized firsthand the difficulties that
accompany being a caregiver. “My mother worked very hard to take care of my grandmother,”
Takai says. “I would help, so I know just how hard it is for the patient and for the family or
caregivers. We decided then that we wanted to make something to reduce the burden [of
caregiving] for people.”
That “something to reduce the burden” turned out to be inflatable products for healthcare needs, including air-pressure mattresses to help prevent bedsores, post-operative air
pressure leggings to prevent blood clots, and inflatable basins for giving bed baths.
The company also produces inflatable sporting goods and industrial products, and Takai
is dedicated to making sure the company stays on the leading edge of technology and product development for all their products, beginning with design. “We develop designs with
our customers.” Takai says. She points out, however, that sometimes customers give them
a drawing for a product that just wouldn’t meet the demands of the application, when taking into account points of pressure and flexibility requirements. But the designers work
with the customers to come to a solution that satisfies their expectations and performs
to the company’s standards. “As far as I know, we are the only company in Japan that can
work to develop designs with our customers [for these types of products],” Takai says.
What is your...?
What is your...?
Sf Review asks
Sf Review asks
1208RV_25-27.indd
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PROUDEST MOMENT
BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY
For instance, we supplied an airpressure mattress to an ederly
woman who was confine to her
bed. After she died, her family
told us that even at the end, her
skin was beautiful—she had no
bedsores because of our product.
We are not doing business
only to please ourselves;
everyone should be happy—
the customers, the suppliers,
the employees. This is very
important.
12/5/08
11:22:11 AM
require decisions.
~ Victor L. Brown Jr.
Deliberate innovation
T
he process of finding fabric that meets the specifications for the end product is an ongoing challenge, according to Takai. “We don’t buy standard
material from suppliers; we always order custom-made,” she says. “We are
always thinking about how to work with fabric suppliers to design materials
so the content of the material will fit the application.”
At times, new materials call for new welding techniques. Currently,
Hivix uses mostly RF welding, but also uses heat-sealing welding depending upon the application. Finding the appropriate welding process for each
application can be difficult, according to Takai, and she expects the market
to continue to expand. “Welding is a challenge,” she says. “Each type of
welding has its limitations, and with new materials coming out, we will
need different [welding] machines to do the job.” Takai traveled to Charlotte, N.C., in the United States in October to attend IFAI Expo 2008 for
this purpose—to explore the latest fabric innovations and welding options
that could be used in her company’s products.
For Takai, exploring timely options extends beyond innovations in
fabric and machinery. She recently traveled to Viet Nam to consider if
opening a manufacturing plant there could reduce costs while maintaining product quality. “We researched costs in shipping the materials from
Japan, labor costs, land, electricity, etc.,” Takai says. “Even though labor
costs are lower there, considering all the expenses involved, we decided at
this time not to pursue opening a plant in Viet Nam.”
Thirty years earlier, her father faced a similar decision: to move
manufacturing to China as so many other companies were doing or keep
production in Japan. He, like Takai, decided on the latter. It is a cautious
and thoughtful approach, exploring the options, weighing the risk and
proceeding in a manner that will protect the business capital.
“I want to do my part to keep this company going for the next hundred
years,” she says.
TO THE RESCUE
H
ivix Co. Ltd. manufactures a broad array of cold
inflatables for the sports and leisure, medical
and healthcare, and industrial markets. But in an
ever-changing marketplace, companies need to be
constantly pursuing new products, new applications
and new processes. “We always keep in mind when
contracting with a business: How will this product
contribute to society, the good of the people and the
good of the environment?” says Junko Takai, president of Hivix.
BUSINESS STRENGTH
INDUSTRY PREDICTION
Advertising, promoSUCCESS? “IT’S
tion and researching
ASSESSING
ofABOUT
new materials.
And
we
design
and
develop
RISK. ONE OF
original technology
THEour
THINGS
I
with
customers.
I think there will be a
decrease in demand for
our products because the
population is beginning
to decrease. Eventually we
will have to expand our
company products into
other areas.
SPEND A LOT OF
TIME DOING IS
LOOKING FOR
1208RV_25-27.indd
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In response to the Great Hanshin Earthquake in
1995, also known as the Kobe earthquake, Hivix is
currently working on developing emergency products
to be used in response to future natural disasters.
12/5/08
11:22:16 AM
THIN
is in
THE FUTURE
IS HIGH-TECH
IF YOU’RE
PLANNING TO
STAY AHEAD OF
THE GAME.
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Sf Feature
by Jamie Swedberg
T
here’s nothing particularly predatorlike about narrow fabrics designers
and manufacturers. By and large,
they’re helpful folks, always working
with their clients to create webbings
and ropes with the perfect color,
thickness, width and performance characteristics.
But they’re still a bit like sharks: They must always
keep moving forward or die.
Narrow fabrics manufacturers are subject to the same market
conditions as all fabric makers. They know that the moment they
perfect a product, a competitor with lower overhead will bid the job
at a lower price. Luckily for U.S. companies, many of the markets for
narrow fabrics are in technical fields that demand constant innovation.
Certainly there will always be room for more seat belts, upholstery
trims and dog leashes. But narrow fabrics companies that manufacture
stateside are looking more and more to the high-tech world. They’re
pushing the limits of their craft as they make components for the
military, aerospace and medical fields.
THE THIRD DIMENSION
Since 1923, Bally Ribbon Mills, Bally, Pa., has engineered highly
specialized custom woven goods for its customers. Today about
30 percent of its output goes to high-tech industries. To ensure
its place in the market, the manufacturer recently invested in a
unique quad-axial loom that allows the company to weave fabric in
as many as four axes simultaneously. What on earth for, you ask?
One answer is a strange structure that the company calls “the
pi,” after the shape of the Greek letter π. It’s a trilobate strip made
of carbon fiber, used in the aerospace industry. It allows a perpendicular “wall” piece (sandwiched between the legs of the pi) to be
joined to a flat plane or beam with enormous security.
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11:26:54 AM
“This joint is stronger than if you were to rivet it or
weld it or anything of that nature, because it’s all woven at
the same time, as one solid unit,” says Bally sales manager
Bill Hornig. “It’s used principally in aircraft. It’s not going
to fatigue like metal will over the course of time, and it’s so
much lighter and so much stronger.”
Some of the company’s other three-dimensional structures do not require a special loom, so they have counterparts at other narrow fabrics companies. Monofilament
cooking oil filters and blood filters, for example, are woven
in a tube shape. Bally markets one hourglass-shaped
microfiber artery stent that requires no sutures because
it’s designed to expand against the wall of the blood vessel
when warmed to body temperature.
DuPont’s Teflon® appears in a couple of unusual narrow fabrics applications. Bally makes a pure Teflon tube
for the military and aerospace industries that is used as a
parachute pack; the slippery PTFE helps the chute deploy
without a hitch. Teflon is also chemically inert and pHbalanced, so it’s an ideal material to attach radio packs to
birds so that scientists can track their migrations.
POWER TO THE PEOPLE?
Several years ago, Foster-Miller Inc., a technology research
and development firm in Waltham, Mass., forged a partnership with Chester, N.J.-based Offray Specialty Narrow
Fabrics to develop e-textile narrow fabrics for the U.S.
military. The two firms received a grant to research the use
of narrow fabrics as a more flexible, lower-profile alternative to traditional electronic cables.
“The functionalities depended on the item,” says FosterMiller senior engineer Cheryl Gomes. “Some of it was like
a USB connector, connecting a computer to a battery. You
would use [the webbings] for power transfer, data transfer,
and input devices like MP3s.”
Currently, the two companies are manufacturing some
prototype e-textiles embedded in physiological monitoring shirts. The results may have applications outside the
military—the same electronics that keep tabs on a soldier’s
health can also be used to record the pulse rate of a runner.
But Bob Thuet, director of sales and business development at Offray, hastens to add that e-textiles are not some
Chameleon Webbing™, the first
camouflage webbing to be approved
for use by the U.S. Army, completely
disappears into a soldier’s gear,
with all the elements for effective
camouflage: shade, pattern and
near infrared reflectance. Photo:
Propel LLC.
kind of narrow fabrics holy grail. For one thing, there’s
nothing to keep competitors from jumping into the fray.
“I can take one of these [e-textile webbings] and toss it
in front of any decent textile engineer, and in 15 minutes
they’ll figure out exactly how it was done,” he says. “It’s
just warp and weft. I can put wire from Gore in there, and
the loom doesn’t care. I can put conductive yarn from any
manufacturer. No matter what unique application you
come up with, you have at best a couple of years before
someone else is banging on the door.”
For another thing, there’s no killer app yet, no guarantee of massive sales. Even the military hasn’t decided
which portable electronics it would like to focus on first (it
can’t have them all at once, because the battery pack would
be too heavy for a soldier to carry).
“They’d like to have navigation, communications,
gun-mounted cameras with displays, signaling devices,
signature recognition devices so they can be seen from
the air,” says Thuet. “And then there are the biophysical
monitoring items: whether the guy’s dead or alive, cold or
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TO PUSH THE BOUNDARIES
OF TECHNOLOGY—
AND TO SECURE A
RETURN ON YOUR R&D
INVESTMENT—YOUR BEST
BET IS TO PARTNER WITH
COLLEAGUES OR CLIENTS.
excited. They’d like to put things like automatic tourniquets
in certain segments of the garments. But at this point, none
of them have taken off. I consider it for the most part a science project.”
The connectors are a challenge, too. Yes, one end is a USB
port, but what connects that port to the cable itself? So far
there’s no standard, and it depends on the size of the wire,
the flexibility of the material, and numerous other factors.
Still, many e-textiles are in development and have been
tested successfully. Some simple ones have already made a
sizable dent in the market. Basic polyester webbings with
bits of wire woven in are commonly used as antennae.
Higher-tech ceramic and Kevlar® conductive strips are used
to launch warheads farther than ever before.
WORKING TOGETHER
The partnership between Offray and Foster-Miller is part
of a larger trend in the industry. To push the boundaries of
technology—and to secure a return on your R&D investment—your best bet is to partner with colleagues or clients.
Chameleon camouflage webbing is used extensively on the tactical ballistic
vest, and a matching edge tape is used in other parts of the uniform. According
to Propel LLC owner Clare King, these high-tech developments in narrow fabrics
are starting to trickle down to commercial applications as well. Photo: Courtesy
of U.S. Army, Petty Officer 2nd Class Summer M. Anderson.
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Disappearing ink
S
ome innovations in narrow fabrics have little to
do with the width of the webbing. For example,
the development of electroluminescent tapes mirrors similar capabilities in the larger technical textile world. Companies such as Safe Lites of Edina,
Minn., and BondCote Corp. of Pulaski, Va., can make
high-quality wide EL panels, so it stands to reason
that they can also plug in a different loom and make
narrow fabrics that glow.
Often, new wide-width textiles create a demand
for matching narrow fabrics. One recent example is
in military apparel. The camouflage soldiers wear
has two simultaneous purposes: breaking up their
outline in daylight, and also helping them blend into
the background when they’re viewed in the infrared spectrum through night vision goggles. Until
recently, webbing has been the most visible part of
the soldiers’ kit. It was solid colored, so it stuck out.
“That meant it was easily visualized by the
enemy,” explains Clare King, owner of Propel LLC,
a small textile development company in Providence,
R.I. “So we developed the first webbing that blended
into the camouflage the soldiers wear. And it was
not only important that it match the shade and pattern of the camouflage, but it also had to match its
infrared reflectivity so that it would break up and
blend into the background at night as well.”
How exactly do they do that? King is understandably cagey, since the process is proprietary. But she
will say that it has to do with the process and with
the chemistry of the inks. Apparently it’s difficult
to create solution-dyed yarns that consistently fall
within the desired IR range, so Propel has instead
developed an alternate method that involves printing
the finished webbing.
The resulting camouflage webbing is used extensively on the tactical ballistic vest, and a matching
edge tape that Propel developed is incorporated in
other parts of the uniform.
As so often happens, this high-tech development
is beginning to trickle down into mass markets.
“We’re starting to see interest in it in the commercial world,” King says. “For example, in luggage and those kinds of applications, it has a lot of
appeal. It’s not that they need it for any particular
purpose—it’s just that we can do prints onto webbing, and it looks neat.”
Clare King, owner of Propel LLC, a textile development
company in Providence, R.I., agrees. “People are learning
that narrow fabrics can provide flexibility and strength
at the same time,” she points out. “They’re being used to
make products that might not have been developed from
narrow fabrics before. People have approached us with
interesting product concepts because the actual users, the
designers of products, are seeing narrow fabrics as another
way of putting together their product idea.”
Bally Ribbon Mills has maintained a long-term partnership with Rexnord Industries LLC, Downers Grove, Ill.
Thirty-two years ago, the two companies developed fabricbased greaseless bearings.
“It’s Teflon and Dacron®,” says Hornig. “We weave it in
a tube. Then they take the tube, put it over a steel mandrel
and wrap fiberglass around it. They wet it with resins and
cure it, and then they [grind] the thickness down to whatever they want and cut it into lengths. The resin will stick
to the Dacron but not to the Teflon, so consequently you
have a greaseless bearing.”
Research and development is where the growth will be,
he predicts. Once a product becomes “ordinary,” it goes
overseas and the profit margin disappears. The only solution is to stay on the cutting edge.
Foster-Miller Inc. partnered with Offray Specialty Narrow
Fabrics to develop e-textile narrow fabrics for the U.S.
military, and are currently developing prototypes embedded
in physiological monitoring shirts. Photo: Foster-Miller Inc.
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That explains why nowadays, narrow fabrics manufacturers can be as secretive as their military and medical
clientele.
“One of the problems with this stuff is that when you
tell people, then everybody knows,” jokes Gomes.
Thuet, too, falls silent when asked about his latest work.
“We sign nondisclosure agreements left and right,” he
explains. “R&D is the key. The reason we are secretive is
that none of this is long-lasting. Even if you come up with a
special unique application, working in concert with an end
user, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll be able to patent it. Weaving is the second-oldest profession in the world,
so the secrets are out there for everybody to know.”
Bally Ribbon Mills’ custom woven goods
are highly engineered; about 30 percent
of the company’s output goes to high-tech
industries. A unique quad-axial loom allows
Bally to weave fabric in as many as four axes
simultaneously. Photo: Bart Harris/Chicago.
Jamie Swedberg is a freelance writer and former magazine
editor based near Athens, Ga.
Turn to page 78 for contact information on the sources used in this article.
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Sf Features
by Sigrid Tornquist
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Sf Feature
A S T HE WO R L D
S HR I NKS , BUS I NE S S E S
CA N CA P I TA L I Z E O N
WI D E NI NG T HE I R P O O L
O F C US TO M E R S .
I
f we needed proof that we’re in an economic environment where lines on a map
lose significance, September and October delivered. Though perhaps first to
the trough, the United States held no monopoly on failed financial institutions
and crashing stock markets. While there are many lessons to be learned, key for
businesses in the specialty fabrics arena is how global the marketplace has become.
“I see a world just continuing to become smaller and smaller,” says Marco Alvarez,
president and CEO of Fabric Images Inc. “Our ability to continue to grow our business
globally is going to be important as costs and budgets continue to be squeezed.”
A lot of U.S. commodities transitioned to the global front years ago, says Joey Underwood, vice president of Safety Components Fabric Technologies Inc. in Greenville, S.C.,
a division of International Textiles Group (ITG), with operations in the United States,
Germany, Romania, the Czech Republic, China and South Africa. Now, he says, “the
specialty markets to some degree are transitioning.
“I think a lot of markets went to developing parts of the world for cost purposes only.
As costs rise, we will see some of those products come back to North America. We’re
starting to see some of that already. That said, 95 percent of the world’s growth over the
next 5, 10, 20 years is going to occur outside the U.S., so the infrastructure that’s going to
these developing countries will be used in large part to supply those emerging markets.”
According to Mary Lynn Landgraf, a senior international trade specialist in the U.S.
Department of Commerce’s Office of Textiles and Apparel, “The global marketplace
changes daily, which has become more evident over the last five years. New emerging
markets continually join the global marketplace. Brazil, Russia, India and China are
currently the major players with rapidly growing economies and internal growth. Much
of this growth can only be served by imports.”
TAKING THE LEAP
Fabric Images entered the worldwide marketplace five years ago. Based in Elgin, Ill., the
16-year-old company now operates a manufacturing facility in Mexico and a sales office
in Japan. “It’s been good because the product that we offer [a fabric alternative to hardwall construction] is still in the infancy stage on a global basis,” Alvarez says, noting that
a manufacturing and sales facility in Milan, Italy, is on the books for 2009.
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AMERICAN COMPANIES NEED TO
SELL TO THE GLOBAL MARKETPLACE
“American companies need to sell to the global
marketplace to keep up with competition, create awareness
of our innovative products and establish joint ventures
and business alliances,” Landgraf says. “Selling globally
is critical to remaining competitive. History proves that
companies involved in exporting are more likely to remain
in business.”
Ted Anderson, president of BondCote Corp., a Pulaski,
Va.-based manufacturer of coated and laminated fabrics,
says that fabrication suppliers have tended to follow as
fabricators move production overseas for lower labor costs.
To deal with the changing dynamics of a global marketplace, companies need to continue driving cost reductions
and product innovations, he says, adding that one way to
reduce costs is through global sourcing of materials.
Companies can adapt to rapidly changing global
dynamics by being a participant instead of a bystander,
Landgraf says. “This means involvement in their [trade]
association’s educational programs, exhibiting at trade
shows, participating on trade missions, attending export/
business seminars and aggressively working the market.”
Critical to the success of the program, she adds, is having
designated staff to lead the international marketing of the
company’s products.
Fabric Images tries to come up with alternative business strategies with customers, Alvarez says, “whether it’s
terms, leasing programs or looking at products and materi-
TO KEEP UP WITH COMPETITION,
CREATE AWARENESS OF OUR
INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS AND
ESTABLISH JOINT VENTURES AND
BUSINESS ALLIANCES.
—MARY LYNN LANDGRAF
als to do things more cost effectively—to value-engineer
projects a little better.
“We have to keep reinventing ourselves. We have to
continue to look at how do we change the product, change
the offering to meet the market conditions.”
For example, Fabric Images introduced a program in
October it calls “freestyle leasing,” which allows customers to lease a display rather than buying one. According
to Alvarez, meeting turbulence head-on means “coming
up with this type of program and being sensitive to what’s
going on in the marketplace and being able to respond to
that immediately.”
Chris Nolan, managing director of Nolan Warehouses,
an industrial textiles company based in Sydney, Australia,
says foreign business has improved and deteriorated during
the 20 years his company has been doing business outside
the country.
Succeeding abroad
E
stablishing yourself in a foreign market takes more than
learning a few key phrases in another language.
“Each country has different ways of doing business and,
in some cases,
that you need to know to
s, there are subtleties
s
and have that business be effective,
make that business grow a
product,” says Marco Alvarez, presiso it’s not just about the pro
Inc. “I would find someone
dent and CEO of Fabric
Fabric Images
Ima
and someone that I would have
that I would
d trust a
relationship with over a certain period
built a relation
of time. So it’s really more about the
o
people than it is the market.”
Alvarez was part of a delegaAlv
tion led by the U.S. Commerce
Department in November 2007
De
to China, a market his company
has not entered—yet.
p
“It gave me a chance to
interact with Chinese
businesses in the textile industry and gave me an opportunity
to see what’s happening in China,” he says. “It’s a major, major
market, so I went just to get to learn the culture and people a
little better and see what the marketplace is doing over there.”
Ted Anderson, president of BondCote Corp., also went on
the China trip, though his company has been doing business
there for years. In addition to establishing new contacts, he
came away with a better understanding of the market and
insights into products being developed there. He plans to use
that knowledge “to focus on reducing our costs of doing business and developing alternative sources for component materials that we use.”
Chris Nolan, managing director of Nolan Warehouses,
which purchases products from China, says the trip cemented
relationships with two suppliers he had met at Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) shows. He gained “a feeling
for what is happening in China, the people’s aspirations and
their attitude toward the West.”
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“Due to the Internet revolution, communication has
improved enormously,” he says. “Government bureaucracy has become less intrusive, but transport logistics
have worsened considerably and become, recently,
much more expensive.”
The company’s foreign customers are located in
Oceania, and Nolan says there are opportunities as its
ASEAN neighbors become more prosperous. “To exploit
it to its full potential, we would seriously need to consider establishing a formal presence, say, in Indonesia.”
SETTING UP SHOP
Establishing foreign operations demands its own considerations. “The largest issue is hiring/training the
right local management team, establishing the proper
quality procedures and adherence to those procedures,
and financing the operation during the start-up phase,”
Underwood says.
For Anderson, the challenge lies in differing criteria
for products. “Pricing is an issue from the standpoint
that product expectations in emerging economies may
not be as high as U.S. expectations,” he says. “Their costs
may be lower because the market doesn’t require the
same level of technology.” However, he foresees change
in the next five to 10 years, with global customers
requiring higher-performance products, accompanied
by intensified competition for those customers.
with Mary Lynn Landgraf, senior
international trade specialist,
Office of Textiles and Apparel,
U.S. Department of Commerce
Q. What steps should a business take
to get into the global marketplace?
A. The best way to enter the global marketplace is
through research, planning and strategy development. These are the functions that the U.S. Department of Commerce provides American exporters.
We offer a multitude of services through the U.S.
Commercial Service and the Export Assistance Centers located in most major American cities and in 80
countries across the globe.
Q. How can companies protect themselves
from the turbulence of the global market?
A. Businesses need to be on the cutting edge of
information-gathering and place an emphasis on
constantly improving innovation. Our Export Assistance Centers can help analyze current trends using
our trade data as a resource. These experts can be
an advocate on behalf of American businesses while
navigating the turbulent tides of international trade.
The International Trade Administration is committed
to helping companies remain focused on identifying
issues they may face, reducing barriers to trade,
maintaining fairness in the global marketplace and
remaining competitive and successful.
Q. How can companies deal with differing
quality standards on a global scale?
Joey Underwood, vice president of Safety Components Fabric Technologies, joined a trip to the Arabian
Peninsula in December 2007, a cooperative venture led
by the United States Industrial Fabrics Institute in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Commerce.
“Before we went, we had limited experience in selling to some of these markets,” he says. “If we would
have done it before, I don’t think we would have used the
commerce specialists within the local embassies. I don’t
think we would have made the contacts on our own with
American chambers of commerce. I can see the value in
doing that now.”
“As in any opportunity, you need to invest the time and
money to understand what the customer wants and then
go about putting together a plan to accomplish that,”
Anderson says. “And one of the first things you have to do
is to make the commitment to spend the time and money
to go and visit, because it’s very difficult to do business
from half a world away without those relationships.”
A. Keep your standards at the apex of perfection.
Inform and educate yourself on the market or
regional demands and meet or exceed them. You
can overcome competition by offering top standards
in the target market. Our International Trade
Administration Web site (www.trade.gov) for market
reports offers information on country-specific
standards.
Q. When do companies need to establish brick-
and-mortar operations in their foreign markets?
A. There is no prescription for success in the market.
You need to maintain due diligence through market research and seek expert legal advice in the
marketplace.
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First steps
Marc Alvarez of Fabric Images Inc. offers the following advice to
Marco
bus
businesses
thinking about entering the global marketplace:
“F
“First,
be patient. Second, understand the culture. Get to know
what’s accepted, what’s not accepted. Get to know the business
climate and the market, where the market currently is and how
accepted for that market is your product. Spend some time and
talk to people and just be patient. Depending on the country,
it can take a long, long time to get products approved or to go
through the legal system. So it just requires patience. And go in
with an open mind.”
“Since 1969, Sunmaster of Naples has maintained its
reputation by always providing our customers with more
than they expect. That’s why we switched to GORE™
TENARA Sewing Thread — to ensure the reliability of our
custom canvas work through years of sun, wind and rain.
Our transition to GORE™ TENARA Sewing Thread was
simple and went flawlessly. We know we’re giving our
customers a first class product.”
— Mark Miller
Sunmaster of
Naples, Inc.
Naples, FL
®
®
Mark at La Rivage Condo,
winner of the 1997 IFAI Award of
Excellence, Multi-Family Residential
Awnings and Canopies.
It’s Not Just Thread —
It’s Your Reputation
GORE™ TENARA Sewing Thread makes you look good to your customers.
It will not weaken or degrade with exposure to UV, extreme temperatures,
salt, rain or chemicals. It comes in a variety of
colors that will not fade. And it’s guaranteed
for the life of the fabric. When your good
reputation is at stake, count on us.
W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
800.276.8451
gore.com/specfab
© 2008 W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
®
How the recent economic crisis unfolds
in coming months will undoubtedly affect
the global marketplace, but Underwood
for one believes that forward-looking companies will continue viewing the world as
their marketplace and investing in foreign
operations.
“[ITG’s] long-term philosophy is to provide products for local markets wherever
they may be,” he says. “We have to do that
with on-site manufacturing capability.”
According to Underwood, in addition to
curtailing transportation costs and delivery
times, there are politics to consider. “Americans tend to buy from anybody,” he says,
“but a lot of foreign markets would prefer
to have local content. All things being
equal, they would prefer to source from a
local manufacturer.”
Landgraf foresees that in the next five
to 10 years trade will increase between the
United States and previously untapped
markets. “The United States will have to
be increasingly aggressive in global marketing efforts,” she says. “In return, we will
see a renewed interest in strategic business
alliances through joint ventures, acquisitions and technology transfers. Companies
need to prepare themselves to think—and
act—globally. This includes staff that is
focused on export development.”
“If you want to succeed where 95 percent of the world’s growth is going to be—
outside of North America—you just have to
plan to participate, and the only way is to
have infrastructure,” Underwood says. “If
you are not looking outside the U.S. borders, the probability of shrinking is greater
than the probability of growing.”
Janice Kleinschmidt is a freelance writer and editor
based in Palm Springs, Calif.
Turn to page 78 for contact information on the sources
used in this article.
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The right stuff
More than 8,200 registered participants from 58 countries joined IFAI’s
annual high-energy gathering of the specialty fabrics industry in Charlotte
this year. Dozens of expert speakers and hundreds of key suppliers met them
there, discussing the latest new product innovations and market trends:
smart fabrics and green solutions, sustainable design and value-added performance to keep manufacturers meeting and exceeding customer demands.
We can only hit the highlights here, but keep reading: we’ll be using what
we’ve learned at IFAI Expo right up until next year’s show at the San Diego
Convention Center, Sept. 23–25, 2009. See you there!
IFAI Expo 2008 coverage compiled by Galynn Nordstrom, Kelly Frush and Sigrid Tornquist.
Show photographers: © 2008 Foster & Associates–Atlanta, Bart Harris/Chicago.
Innovation,
inspiration…
and
perspiration
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EXPO 2008 » THE RIGHT STUFF
In addition to wide-ranging
educational opportunities and
an impressive array of the
industry’s state-of-the-art new
products, IFAI Expo 2008 put
customer needs center-stage
with a number of special
events and services:
Highlights and high points
Our keynote speakers:
focus on LEADERSHIP
better every day, build up weak links, keep
customers satisfied and remember core values. He also challenged all of us to keep up a
sense of humor, whatever comes—a quality he
demonstrated fully during his address.
• The new “Innovation Theater” in
the exhibit hall gave exhibitors the
opportunity to showcase their latest technological innovations, and
allowed attendees to ask questions
one-on-one.
• Design Exhibition 2008 displayed
some of the world’s most creative
uses of advanced textiles for health
and safety (see page 10 of this issue
for more details).
• The International Buyer’s Program
offered U.S. exhibitors assistance in
connecting with international buyers
through the International Business
Center. The U.S. Department of
Commerce offered this designation
to only 40 trade shows this year.
• IFAI’s 2008 International Achievement
Awards received 408 entries from 16
countries. To see the complete list
of winners, visit www.ifai.com.
• IFAI president Steve Warner and
OFPANZ president Grant Clausen
announced that the New Zealandbased organization had voted
overwhelmingly to merge their
organization into IFAI.
• IFAI announced the second Advanced
Fabrics Conference, to take place in
Brussels in April, 2009, and the firstever IFAI Expo Asia, to take place in
April 2010 in Singapore.
Doris Kearns Goodwin
Lou Holtz
uesday morning, rising energy levels were
clearly marked after opening speaker
Lou Holtz delivered his closing remarks as
the opening-day keynote speaker at IFAI
Expo 2008.
Holtz repeatedly emphasized the need to
maintain a good attitude, and pointed out
that others on your team
will mirror that attitude.
A passion to win is key,
which requires a thorough understanding of
the competition. Holtz
challenged listeners to be
T
he distinguished author of Team of Rivals:
the Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln led
off the final day of IFAI
Expo 2008 with a very
different but equally inspiring take on how to
achieve real leadership.
Kearns Goodwin quoted
Lincoln in defining leadership as “the ability to rise above your frustrations,” and presented 10 principles embodied
by Lincoln as he brought his former political
rivals together in order to keep the country
on course in a critical period in history. Her
thoughtfully inspirational remarks clearly
moved her listeners as they prepared for their
final hours at the show.
T
OPENING NIGHT
Hundreds of clearly energized but extremely
hungry Expo participants joined Specialty
Fabrics Review magazine and Glen Raven
Custom Fabrics LLC for an opening-night
reception at downtown Charlotte’s Founder’s
Hall. Lively entertainment, a lavish spread and
refreshments poured with a generous hand
correctly punctuated the end of the first day
of IFAI Expo 2008 … and surrounded a caricaturist doing
a land-office business drawing attendees for the cover
of the Review. Has anyone
seen this woman … ?
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Leading in green
Sustainability is on everyone’s agenda in the specialty fabrics
industry today, and IFAI Expo recognized that trend with the “Going
Beyond Green” symposium held on Thursday, Oct. 23. A special
section in the October issue of the Review (handed out at the show)
highlighted those topics and speakers before and during the show.
The editors also scoured the show floor for some new products
that exemplify “green”; we can only include a few of them here,
but they’ll be showing up regularly next year in these pages.
Dazian Fabrics offers
three recycled fabric
choices for digital printing made from postindustrial waste and
post-consumer plastic
bottles. Saving 67,000 BTUs
of energy in production, Eco-Celtic Cloth is
100 percent recycled polyester. Eco-Janus
conserves 40,000 BTUs, is 65 percent recycled polyester and 35 percent IFR polyester; and Eco-Trapeze® saves 61,000 BTUs,
a blend of 90 percent recycled polyester
and 10 percent Lycra. www.dazian.com
Vulcana LLC uses recycled tires (at least 30
p e rce n t ) t o c re a t e
sheet rubber material
called rubbRe™, available in multiple thicknesses, colors and designs.
Also offered: fuzun ™ , a material that
bonds hemp to its rubbRe sheets. Vulcana
products are suitable for use in furniture,
architectural projects, luggage and other
applications. www.vulcana.net
GeoHay LLC barrier filtration products use
recycled carpet fibers
to be used in place of
silt fences and grass
bales. Reusable and
recyclable, the environmentally friendly filtration products are
also more cost effective than silt fencing
or traditional bales. GeoHay is free of
weeds, lasts the duration of most construction jobs, is consistent in size and
weight, and can be stored outside in the
open. www.geohay.com
From Li Peng Enterprise
Co. Ltd.: Ecoya™, a solution-dyed yarn, cuts
down on the release of
CO2 and COD by adding
the color masterbatch
to the polymer melt before
extruding it into fiber. Water and chemicals
are also conserved during this process, and
the material remains colorfast to water,
light and washing. Also offered is RePET™
polyester fibers recycled from used PET
bottles. www.libolon.com.tw
R&M International Sales
Corp. buys, sells and
processes textile and
plastic waste, scrap
and by-products. The
trading company, which
deals primarily in textile and
plastic raw materials, handles polyester,
nylon, polypropylene, polyethylene, acrylic,
cotton, wool, extrusion waste, film waste
and more. www.rmintl.com
Earthtex ® fabrics from
Twitchell ® Corp. are
manufactured using
energy drawn from
solar, hydro, green
or renewable energy
sources. Committed to
Cradle to Cradle ® principles, Twitchell
uses a closed loop manufacturing process,
where water is constantly recycled in the
manufacturing process. www.twitchellcorp.com
Coated textiles producer
Vintex Inc. uses several
strategies to minimize
environmental impacts.
Vintex recycles and
reuses many materials,
such as scrap, excess material, packaging materials and discarded
product. The company takes precautions
in handling plasticizers and stabilizers,
controls air quality and noise levels, and
produces and disposes of PVC safely. www.
vintex.com
Greenzone Worldwide
Inc. uses biopolymers
to create 100 percent
biodegradable fiber,
yarn, film, sheet, injection-molded plastics and
its All Green ® fabric line.
These products are dissolved by microbes,
enzymes and other natural processes,
eliminating the need for recycling and its
related, often high, costs. Greenzone uses
polylactic acid to produce its materials,
which creates strength, shock- and heatresistance while remaining biodegradable. Characteristics of All Green fabrics
are similar to those of polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, ABS and polycarbonate
materials.
Greenzone also produces insect-repellent treated fabric Expel™, using an active
ingredient that resembles the chemical
makeup of chrysanthemums, flowers that
are naturally less susceptible to insects.
[email protected]
Ferrari Textiles designs
its new products with
the environment in
mind. It makes use
of resources, encourages safety, minimally
impacts the environment,
and integrates renewable raw materials.
Ferrari outfitted its production facilities
with atmospheric emission treatment systems several years before standards were
set in place, and now makes sure only best
safety and environmental practices are
used. www.ferrari-textiles.com.
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5:18:16 PM
IFAI Expo 2008 offered innovative
symposiums, hands-on workshops,
special educational sessions,
inspirational speakers and state-ofthe-art new products, all targeting
strategic issues and market opportunities. Growth areas in the industry: energy-saving awnings, medical
textiles and health care products,
fabrics and finishes for fine-tuned
performance, safety and protective
fabrics, fabrics in transportation
(land, sea and space), innovations
in fabric graphics, and fabric
architecture: how to build greener,
smarter, sustainable structures.
Today’s fabrics, tomorrow’s
The 6th Annual Conference on Safety & Protective Fabrics
his year, the pre-show conference theme was fire protection, in a variety of applications.
Speakers addressed multi-layer garment systems for firefighters, the reflective properties of aluminized fabrics, auto suit development for two different global standards, new and
improved fire shelters for wildland firefighters, safety standards for electric arc protection,
and how best to measure protection and comfort in heat-resistant clothing. The first day
culminated in a field trip to Hendrick Motorsports, Concord, N.C., where attendees learned
how protective technical fabrics are used in NASCAR.
One point that was reiterated again and again during the Safety & Protective conference
was the importance of culture: Users often favor one type of protective apparel over another
based on subjective impressions or group traditions. This wasn’t news to U.C. Davis students Edana Conlon, Danna Sadetsky, and Maureen Dougherty, three winners in this year’s
Safety Products Student Design Challenge. While designing their entry (a wicking undershirt to be worn under a ballistic vest), they not only used sweating manikins to simulate
body moisture, but they also interviewed police officers about their preferences. The result?
A work garment that really works.
T
Fabric graphics
Sustainability was key, whether the subject was fabrics, inks or printers. Dye sublimation
and color management were also highlighted in discussions.
• The roll-to-roll inkjet signage forecast is projected to grow from $2.4 billion in 2005 to $5.4
billion in 2010, according to Patti Williams of I.T. Strategies. Digital printing will bring
back the localized textile industry in the United States and Europe—not the textile mills.
• Sustainability is meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs, says Dazian Fabrics’ Jon Weingartner. Green
business is important to the industry, not only green products.
• Color output is the product of materials, equipment, environment, process, and people.
Physical variables can be addressed with technology; psychological ones with procedures,
according to Fabric Images’ Robert Santos.
Mytec soft IT tools and solutions are
dedicated to increasing the efficiency
and profitability of mid-sized manufacturers, with “train and transfer”
software that can be run by staff. In order
to stay profitable, you need a top-notch
workforce and state-of-the-art tools
to manage and analyze data. www.mytecsoft.com
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Thermal comfort testing equipment from
Measurement Technology Northwest
offers innovative design, comprehensive technical support and cutting-edge
features. The thermal manikin family begins with “Newton,” a carbon-fiber
model in various sizes that has sweating,
walking and breathing options to make it a
complete and versatile research tool. www.
mtnw-usa.com
Shandong Yuxin/Shenghao Fiber Glass Co.
Ltd. is engaged in the research, development, production and sales of high-quality
fiberglass products, including filament
drawing, twisting, weaving and coating
workshops. Main products include C-glass
and E-glass fiber yarn, fiberglass and polyester geogrids, fiberglass wall covering,
alkali-resistant mesh, PVC-coated yarn,
sun sheet and fiberglass insect screening,
and more. www.fiberglasscn.com
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5:18:23 PM
s applications
Medical and health care demand
Textile advancements, including silver-based antimicrobials and antiviral textiles, are
paramount in new research and product development for the medical and healthcare market segments. The Medical Textiles Symposium, co-organized with North Carolina State
University, College of Textiles, covered barrier protection performance standards, antimicrobial and antiviral textiles, nonwovens, nanotechnology, and global market trends for
medical textiles and healthcare products.
According to research by Hang Liu, Ting Chi and Karen Leonas of Washington State
University, and Peter Kilduff, California State Polytechnic University, the global market
for medical textiles was worth approximately U.S. $8 billion in 2007, consuming 2.1 million metric tons of fiber per year. Nonwovens hold the largest market share at 75 percent,
and are growing at a rate of 6 percent. The remaining fabrics are growing at a rate of 2 percent, with wovens accounting for 20 percent of the market share and knits for 5 percent.
Opportunities for growth, spurred by an aging world population, are apparent in the
increasing demand for existing products and the need for developing antimicrobial and
tissue-engineering products.
Value added: the finishing touch
Wednesday’s symposium on Fabrics & Finishes for Consumer Demands put the textile
industry under a microscope—literally. Auburn University’s Dr. Sabit Adanur began the
morning with an overview of nanotechnology and its uses in textile technology: stain
resistance, flame resistance, static control, moisture management, UV protection, and
antimicrobial activity, among others. Other speakers presented specific fabric innovations,
including: light-activated germ-killing fabrics, flexible luminescent lights, portable rollup photovoltaic panels, waterproof yet breathable ePTFE, and “greener” laminating and
coating with hot melts.
Because safety must always be a concern in research and development, the consultants
of Brookville, Md.-based Marchica & Deppa LLC touched on manufacturers’ and
importers’ responsibilities with regard to public health.
Heating and cooling solutions from
Schaefer Ventilation Equipment for rental
and special events includes fans, mist
rings, portable electric and propane heaters, and the WayCool® portable evaporative cooler, which combines small size,
low cost and excellent cool air output. All
models can be used as a stand-alone unit
or connected to a water supply. www.
schaeferfan.com
Huntsman Textile Effects delivers products
to textile finishers, and offers partnership
and value to companies across the supply
chain. One example: Pyrovatex ®, which
offers the maximum combination of overall
flame and heat protection and excellent
comfort in treated garments, for use in
a variety of industries from oil and metal
welding to military/police and firefighting.
www.huntsman.com
Developing adaptive
clothing that works
Adaptive clothing is considered a
Class I medical device, but neither the garment industry nor the
medical industry is responding
to the clothing needs of the aging
and disabled, says Ruth Clark,
president of Prestige Health Care
in Kamloops, B.C., Canada. Her
goal is to “build an association
of companies supplying adaptive
clothing,” because it’s a health
issue, a professional issue, an
economic issue—and a family
issue. Clark visited IFAI Expo
2008’s exhibit hall to do some
interviews as part of her drive
to shoot a series of videos on
adaptive clothing, which will be
marketed globally in a number of
different languages. For information, visit www.fashionmoves.org.
Never Ruthless: Ruth Clark, president of Prestige
Health Care, and Ruth Stephens, managing director of
IFAI’s Safety & Protective Products Division, enjoyed a
refreshing conversation at Wednesday’s International
Reception. Photo: Foster & Associates/Atlanta
Enduring aesthetics for long-lasting fabric
structures: Tenara® architectural fabrics
from W.L. Gore & Associates Inc., made
from 100 percent fluoropolymer, a highstrength PTFE fabric coated with a flexible
fluoropolymer to be waterproof and weldable. Patented, double-coated technology
produces a fabric with high light transmission, great flexibility and long life. www.
wlgore.com
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5:18:31 PM
With registered participants
from 58 countries this year, IFAI
Expo 2008 continues to expand
its international presence and
global market outlook. Some of
the high points: The International
Buyer’s Program, the International
Achievement Awards, the merging of New Zealand’s OFPANZ into
IFAI, special exhibitor pavilions
for Germany and China, Advanced
Textiles 2009 in Brussels and IFAI
Expo Asia 2010 in Singapore.
An international affair
Expanding business markets: China, India, Brazil
ffering market-based insights into growing regions of the worldwide technical textiles
marketplace, four distinguished speakers shared their views about business opportunities, cultural, economic and infrastructure backgrounds, and local manufacturing trends and
viewpoints. After an introduction by OTEXA’s Mary Lynn Landgraf, Dr. James Chan talked
about how China is moving from being the world’s factory to becoming a major consumer
of imported products, and also moving into higher value, high-tech areas with higher profit
margins. It’s vital to build relationships with the people you’ll be doing business with, he
emphasized, and noted that “Whatever you do—be aware that piracy is taken for granted.”
Samir Gupta with Business Coordination House Pvt. Ltd. discussed India’s trade advantages: a growing economy, a young and skilled workforce, and a liberal investment regime,
with widespread urbanization.
The U.S. is Brazil’s single largest trading partner, said Rubens Gama, Minister for Commercial Affairs, Embassy of Brazil, and Brazil is undergoing a period of sustained economic
growth, fueled by international investment, with a growing middle class. High taxes and
poor infrastructure offer challenges, but there is a growing consumer market.
O
INTERNATIONAL RECEPTION
Wednesday evening, hundreds of Expo participants
(attendees and exhibitors) joined us in the Charlotte
Convention Center’s Ballroom B for a relaxing drink
after a successful day doing business at the show.
IFAI president Steve Warner welcomed OFPANZ
visitors from New Zealand to IFAI membership, and
followed up on the announcement of the upcoming
Advanced Textiles show in Brussels and IFAI Expo
Asia 2010 in Singapore.
NEW
BKS Textiles, located in Tamil Nadu,
India, has now expanded its production
capability to include coated fabrics. The
company also produces finished fabrics,
including those treated for water repellency, wicking and anti-bacterial qualities. www.bkstextiles.in
The FIAB PTFE welder from FIAB HF
AB in Lysekil, Sweden, has dual heads
from top and dual plates from bottom for
heating and cooling. The gantry frame
allows generous space for material
handling. Comes with optional remote
control. www.fiabhf.se
The San ® 5 Gebedur ® sewing needle
from Groz-Beckert of Albstadt, Germany, offers high needle stability in combination with an optimum of penetration work. Special design of the working
area results in high bend-resistance in
comparison to a standard needle. www.
groz-beckert.com
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IFAI Japan Business Tour
What we heard
This year, despite a troublesome economy, 23 IFAI Japan
members came for IFAI Expo 2008, 15 of whom were first-time
visitors. “They were fascinated by the show, the beauty of the
city and the energy they felt from visitors around the world
and the hard-working staffs,” said IFAI Japan executive director
Kikuko Tagawa. For the first time, a seminar was presented in
Japanese: “Art of Shelter,” by Fabric Images’ Ms. Yayoi Nagata,
a presentation that discussed the relationship of Japanese culture, traditional design and fashion to architecture.
During the show, we asked participants about current
trends and emerging opportunities in the marketplace.
International Buyer Program
In this economy, it’s important to be seen.
For the second year, IFAI Expo received the
International Buyer Program designation
from the U.S. Department of Commerce,
one of only 40 trade shows to receive it
this year. The program assisted attendees
in maximizing their international marketing potential by setting up an International Business Center
(IBC) at IFAI Expo 2008. The center offered U.S. exhibitors
complimentary services, including international sales leads,
business-matching facilities, export counselors, interpreters
and a private conference room.
This year, several promising contacts for U.S. textile exporters visited the IBC, including companies from India, China,
Argentina, France, Germany, U.K., Ecuador, Mexico and
Brazil, to name a few. Representatives from the Department
of Commerce referred these and other companies to exhibitors
at the show.
These services will also be available at IFAI Expo 2009 in
San Diego.
THE ECONOMY
Even with the economic downturn, companies are
spending money on business automation.
The companies who succeed are the ones who are
innovative, aggressive and offer quality products
at a reasonable price.
DIGITAL GRAPHICS
The ability to print on “non-special” fabrics is changing
the printing industry.
There’s an emerging trend toward digital designing for
printing on textiles. In Italy, the industry has crossed the
threshold to where they are only designing in digital now.
AWNINGS AND SHADE
Because of the need for energy savings, the U.S. will
follow Europe in its use of retractable awnings.
Commercial awnings are doing well, although the
residential market is tough right now. Looks at this
as a time to increase market share.
FABRICS
Performance fabrics are moving from specialty
to consumer—to mattresses, upholstery and fashion,
not just safety and protective applications.
Nonwoven fabrics are starting to take over the
functions of wovens.
EMERGING MARKETS
Obetex, from Obeikan Co. Ltd. of Riyadh,
Saudi Arabia, is a line of seamless PVCcoated polyester fabrics for architectural
applications requiring mechanically strong
fabric with weights ranging from 26.6-36.6
oz/yd2 (700gsm-1250gsm). Applications
include temporary and permanent membrane structures, event tents, work tents
and medical tents. www.obeflex.com
There is a lack of education about adaptive clothing;
the garment industry is not responding to the needs
of the aging and disabled.
In Europe, there’s a focus on safety and protective
products. Companies doing research and launching
new product lines in this market are doing quite well.
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5:18:52 PM
This year, another educational
emphasis at IFAI Expo 2008 is on the
burgeoning transportation markets
around the world. Advanced fabrics
are vital not only for countries with
developing infrastructures, but for
maintaining and developing the hightech surfaces and systems coming to
the forefront as mass transportation
becomes increasingly important.
From land to sea to stratosphere
to orbit, technical fabrics play an
increasing role.
On the move
Plas-Tech Sealing Technologies LLC
offers contract manufacturing, R.F. welding and dielectric sealing, contract sewing,
research and development, assembly, silk
screening, order fulfillment and packaging
services. Industries served: medical, recreational, automotive, health and wellness
and travel. www.plastechsealing.com
Software solutions for plastics, composites
and performance materials from Jomar
Softcorp Intl. include nylon resins, PVC
adhesives, tire cord, airbags, headliners
and cables, PVC roofing, molded insoles,
formed carpet backings, lumbar seat
supports and much, much more. Markets served include military, aerospace,
construction, marine, automotive, sports,
medical, filtration and geosynthetics. www.
jomarsoftcorp.com
Freudenberg Evolon® is a unique microfilament fabric that is dense, strong and
isotropic, but soft, drapable and lightweight
as well. Highly absorbent fabric is solventand binder-free and has been granted
Oeko-Tex 100 class 1 certification, for uses
ranging from high-tech wiping to bedding
to signage to acoustic seating and auto
interiors. www.freudenberg-nw.com
Specialty foam fabricator UFP Technologies
solves manufacturing and packaging problems with foam, or foam combined with
other materials such as thermoformed
plastics or specialty fabrics. Primary markets served include computers and electronics, medical and scientific, aerospace
and defense, automotive, consumer and
industrial. www.ufpt.com
Cramaro Tarp Systems include Slide ‘n Go™,
Flip ‘n Go™, Mentor™ cable systems, side-roll
systems, Super Liners, Tarp-All™ for flat bed
trucks and stock flip tarps for any use, plus
replacement tarps and parts. Six locations
service more than 20 countries around the
world. www.cramarotarps.com
Vectran® fiber from Kuraray America Inc.
is spun from liquid crystal polymer for
exceptional strength and rigidity, high
abrasion and chemical resistance and
outstanding vibration damping. Vectran
knitted fabrics, available in multi-filament,
spun and hybrid varieties, offer resistance
to cutting, punctures, abrasion and heat.
www.vectranfiber.com
Land, sea and space
ransportation materials and applications have advanced to meet stringent materials
specifications, and have adapted across different transportation markets, from land,
to sea, to outer space. Participants at the Materials in Transportation—Land, Sea and Space
symposium took in a comprehensive itinerary of topics: trends, challenges and commonalities
within the transportation market were discussed, as well as specific and product-based topics
such as carbon fiber and deployable textile structures for the marine industry, an overview of
the global automotive market and its technological challenges, and the unique applications
of composites and special textiles for the aerospace industry. As NASA prepares to return to
the moon, it could be a whole new adventure.
T
46 REVIEW 12.08
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46
12/4/08
5:19:05 PM
In recognition
A lifetime of achievement
AR Tech’s Bud Weisbart, IFM, was one of six long-time industry
members honored at Thursday night’s Chairman’s Gala with an
“Honored Life Member” award from IFAI (see The Insider, page
69). He sent this letter to IFAI president Steve Warner, and gave
us permission to publish it in this issue:
Dear Steve:
. But
n that I am without words
As you know, it’s not ofte
nt in
me
the screen it was truly a mo
when I saw my name on
not speak
ld
cou
ath, and literally
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really like to say is that it
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d by IFAI this way is truly
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s.
ple
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se
the validity of tho
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As wonderful as it is to rec
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ied
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living up to
paramount importance is
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throug our
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values in pursuing the goa
for us to
lf. IFAI has been the vehicle
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that we recognize IFAI for
do that, and it’s important
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and work to encourage the
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criticize, encourage, and
best resources possible.
n.
I Board for this recognitio
Thanks to you and the IFA
Bud
1
2
3
Student Design Challenge for safety
The winners of the 5th Annual Safety Products Student
Design Challenge were announced at the Safety &
Protective Products Division Annual Meeting during IFAI Expo 2008. First-place winners were on-site
and presented their projects to show attendees. Cash
awards to students and schools are sponsored by the
Narrow Fabrics Institute (NFI) of IFAI, and the travel
and room awards by the Safety & Protective Products
Division of IFAI.
FIRST PLACE
Danna Sadetsky, Edana Conlon, Maureen Kelly Dougherty,
University of California, Davis
Professor: You-Lo Hsieh
The Moisture Management Protective Shell was designed to increase the
comfort and performance of wearers of bulletproof vests by providing a
garment that reduces moisture collection on the skin. Skin perspiration
can “weigh down” wearers with moisture; also, sweating heavily in a
cold climate can lead to hypothermia. Students analyzed the data and
designed a shell—or undershirt—with excellent “wicking” abilities and
improved breathability.
SECOND PLACE
Stacey Wenzel, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
Professor: Karen LaBat
In 1998, hunting was the fourth highest cause of outdoor fatalities, with
most deaths occuring when victims were mistaken for game. The Kids’
Camouflage Safety Hunting Suit, in blaze orange, is wind-, water- and
snow-proof, with an insulation layer of polar fleece. Since warmth is
more important than ventilation while sitting on a deer stand, the onepiece design keeps the wind out at the waist and through the use of wind
flaps and straps at the hands and feet.
THIRD PLACE
Laura Musekamp, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
Professor: Karen LaBat
A record 408 project entries from 16 countries were
submitted for the 2008 International Achievement
Award Competition for textile design excellence.
Congratulations to this year’s winners! View all the
entries and the winning projects at www.ifai.com.
The Men’s Cold-Weather Sailing Outfit features a jacket and pants to
protect the body from harsh sailing conditions. Wind flaps, hand-warmer
pockets and self-draining pockets, a high collar and cinch-cords restrict
cold air. An emergency hood features a strip of reflective tape and a
hook for attaching a safety whistle to aid rescue personnel in case the
wearer goes overboard.
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5:19:31 PM
The Right Products »The Right Information » The Right Event
IFAI Expo is a powerful
business investment.
OW
PLAN NEND
TO ATT
IFAI Expo ‘09 » San Diego
Come to the largest specialty fabrics
trade show in the Americas.
» 500 top suppliers unveil a dynamic showcase of existing
and emerging technologies
» Designated as an International Buyer Program by the
San Diego
Convention Center
San Diego, CA
Sept. 23-25, 2009
» Dozens of symposiums and training workshops provide
valuable educational resources
» 8,000 registered participants from more than 60 countries—
a marketplace for connecting with the right resources
Contact IFAI Expo Show Management to get involved
» For exhibiting and sponsorship opportunities, contact
Sarah Hyland at +1 651 225 6950, or [email protected]
The Commercial Service
logo is a registered
trademark of the U.S.
Department of Commerce,
used with permission.
» For education and training suggestions, and speaker
proposals, contact Jill Rutledge at +1 651 225 6981,
or [email protected]
» To receive registration information or a letter of
invitation for international travel, contact Tracie Coopet
at +1 651 225 6947, or [email protected]
Ex09
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WWW.IFAIEXPO.COM
10/15/08
12/5/08
11:31:47
1:28:20 PM
AM
AWNINGS AND SHADES
Sf Focus
EXPO WATCH
BUSINESS
MARKETS
WORLD VIEWS
CONNECTIONS
GEOSYNTHETICS
Sf Focus
GRAPHICS
LIGHTWEIGHT STRUCTURES
Our focus is you
MARINE
Which session topics and content subjects will help you with your business?
PROTECTIVE: SAFETY AND MEDICAL
TENTS AND TEMPORARY SHELTERS
TRANSPORTATION AND AUTOMOTIVE
TRUCK COVERS
UPHOLSTERY
:28:20 PM1208RV_48-66.indd
I
FAI Expo 2008 in Charlotte, N.C., had a record-breaking
8,210 registered participants from 58 countries—continuing its reign as the largest specialty fabrics trade
show in the Americas. No other industry textile show
draws buyers from all levels of the supply chain in such
a diverse range of markets. For three days exhibitors displayed
an impressive array of new products, smart fabrics, green
solutions and innovative new kinds of high-performance
and sustainable design.
With our IFAI Expo 2009 call for topics, we want to make
sure that we continue the tradition next year.
This is your opportunity to identify the right topics and
the right information you need to further your training and
industry expertise. Educational topics can focus on anything
from business best practices to manufacturing strategies to
the latest technical product developments. Sales people,
designers and fabricators gain insights and skills in these
focused educational events custom-designed for the specialty
fabrics industry.
Our goals for IFAI Expo 2009 attendance program are to
bring together all the members of the international specialty
fabrics community, including fiber and fabric producers, endproduct manufacturers, government representatives, architects,
and business entrepreneurs from multiple niche-segments
of the industry to form a complete vision of what tomorrow
might hold. In other words: real-world business intelligence
that can help your business succeed.
Each year more than 100 industry experts contribute to dozens of original, interactive symposiums and workshops teaching
the entire value chain about high-performance strategies.
You can help shape this vital educational program by
identifying session topics and content subjects you want to
experience at IFAI Expo 2009 in San Diego.
The IFAI Expo 2009 Call for Educational Topics offers
opportunities to suggest program ideas, subject matter and
interested speakers. This is your chance to customize your
training experience and help create a successful conference
for you, your employees and your peers.
Some key theme areas for 2009 include:
> Research and development
> Product manufacturing
> Design and architecture
> Green technology
> Global expansion
> Business and leadership
> Sales and marketing
> Equipment innovations
Please submit your topic and speaker ideas by January 5,
2009, at www.ifaiexpo.com.
If you have any questions, please contact Jill Rutledge, director of events, at +1 651 225 6981, [email protected].
49
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11:31:49 AM
Sf Focus
EXPO WATCH
BUSINESS
MARKETS
WORLD VIEWS
CONNECTIONS
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12/5/08
11:31:57 AM
AWNINGS AND SHADES
Sf Focus
EXPO WATCH
BUSINESS
MARKETS
WORLD VIEWS
CONNECTIONS
GEOSYNTHETICS
GRAPHICS
A flight to quality
Working to stay healthy in an ailing economy.
by Susan Niemi
MARINE
TRUCK COVERS
UPHOLSTERY
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W
ith news of the economy a daily presence,
whether one opens investment statements
or not, leaders in the U.S. specialty fabrics industry remain optimistic about the
health of the industry.
The Review magazine talked to several industry leaders during IFAI Expo 2008 held in Charlotte, N.C., October 21-23.
“Even with the severity of the current global crisis, there
are long-term opportunities for the specialty fabrics industry. These include innovative products targeted to specific
end-users to reach consumers worldwide. Companies who
recognize these opportunities have the ability for growth
once the economic situation becomes more stable,” says
Steve Ellington.
Jeff Dimos adds, “We like to remain optimistic and discount
some of what is in the media; there is room for successful companies.” Frank Sinclair echoes that comment: “Business is
not as bad as we were told it would be.”
Stating that the economic volatility is having an impact
on the industry, Pete McKernan summarizes his perspective:
“We believe the specialty fabrics industry in North America
continues to provide vibrant leadership for innovative products and services.”
More than money
Companies are continuing to do business and moving ahead
with their plans, but of course economic issues are influencing decisions. Sinclair says, “People are cautious and making
deliberate moves as needed.”
People interviewed for this article
David Clarke, Group Director
TenCate Geosynthetics
Jeff Dimos, Executive Vice President
Miller Weldmaster Corp.
Steve Ellington, President
Glen Raven Custom Fabrics LLC
Pete McKernan, IFM, President
Herculite Products Inc.
Frank Sinclair, President
Sinclair Equipment Co.
Joey Underwood, Senior Vice President
Technical Products Group,
Safety Components Fabric Technologies Inc.
David Clarke talks about the current economy with an
eye on the future. “I am highly concerned over the impact of
the economic crisis. I think we will see many underfinanced,
smaller to mid-size companies in serious financial trouble.
In my view, companies will need to be careful with capital
spending and will seriously need to manage operating costs.
This is a time to be very conservative.”
Along with economic issues, other factors facing the industry include: consolidations; increased competition; the cost
of raw materials, labor and transportation; globalization
and trade policies.
51
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11:31:58 AM
AWNINGS AND SHADES
Sf Focus
EXPO WATCH
BUSINESS
MARKETS
WORLD VIEWS
CONNECTIONS
GEOSYNTHETICS
An economic downtown is no reason to stop spending on
innovation. An upcoming article in the January 2009 Journal
of the growth, success, and wealth of firms and nations.”
The authors’ theory suggests that in the current economic
environment in major nations across the world, the internal culture of firms may be the most important driver of
innovation. They argue that new products using different
drive new growth. See “Radical innovation in firms across
marketingpower.com.
Eradicating boundaries
Webbing | Fasteners | Soft Goods | Hot Cutters
Providing quality components &
service to manufacturers around
the world since 1970.
www.lowyusa.com
310.763.1111 | [email protected]
TRUCK COVERS
UPHOLSTERY
52 REVIEW 12.08
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LOWY
Globalization has been evolving rapidly and
will continue to change the nature of business.
We live in a world where consumers are the
recipients of the greatest benefits (cheaper
products) and producers tend to face the greatest challenges (more competition).1
Industry leaders interviewed for this article
stressed the importance of seeing the opportunities in globalization. With 95 percent of
potential customers for American products
living outside the United States, this reality
is important.2
McKernan describes the expected and
unexpected consequences of globlization:
“To an extent, increased competition has
increased choice; more importantly, it has
forced everyone to clearly focus on their value
proposition. In this environment, some have
done well, some have not.”
“Those roaming the globe for ever-cheaper
but rarely better alternatives,” McKernan
continues, “are now facing a contracting
credit market, extended lead times, exorbitant transportation costs, unreliable supply,
the nations: The preeminence of corporate culture” at www.
MARINE
technologies and providing greater customer benefit will
of Marketing says “Radical innovation is an important driver
GRAPHICS
Invest in innovation
52
12/5/08
11:32:01 AM
AWNINGS AND SHADES
GEOSYNTHETICS
GRAPHICS
substandard products, questionable business
practices and recalls du jour. As a result, we are
seeing a flight to quality—not just in product
but in strategic partnerships.”
Succeeding at home and abroad
As businesses strive to succeed in a competitive
global marketplace—in a difficult economy—a
few themes stand out.
Joey Underwood speaks about the importance of companies trying to diversify and
bring more value to their products. He says,
“Everyone is trying to add value and diversify,
so innovation and increased R&D is needed.
It is difficult with less money, but it is the only
long-term solution.” Underwood adds that
companies need to expand their capacity to
import and capability to export, and position
themselves to supply overseas markets.
“The focus and spending should be
towards innovation and differentiation,” says
MARINE
”
Rivets_0806RV-3rdH .indd
From our
next president
TRUCK COVERS
UPHOLSTERY
Following is part of a letter dated Oct.,
2008, from president-elect Barack Obama
in response to a questionnaire sent to the
Obama campaign by the National Council of
Textile Organizations (NCTO).
“But I am especially aware of the trade
challenges faced by those working in our
textile industries. When safeguards on textile imports from China expired in 2004,
imports surged and thousands of jobs were
lost. I support Chairman Rangel’s call for the
United States International Trade Commission to monitor textile imports from China.
As president, I would use monitoring to help
ensure that imports from China do not violate
applicable laws and treaties. I support the
requirement in the Berry Amendment that
the Defense Department procure only textiles
made in the United States. I also support
inclusion of the yarn forward rule in free trade
agreements, to ensure that countries with
which we enter special trade relationships do
not become conduits for source yarn outside
those countries.”
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1
7/27/06
1:54:52 PM
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53
12/5/08
11:32:03 AM
AWNINGS AND SHADES
Susan Niemi is editorial director at the Industrial
Fabrics Association International. She can be reached
at +1 651 225 6984, [email protected].
Remarks prepared by the Economic Development
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce,
December 7, 2007.
2
”State of the Industry,” The Industrial Fabric Products
Review, May 2006. For more information about globalization and U.S. trade agreements go to http://www.
ifai.com/Home/review_archive/2006.cfm
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1
Clarke takes the global view of emerging
markets. “In the medium-to-longer term, I
think there are opportunities for fabrics that
address global geopolitical themes,” he says.
“The greatest potential will be in safety and
protection, water management, and climate
change. The innovative companies that can
capitalize on these themes with value-added
products will have an advantage over the basic
textile producers.”
Other emerging markets will demand
smart fabrics (high performance technical
textiles) and green fabrics (biodegradable and
recyclable products) that respond to sustainable initiatives.
GRAPHICS
Emerging markets
GEOSYNTHETICS
Clarke, “as successful companies will need to
set themselves apart with products and service
versus the lower-cost producers in Asia and
the Middle East. The strong companies will
emerge by managing very carefully over the
coming two years.”
Ellington comments on the importance of
communication with customers. “Consumers are seeking more understanding about
products from the technical side. Companies
need to communicate benefits.”
McKernan emphasizes quality: “Delivering high-quality products and services never
goes out of style, and the implications of
the total cost of ownership will continue to
reward those focused on optimizing value
for their customer.”
TRUCK COVERS
UPHOLSTERY
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AWNINGS AND SHADES
Sf Focus
EXPO WATCH
BUSINESS
MARKETS
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Fabric in the fast lane
Geotextiles cut costs, protect the environment and increase safety
on one of America’s deadliest highways.
MARINE
by Jake Kulju
T
he warm summer sunshine, winding blacktop
roads and pristine saltwater marshes of South
Carolina are more often associated with car
commercials than they are with car crashes.
But in 2005, the South Carolina Department
of Transportation (SCDOT) recognized U.S. Highway 17,
a heavily traveled road in the eastern part of the state, as
one of the deadliest roads in the nation. From January 1997
through February 2005, nearly 1,000 automobile accidents,
including 33 fatalities, were recorded. The long-awaited U.S.
17 widening project was designed by state and county officials
to improve safety for a stretch of highway from Gardens Corner
to the Combahee River. The project became a priority for the
SCDOT Commission after a series of fatal crashes.
Also known as the Ocean Highway, U.S. 17 runs 1,189
miles along the southeast coast from Virginia to Florida.
More than 200 of those miles pass through South Carolina.
Previous construction projects in the state improved 173 of
those miles, but a 6-mile stretch of heavily traveled road from
Beaufort County to Colleton County was left unimproved. In
2004, funding was provided to finish the highway project. To
stay within budget and provide a safe and long-lasting road,
the SCDOT turned to geotextiles.
TRUCK COVERS
Wider road, lower price
The project is straightforward: the two-lane highway is being
expanded to a four-lane highway, in three phases. The unique
setting and budget constraints are what make this a challeng-
UPHOLSTERY
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To stay within budget on improving U.S. 17 and provide a safe and long-lasting road,
the South Carolina Department of Transportation turned to geotextiles.
ing project. SCDOT Project Manager Chris Hernandez says
the uniqueness of the area makes it vital to protect its natural
beauty. Designers looked for ways to create a long-lasting road
that would have little impact on the environment.
The project was divided into three phases to accelerate
construction and reduce the impact on motorists. Construction has begun for the three miles in Phase 1 and two miles
in Phase 2; the preliminary design is currently underway
for Phase 3. This 6-mile design and construction carries an
estimated $80 million price tag and will have a significant
55
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11:32:05 AM
AWNINGS AND SHADES
Sf Focus
EXPO WATCH
BUSINESS
MARKETS
WORLD VIEWS
CONNECTIONS
GEOSYNTHETICS
GRAPHICS
TRUCK COVERS
UPHOLSTERY
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56 REVIEW 12.08
MARINE
impact on motorists. Project designers chose a
woven polypropylene geotextile from ThraceLINQ Inc., Summerville, S.C., to assure that
no premature maintenance during the life of
the road would be necessary.
Because most pavements fail prematurely
due to base contamination and the subsequent
loss of strength and drainability, prudent
designs today achieve quality construction
by starting with a separation/stabilization
geotextile beneath the road. The geotextile
lowers initial project costs and reduces the
need for future road maintenance.
For the upgraded U.S. 17, two lanes of
traffic in each direction are separated by a 100foot wide median. Because of the weak, silty
subgrade and the potential for high precipitation and groundwater levels in this marshy
region, the geotextile was placed on the prepared subgrade. The road base aggregate was
then placed directly onto the geotextile for
improved stability and drainage.
The geotextile layer enabled the permanent separation and filtration of the subgrade
and base aggregate to keep the subgrade fines
from migrating up into the aggregate base
while allowing the base layer to drain. This
important function maintains the long-term
strength and drainability of the aggregate
base. In addition, the added layer enhances
the stabilization of both the subgrade and
the base aggregate through confinement and
local reinforcement.
The design and cost benefits gained
from using a geotextile are impressive. The
geotextile layer used for this project costs
To help with road stability
and drainage, a woven
polypropylene geotextile
from Thrace-LINQ was placed
on the prepared subgrade,
and then covered with the
road base aggregate.
12/5/08
11:32:07 AM
AWNINGS AND SHADES
GEOSYNTHETICS
GRAPHIC MEDIA
GRAPHICS
no more than 1-2 inches of aggregate and
provides significant life-lengthening and
maintenance-saving qualities to the road.
Weston Newton, chairman of Beaufort
County Council and the Beaufort Country
Transportation Advisory Group, says the
widening of this stretch of U.S. 17 has been
a priority for Beaufort County for some time
and that the cost-effective long-term vision
of this project is what made it possible.
Protecting the environment
MARINE
U.S. 17 cuts through the lowland area
known as the ACE Basin, where the Ashepoo, Combahee and Edisto rivers converge
and meander past old plantation homes,
cypress swamps and tidal marshes. This
valuable habitat provides food and shelter
to hundreds of different plants and animals.
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Additionally, the low country basin is one
of the largest undeveloped estuaries on the
East Coast. State and county authorities
naturally wanted to preserve its pristine
nature during reconstruction of the highway
and in the realized design.
Bald eagles, short-nosed sturgeon, loggerhead turtles and other endangered species are among the wildlife that call this
area home. The nearby Nemours Plantation also protects a large 9,800-acre area
of diverse habitats including remnant rice
fields, fresh and brackish water marshes,
pine groves, hardwood forests and large
stands of cypress trees.
In an effort to maintain the integrity of
the habitat, part of this project will include
a 100-foot median to preserve valuable tree
canopies, says Hernandez.
57
12/5/08
11:32:10 AM
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58 REVIEW 12.08
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AWNINGS AND SHADES
GEOSYNTHETICS
GRAPHICS
MARINE
“We did a tremendous amount of tree
surveys because this area has a large number
of significant and specimen oak trees,” he says.
“We made a commitment to save as many of
those as possible.”
Along the route, engineers will be installing several guardrails and possibly tree wells,
which stabilize trees and protect their root
structure. Silt fencing is also being installed,
which will protect the area marshland by providing erosion control, Hernandez says.
To allow animals to continue to migrate
through the wetlands, two 100-foot flat slab
bridges will be erected. Informally named
“critter crossings,” these thoroughfares will
be used by snakes, deer, armadillos and
alligators.
Former SCDOT project manager Wilson
Elgin oversaw the development of the environmental documents and permitting at the
beginning of the project.
“I think it’s a worthwhile project because it
addresses safety as well as the environmental
concerns,” Elgin said.
The agency coordination team included
several state and federal agencies, such as the
Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, U.S.
Department of Defense, and a local presence,
including the ACE Basin Task Force.
Jake Kulju is a freelance writer based in St. Paul,
Minn. Jaclyn Deter of VantagePoint, Greenville, S.C.,
contributed to this article.
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Visit www.demtech.com or Call toll free 888-324-WELD
59
12/5/08
11:32:13 AM
2009 INTERNATIONAL
ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
Recognizing specialty fabrics design excellence
Each year the International Achievement Awards challenge specialty fabric
companies around the world to compete with their best work, and each year
the competition witnesses spectacular results. We invite specialty fabric
professionals to enter projects in 28 categories to showcase your company’s
innovation, technical skill, and design excellence. See all 408 entries from
last year online at www.ifai.com.
enter at www.ifai.com | entry deadline: June 15, 2009
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2:06:49
PM AM
11:32:15
AWNINGS AND SHADES
Sf Focus
EXPO WATCH
BUSINESS
MARKETS
WORLD VIEWS
CONNECTIONS
GEOSYNTHETICS
GRAPHICS
Welcome to the roller coaster
Fabric makers depend doubly on oil, for fuel and for raw materials. High
and volatile petroleum prices make it an interesting few quarters.
MARINE
TRUCK COVERS
UPHOLSTERY
6:49 PM 1208RV_48-66.indd
by Marc Hequet
H
ow are you managing in this slalom economy?
Staying flexible? Not signing long-term, fixedprice contracts? Scouring your shop for efficiencies? Sourcing globally?
Those are top industry pros’ suggestions—
that, and holding on for dear life as you zigzag your way
through high and volatile prices for petroleum.
When oil prices spike, the specialty fabrics business is
doubly at risk, because oil provides much of the sector’s
raw material as well as the energy to produce and deliver
the goods.
Even when oil prices drop, however, it can be bad as well.
What if you price a job based on high oil prices—and subsequent competitors’ bids based on just-falling prices leave you
all alone out there on the high end?
Crack the whip
Oil prices may well stay on the roller coaster as the world
economy lurches on. Yet only eight-tenths of one percent of
all oil goes to make synthetic fibers, which puts fabrics at the
tail in a global game of of crack-the-whip.
Fabric manufacturer Highland Industries Inc. of Greensboro, N.C., has seen some raw-material costs jump 40 percent
since January 2008. “I can’t increase my prices fast enough to
keep up with what’s going on,” laments Bret Kelley, director
of sales and marketing.
Recession may slow that runup in energy and feedstock
prices; but if refiners cut production, prices may well stabilize on the high side, says Patrick Bell, director of sourcing
for raw materials with Glen Raven Custom Fabrics LLC,
Burlington, N.C.
Raising your own prices is part of the solution—but only
part. And raising prices too fast can be counterproductive.
“We know we’re going to lose customers if we try to pass
that through,” says Bell. So Glen Raven offsets higher costs
by finding efficiencies. With 3,000 employees on three continents, it can source globally and use vertical integration to
minimize costs.
Smaller organizations can’t do that to the same extent, if
at all—yet small also means flexible, and flexibility is key in
times like these. Here’s a summary of ideas from industry
sources:
> Eat some of your higher costs. Pass others along, perhaps
using surcharges.
61
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AWNINGS AND SHADES
Sf Focus
EXPO WATCH
BUSINESS
MARKETS
WORLD VIEWS
CONNECTIONS
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Untitled-2
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UPHOLSTERY
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MARINE
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Cutting waste, conserving resources and maximizing efficiencies can
help to combat economic fluctuations. At its Anderson, S.C., plant, Glen
Raven reuses all waste fiber, and this year in fact eliminated all landfill
wastes. Shown here is a worker and a jacquard weaving machine. Photo:
Glen Raven Custom Fabrics LLC.
Oil and fiber prices dropped during the 1990s,
notes Alasdair Carmichael, president for the
Americas with PCI Fibres, a Spartanburg,
S.C., market-research firm covering the
petrochemical-to-fiber supply chain.
GRAPHICS
What happened?
Consequently, synthetic-fiber producers
and users grew comfortable with long-term
contracts even if the deal didn’t include a
clause to protect sellers from hikes in raw
materials prices.
Then began a steady oil-price climb of
70 percent between 2000 and 2005. By mid
2008, oil prices had more than tripled over
2005, before dropping again at the start of
the fourth quarter.
Raw material costs for synthetic fibers rose
with oil prices, but rates varied widely. Fibers
such as polypropylene that require just a few
steps from oil to polymer showed the most
dramatic price increases, nearly quadrupling
from 2003 to mid 2008. Polyester, on the other
hand, requires more processing. Its key raw
materials merely doubled in price during
the same period.
That all hurts, but markets adjust. Indeed,
could high shipping costs shorten supply
chains, boosting national or regional manufacturing? Maybe. Fuel costs won’t “dictate manufacturing geographies,” predicts
Highland Industries’ Kelley, but he does see
more opportunities for providers located
near customers.
Glen Raven’s Bell, going further, anticipates “an increased awareness” of the benefits
of manufacturing close to customers. Glen
Raven already makes its Sunbrella® fabric in
China for the Chinese market. As transportation costs rise, says Bell, “it pays to be where
your customers are.”
It costs to be where they are, too. Hudson
Awning Inc. of Bayonne, N.J., began using a
fuel surcharge for its awning-cleaning services
and has tried to bundle jobs in the same area
to minimize fuel costs.
Hudson doesn’t want to nickel-and-dime
awning buyers, including prestigious Manhattan retailers. When the company shipped a
job for retail client Ralph Lauren to Dubai,
Hudson ate the surcharge. “Last year at this
time,” sighs Lynda Burak, Hudson vice president, “we would have been $150 richer.”
She’s out far more, of course. Burak says
her mid 2008 monthly bill to fuel her own
GEOSYNTHETICS
> Don’t sign long-term deals at fixed prices.
Play it month by month.
> Shop for low feedstock prices worldwide,
remembering that higher shipping costs can
offset lower prices from farther away.
> When you find good prices, buy and stockpile if you can.
> Plan ahead with customers. Ask their needs
for several months in advance so you can
arrange to have materials on hand just
in time.
> If your suppliers raise prices—ask why.
3:09:01 PM
PM
4:16:38
12/5/08
11:32:18 AM
AWNINGS AND SHADES
GEOSYNTHETICS
GRAPHICS
trucks was running 50 percent higher than
year-earlier costs. The firm may buy more
fuel-efficient vehicles to replace older trucks
that get nine miles per gallon.
It’s Business 101: Pay attention to the
little things such as bundling jobs, running
fuel-efficient trucks, reusing fly waste and
sweepings at the plant.
Predicting prices
MARINE
One other business basic: Don’t sign longterm deals at fixed prices. Your own costs
might jump in the meantime, leaving you
with a contractual obligation on which you’ll
lose money.
Fabric suppliers became accustomed to
longer-term deals based on predictable prices
during the 1990s and early in this decade.
“The adjustment that the industry has had
to make is to resist taking long-term contracts
on a fixed-price basis,” explains consultant
Carmichael. Any long-term deal, he counsels,
now must build in raw-material indexing
clauses.
Meanwhile, are your own suppliers in the
habit of jacking prices regularly? Find out why.
“If raw materials prices are going up, we ask
for the justification,” says Highland’s Kelley.
“We make sure our raw materials suppliers
are being fair and equitable with us.”
Your own customers may well do the same.
At least everybody expects price bumps these
days. “The information is fairly transparent,”
Kelley says. “In some cases customers know
about it before we do. It doesn’t make it easier
to do, but it makes it easier to explain.”
If nothing else, it’s an opportunity for
building customer relations. Invite your customers to forecast, suggests Glen Raven’s Bell,
so you can have their goods ready when they
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AWNINGS AND SHADES
• Fabricated pieces to full bales
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UPHOLSTERY
64 REVIEW 12.08
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TRUCK COVERS
Marc Hequet is a St. Paul, Minn.-based business writer.
Glen Raven, with locations in the U.S., Asia
and Europe, can source where prices are best
“as quick as a plane flight or phone call,”
says Bell. In what he calls a “three-continent
weave,” Bell may buy on one and ship to
another.
Smaller organizations may not straddle
the world, but, says Bell, they needn’t be
“stuck with one supply chain.”
Small firms can also nose around for efficiencies. One example is buying and stockpiling raw material when prices are low—if you
can find the storage space, and if you have
enough cash on hand to lock up some of that
cash in inventory.
Nevertheless, Bell sees an industrywide
silver lining in the high-price gloom: Awnings
save money by reducing air-conditioning costs.
That actually makes rising energy costs a selling point. Maybe it took $4 a gallon gas in
the U.S. to bring energy savings back to the
forefront of the public’s mind, but now that it’s
there, it’s likely to stay there for a while.
Finally, firms of any size can try to get
out front of the curve by raising prices even
before costs justify the move. But that can
be a risky tactic.
Kelley says his firm tends to be such a price
leader. “The problem comes,” he warns, “if
the market doesn’t follow you” … in which
case, says Kelley, “you’re just kind of standing
out there by yourself.”
Call InCord for all your netting needs –
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MARINE
A world of technology needs a world of nets for applications
that involve lifting, lashing, loading, covering, protecting and
securing. InCord stocks over four million square feet of netting
in dozens of congurations for immediate shipment.
want it. Such planning also helps with shipping costs. If you know where it’s going well
in advance, you can piggyback shipments.
• Cord diameter 1 mm to 6 mm, UV stabilized
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64
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AWNINGS AND SHADES
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Revitalizing the changing
textile industry
MARINE
TRUCK COVERS
UPHOLSTERY
1208RV_48-66.indd
The New Carolina summit and South Carolina’s changing textile industry;
Advanced Textiles ‘09 moves to Brussels.
S
outh Carolina’s textile industry is changing but
still dynamic, according to three studies released
at an industry summit last week.
New Carolina (South Carolina’s Council on
Competitiveness) held “The Future of Textiles in
South Carolina” in Spartanburg recently; it attracted 100 business and economic development leaders from across the state.
Industry leaders discussed the future of textiles and identified
new ways to make the industry more competitive. Long an
economic staple in South Carolina, the textiles industry is
undergoing a massive restructuring across the globe.
Experts examined ways for companies to work together to
build competitive advantages, shared ideas for networking to
develop new products and new markets, and brainstormed
methods to share information on technological advantages
and how to improve the skills fo workers.
As part of the summit, New Carolina announced findings
from three major research studies it had commissioned:
“The Contribution of the Textile and Apparel Cluster to
the South Carolina Economy,” conducted by Clemson University researchers, shows that
despite highly publicized plant
Connections is a forum for news
closings, the industry is restrucand information from cooperating
turing and becoming revitalized
organizations within or connected
in South Carolina. The cluster
to the specialty fabrics industry.
is likely to have fewer skilled
For news from the Industrial
laborers during the next decade,
Fabrics Association International,
publisher of the Review, turn to
but will pay higher wages and
The Insider on page 67.
salaries within the companies
that do prosper.
“South Carolina’s Textile and Apparel Industries: An
Analysis of Trends in Traditional and Emerging Sectors,”
also conducted by Clemson researchers, reveals that South
Carolina’s textile industry has annual sales of approximately
$21 billion, and that the state is home to several corporate
headquarters. Every county in the state has at least one textile
facility, and South Carolina has representation in each of three
key textile business activities: pre-production, production
and post-production.
“Improving the Global Market Competitiveness of the
Textile Industry Cluster in South Carolina,” conducted by
researchers from North Carolina State University, shows that
South Carolina is currently home to 912 textile companies
that employ almost 65,000 people.
The three studies provide an analysis of the current market,
and also identify the next steps that will help the industry
to thrive.
At the summit, New Carolina also launched a new Web
resource for South Carolina’s textile industry: www.SCTextileConnect.com, featuring sections on the fabric, apparel,
fiber, chemical, yarn and composites sectors, and profiling
all textile and apparel companies in South Carolina.
“Contrary to a widely held belief, textiles are not dead
in South Carolina,” says New Carolina Executive Director
George Fletcher. “In reality, the industry is reinventing itself,
becoming more high-tech and high-skill. South Carolina is
in an ideal position to capitalize on the high-paying jobs that
will come from this re-emerging industry.”
For the full text of the three textile reports presented at the
summit, please visit www.sctextileconnect.com.
65
12/5/08
11:32:24 AM
AWNINGS AND SHADES
Sf Focus
EXPO WATCH
BUSINESS
MARKETS
WORLD VIEWS
CONNECTIONS
MARINE
TRUCK COVERS
UPHOLSTERY
66
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Building on the success of the first Advanced
Textiles conference in June 2008, and the endorsement of the international audience, the Industrial
Fabrics Association International (IFAI) has
announced that a second conference will be held
April 2–3, 2009, in Brussels, Belgium.
Advanced Textiles ’08 took place in the cultural hub of Berlin, Germany, and gathered a multinational business forum of 100 attendees from
14 countries. The conference was conceived as a
U.S.-European entrepreneur networking event
to foster bilateral and cross-sectoral cooperation,
strategic partnerships and innovation projects to
create new business opportunities.
Next year’s conference in Brussels will again
be geared to provide a networking platform for
industry representatives from the many application areas of technical textiles, from clothing
and home fashion to the medical, automotive,
architectural and safety and protective industries.
IFAI will partner with Brussels-based Fedustria,
the Belgian association for the textile, wood and
furniture industries. A number of other industry
associations and government institutions have
already confirmed their willingness to support
this year’s conference, including: IVT, the German association for technical textiles; ITMF, the
International Textile Manufacturers Federation;
the U.S. Dept. of Commerce; and Clubtex, the
French Association for the Promotion of Technical Textiles, among others.
The conference will focus on five major
themes:
> Smart textiles: challenges and bottlenecks
in applications;
> Highlights in safety and protective textiles;
> Nanotechnologies in the automotive sector;
> Textile membranes and architecture;
> Manmade fibers in medical applications.
According to IFAI president Stephen M. Warner, “Especially in these difficult world economic
times, we want to back our industry by offering
this innovative communication platform to foster
bilateral business coooperation and valuable
knowledge exchange.” For more information
about Advanced Textiles ’09, visit www.ifai.com/
Home/brusselsconference.cfm.
GRAPHICS
66 REVIEW 12.08
U.S.-European networking event:
Advanced Textiles ’09
GEOSYNTHETICS
The conference fosters bilateral cooperation,
strategic partnerships and innovation projects
to create new business opportunities.
12/5/08
11:32:25 AM
Insider
IFAI
December 2008
67 Membership matters
68 Best business practices
69 Division updates
70 New members
70 Important deadlines
Supporting the industry and individual businesses
MEMBERSHIP
MATTERS
Kathy Mattson,
vice president,
member services, IFAI
www.ifai.com
To comment or offer
feedback on the IFAI
Insider, please contact
Denise Brown at
+1 651 225 6982 or
[email protected].
The Industrial
Fabrics Association
International [IFAI],
publisher of the
Specialty Fabrics
Review, is the only
association in the
world representing
the entire scope of
the specialty fabrics
industry. We invest our
membership dollars
and event revenue back
into benefits for our
worldwide membership
in 55 countries
Join today and
make an investment
in your future.
www.ifai.com
1208RV_67-70.indd
67
Strategic planning: business
essential or obsolete obstacle?
W
ebster’s dictionary defines planning as “a proposed or
intended course of action, or a formulated scheme setting
out stages of procedure.”
It’s hard to remember a time when strategic planning wasn’t an
integral part of any business operation. Management gurus spread
this concept over virtually every business process back in the 1970s.
Going through the time and expense of developing a strategic plan
was intended to provide a company with a roadmap to success.
Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats were laid out, discussed and thoroughly codified, if not always acted upon.
When used properly, strategic planning can be an enormously
valuable tool, uniting all areas of a business with a common understanding of goals. After going through this intensive planning
process, however, many companies end up putting the plan in a
file and forgetting about it. Others adhere so rigidly to this officially sanctioned document that they’re unable to diverge from the
instructions handed down from above, even when circumstances
would seem to favor some flexibility.
Today’s experts find both pros and cons around the concept of
strategic planning. Some continue to see it as a valuable process
to establish direction and allocate resources. Others say that a
strategic plan is limited in flexibility and doesn’t allow for a quick
response to a new opportunity. In today’s lightning-paced business
environment and roller coaster economy, a new idea or process
delayed by a needed decision from a committee swamped in endless meetings can be the difference between a successful product
launch and a missed opportunity.
Are the most successful organizations the ones that hold tightly
to their strategic plan, keeping them on track year after year, or
those that make quick decisions based on available information
at the time? The answer probably depends upon the company, its
size, the products it makes and the core values it espouses.
For many companies dealing with next year’s budgets in a wild
economy, we thought it would be an ideal time to hear how several companies in the specialty fabrics industry approach strategic
planning. Turn to “Best Business Practices” on the next page to hear
what they say.
Insider 12.08 | 67
THE MEMBERSHIP
ADVANTAGE
“For me, the highlights of attending
IFAI Expo 2008 were seeing the
most up-to-date technology available to our industry and the interesting discussions I had with other
attendees from visiting countries.
There was some awesome new
technology and ideas that I am
sure we will be putting into practice over the next year or two.”
Grant Clausen
Clausens Canvas & PVC
OFPANZ representative
Leeston, New Zealand
12/5/08
11:34:06 AM
BEST BUSINESS
PRACTICES
Strategic planning for your business
by Denise Brown,
IFAI membership
correspondent
68 | Insider 12.08
M
ost successful businesses have a mission statement and a business plan in place to stay
focused—in general. But how many businesses have a strategic plan? Simply put, strategic planning determines where an organization is going, and exactly how it’s going to get there.
Should your business have a formal, specific plan, or is it good enough to strategize informally,
especially for smaller companies?
Nic Goldsmith of FTL Design Engineering Studio, designers and engineers of lightweight
buildings and tensile structures in New York, N.Y., states that his firm targets different markets
strategically from year to year, meeting quarterly to “go over benchmarks and milestones to see
if we’re doing what we said we were going to do.” As a self-contained organization with eight
people on staff, Goldsmith doesn’t feel it necessary for FTL to have a formal strategic plan in
place.
“Some work just happens as a result of relationships, such as our projects in the Middle East,”
Goldsmith says. “Work in this area is not something you can plan, as things are going right now.
With lots of construction of interesting designs being developed, these opportunities just kind
of happen and grow.” More intimate business environments, where co-workers work closely
together on a day-to-day basis, perhaps don’t feel the need to meet and plan formally as would
be needed in a larger firm.
Strategic analysis
For a larger company, especially a multinational company, a strategic plan is a necessity.
“Our process starts in November, and we present a defined plan by March/April,” says Patti Bates,
vice president of operations at Glen Raven Custom Fabrics in Glen Raven, N.C. Glen Raven is
a leader in the production of a wide range of industrial and specialized fabrics for a diverse
group of applications worldwide. “We gather from all divisions and kick off an extensive session,
spending a couple of days with professors and leaders from the University of North Carolina
School of Business.”
That plan is written in January and February for the next two to three years, setting out any
obstacles and concerns. Bates adds, “In March or April we present our plan—and the challenge
begins” to maintain Glen Raven’s market and strategic outlook.
“We work closely with our people with a specific plan in mind so that we are all moving
in the same direction,” says Luis Fautsch, general of Imperlonas S.A. de C.V., a company that
manufactures awnings, canopies and shades in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico. Upon returning
from IFAI Expo each year, company representatives immediately orchestrate seminars to
demonstrate noted new products and trends. The company takes into account what customers
need and want before formulating a plan.
A plan of action
Once a need is identified, how is the plan monitored and evaluated throughout the year?
“We have to account for what we’re doing, monthly and quarterly,” Bates says. “I’ve never talked
to any other companies that go through as much work as we do to pull all this together. This is
definitely not a day-or-two project that gets turned in and filed away.”
“It’s not unusual for Mexico’s emerging market to experience a crisis of one sort or another,”
Fautsch says, making it imperative for “lots of caution” and a hands-on situational analysis
throughout the year.
There are no standard situations and no “perfect plan.” The process depends on the nature
and needs of each organization. If your team is large and/or multinational, and your markets
change rapidly, strategic planning should be closely monitored throughout the year. But if your
company’s core group is smaller and works closely together on a day-to-day basis, flexible,
informal planning might be what works best.
1208RV_67-70.indd
68
12/5/08
11:34:08 AM
IFAI DIVISION
UPDATES
IFAI Expo 2008:
The Tent Rental Division $2,500 Scholarship:
recognizing excellence
Marine Fabricators Association
$2,000 Scholarship:
At the Chairman’s Gala Thursday night, IFAI
celebrated the accomplishments of those
who have contributed their time and talents
throughout the year to promote the specialty
fabrics industry and the rewards of membership in IFAI.
Mark Barber, Custom Canvas & Upholstery
Professional certification
Marina Paulina Carvallo, University of Arizona–
College of Architecture
Lars Dupont; John Ortega, MFC;
William Overton; Raymond Ross;
Bud Weisbart, IFM; Richard Yale, IFM
Industrial Fabric Foundation
$3,000 Student Scholarship:
Retiring and newly elected
IFAI board members
Jenna Eason, North Carolina State University
Jeff Hillenbrand, Ivy Tech Community College
Steve Ellington, Glen Raven Custom
Fabrics LLC, retired after serving on the
board since 2001.
Mike Erickson, MFC, Canvas Designers Inc., was
elected to a
Insider 12.08 | 69
three-year
term on the board, joining 11 other industry leaders dedicated to governing IFAI.
Patrick Hayes, CPP, was elected to
serve his second three-year term on the
board.
Architect Student $3,000 Scholarship, funded
by the Lightweight Structures Association:
Innovation Award
The Industrial Fabrics Foundation announced
the debut of the IFF Innovation Award, which will
be given at IFAI Expo 2009 in San Diego, Calif.
Honored Life Members
Honored Life Member, an elite membership
category, is bestowed upon those who have
effected outstanding accomplishments in
the industry and IFAI. The following people
Master Fabric Craftsman—
Awnings and Canopies Specialty
www.ifai.com
n t
i
s
t u ge
Gary Barnes, MFC, Tropical J’s Inc.
Nathan Urdang, MFC, Kansas Tent & Awning Co.
Byron Yonce, MFC, TCT&A Industries
Glenn Elliott Aust, Ehmke Manufacturing
Sherry Weidenburner, Filtec Precise Inc.
1208RV_67-70.indd
69
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Bud Weisbart, Owner
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Busin
IFAI $3,000 Membership Scholarship:
It only
The Industrial Fabrics Foundation (IFF) provides unique opportunities and access to
education for current employees and their
family members, as well as future employees.
This year, on behalf of the foundation, seven
scholarships were awarded.
“IFAI helps members,
including smaller
companies, find the
contacts necessary to
become a competent
global entity.”
rals—
Scholarship recipients
Refer
Gordon Hill, IFM, Fabric Images Inc.
Andrew Morse, IFM, Ohio Awning &
Manufacturing Co.
Kathy Schaefer, IFM, Glawe Tent
& Awning Company
Kevin Yonce, IFM, MFC, CPP, TCT&A Industries
one!
u
o
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Industrial Fabrics Manager
Indus
Jean Carroll, MFC, Sailmaker’s Supply
Peter Marschean, MFC, Canvas Essentials LLC
Rick Wisotzkey, MFC, Shorts Marine
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IFAI’s four professional certification programs:
Industrial Fabrics Manager (IFM), which recognizes superior management ability; Master
Fabric Craftsman (MFC), which recognizes
skillful and experienced fabricators; Certified
Craftsman (CC), which recognizes knowledge and competence in the manufacture
of textile end products; and Certified Project
Planner (CPP), which recognizes superior
design and planning in the completion of
textile end products.
Pat Hayes, CPP, congratulated ten professionals who passed the certification testing:
have earned the distinction of Honored
Life Member:
Ryan McPeak, Mahaffey Fabric Structures
Contact us for more information about becoming
a valuable IFAI member. +1.651.225.6949 or
1.800.319.7813 (U.S. & Canada), [email protected]
12/5/08
11:34:09 AM
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
ACP Applied Products
Espacios Temporales
Iron Horse Blankets
P-mtc D.o.o.
www.acpapplied.com
IFAI division: GMA
Suppliers and installers
of bituminous membranes, infrastructure
construction and
hydraulics
www.espaciostemporales.
com.mx
IFAI division: TRD
Tents, flooring, air
conditioning
www.ironhorseblankets.com
Horse apparel and
blankets
www.pozamanterija.hr
Narrow fabrics
Event Resource Group
[email protected]
IFAI divisions: LSA, FGA
Shades and canopies,
structural designs and
fabrication
Aluma Line
www.alumaline.com
Canopies and structures
AmeriShade Inc.
NFI | Narrow Fabrics Institute
70 | Insider 12.08
www.goshade.com
IFAI division: LSA
Outdoor shade canopies and tensile fabric
structures
Fusion Imaging Inc.
Asheboro Elastics Corp.
Gladding Braided
Products
www.asheboro.com
Narrow fabrics
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
Country | IFAI Canada
Sectors
IFAI Japan
IFAI New Zealand
www.eventrg.com
Event product sales:
tents, specialty fabric
products for rental
industry
Central Packaging Inc.
[email protected]
Sewn bags
Covered Concepts Inc.
www.coveredconcepts.com
IFAI division: MFA
Full marine canvas and
upholstery
CYBIZ
[email protected]
Computer bags, sport
bags
Dream Factory Co. Ltd.
www.yumekobo-tent.com
IFAI division: IFAI Japan
Tents, awnings and sign
fabricator/installer
www.fusion-imaging.com
Grand format digital
printing and event
company
Protective Solutions Inc.
Jiwani Structural
Designs Pvt. Ltd.
Kuitu Finland Oy
www.kuitu.fi
Viscose fibers, chemicals
Lucerne Textiles Inc.
www.lucernetextiles.com
IFAI division: SPPD
Industrial fabrics
www.gladdingbraid.com
IFAI division: TRD
Braided cord manufacturer for tent and tarp
industries
Magnum Ventures
Grupo Serna
www.mep-olbo.com
Fabric systems for fluid
handling, automotive
www.sernaespacios.com
IFAI division: TRD
Rental tents, tables,
chairs
Harris Mfg. Co. Inc.
[email protected]
Manufacturing apparel,
personal protection
products
Harrods Creek Marine
Supply
www.harrodscreekmarine.com
IFAI division: MFA
Complete canvas
and repair
Perry Reel
+1 971 219 4413
[email protected]
Tents, vehicle armor
and personal armor
Rola-Trac North America
www.rola-trac.net
IFAI division: TRD
Portable flooring, tent
and events
Southern Shade
Solutions
www.goshade.com
IFAI Division: LSA
Schools and public area
shades and covers, business/residential shade
and netting
Synteen Technical
Fabrics
MEP-OLBO Inc.
Onancock Canvas Co.
+1 757 787 2247
IFAI division: MFA
Marine canvas fabrication, upholstery, repairs
Party Time Rentals Inc.
www.partytimerentals.com
IFAI division: TRD
Full line staging: flooring, poles and frames
Party Track-Event Rental
Systems Inc.
www.synteen.com
IFAI division: GMA
Manufacturing polyester
geogrids
TNS Advanced
Technologies By
Crown Resources
www.mapletextile.com
IFAI division: GMA
Manufacturer of needle
punch nonwovens
Traube Awnings
& Canvas
www.traubeawning.com
Commercial and
residential awnings,
seasonal enclosures
www.partytrack.com
IFAI division: TRD
Rental systems
Don’t miss your IFAI deadline!
DEADLINE
WHAT IS DUE
WHAT TO DO
12/10/2008
Pre-registration deadline for 2009 MFA National Convention
Contact Beth Hungiville: [email protected], +1 651 225 6952
12/15/2008
February Review ad reservation close
Contact your sales rep or call: +1 651 222 2508
12/31/2008
Tent Expo—Early Attendee Registration Deadline
Contact Jan Schieffer: [email protected], +1 651 225 6944
01/11-13/2009
MFA National Convention—Hyatt Regency Riverfront, Jacksonville, Fla.
Contact Beth Hungiville: [email protected], +1 651 225 6952
01/16/2009
Geosynthetics 2009, February 25-27, Salt Lake City, Utah registration deadline
Contact Beth Wistrcill: + 1 651-225-6956, www.geoshow.info
01/19-22/2009
Tent Expo 2009—Hilton Hotel, West Palm Beach, Fla.
Contact Jan Schieffer: [email protected], +1 651 225 6944
01/19/2009
March Review ad reservation close
02/13/2009
IFAI Canada Honours Program call for entries deadline
Enter at www.ifaicanada.com or contact Elizabeth Newman:
[email protected], +1 651 225 6925
02/16/2009
April Review ad reservation close
03/02/2009
Advanced Textiles ‘09 in Brussels, early registration and hotel deadline
Contact Jill Rutledge: [email protected], +1 651 225 6981
03/15/2009
Outlook Conference 2009 Early Bird Registration
Contact Ruth Stephens: [email protected], +1 651 225 6920
03/16/2009
Review Buyer’s Guide ad reservation close
1208RV_67-70.indd
70
12/5/08
11:34:10 AM
Sf Resources
On the job
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35 | e-mail info
69
5
22
1
65
+1
Don’t let a question sidetrack your business.
We’re looking for sources that stock olive drab cotton
duck that’s been treated for water and mildew
resistance. Can you give us any sources?
There’s been a run on olive drab cotton duck recently,
although we’re not exactly sure why. We had three different fabricators, all in different parts of the country and all
in different industries, looking for the same fabric—a rare
occurrence! In any case, we sent out a description to suppliers and found a number of them who have a stocking
program for this material:
> Canwill Textiles Inc., Lawrenceville, Ga., U.S.A.
+1 678 985 5434, fax +1 678 985 5435
www.canwiltextiles.com
> MMI Textiles Inc.. dba NDW Textiles, Rocky
River, Ohio, U.S.A.+1 440 895 0500, 800 321 3931,
fax +1 440 895 0501 www.mmitextiles.com
> Seattle Textile Co., Seattle, Wash, U.S.A.
+1 206 233 0595, fax +1 206 233 0536
www.seatex.com
> Top Value Fabrics, Carmel, Ind., U.S.A.
+1 317 844 7496, 800 428 5006, fax +1 317 844 2897
www.tvfinc.com
> Tri Vantage LLC, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A.
+1 216 696 2820, 800 786 1876, fax +1 216 696 8202
www.trivantage.com
> Trident Industrial Products Corp., Sunrise, Fla., U.S.A.
+1 954 726 0270, 800 327 1830, fax +1 954 726 3713
www.tridentfabrics.com
A client is requesting a fabric called Silent
Gliss Colorama 2. Who supplies it?
Silent Gliss is a manufacturer of window and curtain
systems; they also hold the trade name on Colorama
fabrics. Most likely it is being produced for them on a
private label basis, and they may be uninterested in selling roll goods. It’s worth asking, but if not, and your customer will accept a similar material, you should look for a
woven polyester fabric made out of FR polyester fiber.
> Silent Gliss Group Headquarters, Switzerland
+41 31 958 85 85, fax +41 31 958 85 86
www.silentgliss.com
> Silent Gliss USA, Norcross, Ga.
+1 770 466 4811, 800 938 7225, fax +1 770 466 4814
www.silentgliss-usa.com
I’ve been contacted by the owners of a historic mansion
who are looking to replace the limit switch on the
motor of a very old retractable awning. The original
awning was installed sometime between the 1940s
and the 1960s; and at 45 inches, the awning is pretty
large. I’ve already contacted Tri Vantage, since it was
an Astrup system, and they’re looking into it for me. I
also contacted General Motors, who made the original
switch, and Somfy, but no luck so far. Any suggestions
on where else we could look?
We sent out an SOS to the members of the Professional
Awning Manufacturers Association (PAMA), asking for advice. In doing so, we found a supplier who looked at the
photo provided and indicated that he thought the switch
was a standard rotary switch, and that the type of switch
used for heavy theatrical curtains might do the trick. His
company may be able to supply it: Motion Control Systems.
If that doesn’t work out, we also had several other awning
manufacturers suggest that you contact an electrical supply
house or a motor repair company in your area. While they
may be unfamiliar with awning motors, the part itself should
be something they can supply, or find you an alternative.
Many thanks to the members of PAMA for their assistance.
> Motion Control Systems, Delray Beach, Fla., U.S.A.
+1 561 272 8988, fax +1 561 272 9109
www.comfortautomation.com
> Somfy Systems Inc., Cranbury, N.J., U.S.A.
+1 609 395 1300, 877 227 6639, fax +1 609 395 1776
www.somfysystems.com
> Tri Vantage LLC, Cleveland, Ohio, U,S.A.
+1 216 696 2820, 800 786 1876, fax +1 216 696 8202
www.trivantage.com
We’ve had an architect specify a Favorini
awning system. Where can we get one?
Favorini is a retractable awning manufacturer located in Italy. We contacted them and were told that
they do not have a distributor in the United States,
so if your client truly has his heart set on a Favorini
system, you’re probably going to have to get it directly from them:
> Favorini, Italy
+39 06 94341074, fax +39 178 603 22 18
www.favorini.it
Compiled by Juli Case, IFAI’s information and technical services manager.
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11:37:24 AM
1
2
2
1
3
Performance, style
and convenience
Products that meet increasingly specific needs
from increasingly demanding customers.
3
1
Eco-friendly inkjet
The environmentally friendly 30-inch VersaUV
LEC-300 inkjet printer/cutter comes equipped
with the latest generation of UV inks and safe,
low-heat LED lamps. Unit prints CMYK/White/
Clear on a wide range of substrates, including
foils, metallic and synthetic papers, BOPP,
PE and PET film, for unmatched color, texture
and dimension. Clear coat adds rich special
effects, ranging from high-gloss finishes for
area highlights to custom-texture effects such
as faux leather, crocodile skin and even Braille.
The LEC-300 can be used to create original
patterns and 3D domed corporate logos directly onto synthetic and natural leathers;
other applications include interior décor items
such as customized window coverings and
tapestries. Users simply design on a personal
computer, send the file to the printer, and VersaUV automatically automatically prints and
digitally die-cuts the finished print.
For more information, contact Roland DGA Corp., Irvine,Calif.,
U.S.A.; 800 542 2307, +1 949 727 2100, www.rolanddga.com.
2
In the Groove
The new Moss Groove fabric framing system
uses a unique, smooth-surface aluminum
extrusion system to showcase richly printed
fabric graphics with minimal emphasis on
the frame itself. Constructed with strong,
lightweight anodized aluminum, the system
features a unique Solid Lock mitered corner connection that fastens firmly into place
with one turn of a torx wrench; perfectly patterned fabric graphics slide into the extrusion’s groove for a clean and evenly tensioned
fit. Multiple sizes and bending capabilities
permit flexible design and limitless configuration possibilities; finishing options include
powder coating and decorative wood grain for
an extra finishing touch.
For more information, contact Moss Inc., Chicago, Ill., U.S.A.;
+1 847 475 0071, www.mossinc.com.
3
Control your stress
MPanel FEA software is a complete Finite Element Analysis application developed specifically for the tensile fabric community. Operating within the popular AutoCAD® platform,
the program simplifies non-liner FEA through
an easy-to-understand user interface, using
a powerful solver to correctly calculate the
stresses and structural loads associated with
fabric structures. The MPanel FEA interface
reads a standard MPanel drawing, and from
it generates an FE model ready for analysis.
The user then specifies the materials and
activates the solver to determine the model
displacements for the environmental load
conditions, such as wind effects and snow
cover. Outputs and statistics are presented in
clear, easy-to-read color charts and graphics that can be used in presentations and
reports.
For more information, contact Meliar Design/MPanel,
St. Louis, Mo., U.S.A.; +1 314 631 6300, www.mpanel.com.
72 REVIEW 12.08
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Sf Resources
NEW PRODUCTS
5
4
6
4
Imitation leather
With the appearance and feel of real topgrain leather but at greatly reduced costs,
Gane Brothers’ Imitation Leather is excellent
for applications that combine a need for both
appearance and durability. There are more
than 30 stock colors, and six new metallic
colors are now available: ivory, olive, chenille,
taupe, pure gold and copper, available in 50yard rolls in a width of 54 inches. Any stock
item may be purchased in as little as 5-yard
quantities.
For more information, contact Gane Brothers & Lane Inc.,
Elk Grove Village, Ill., U.S.A.; 800 776 4262,
www.ganebrothers.com.
5
Decorative screening
M-Screen Deco adds a decorative element
to Mermet’s flagship M-Screen 5%, weaving multicolored yarns to produce a striated, natural-looking fabric that offers the
same strength, transparency and beauty
for which the product line is known. Made
with Enduris™ Glass Core technology for
stability and durability, Deco fabric has a 5
percent openness factor, 98-inch width and
seven choices of earth-tone colors, suitable
for both commercial and residential interior
applications. Deco is GreenGuard® Indoor Air
Quality certified.
6
Complete sun control
The Telis 4 Soliris RTS Patio transmitter offers the benefits of a 4-channel remote, allowing customers to control their sun sensors
at the touch of a button. Users may turn the
sun sensor’s automatic function on and off,
while controlling up to four different RTS
motors, controls or other accessories—a top
enhancement to help customers create the
ultimate deck and outdoor living space. It’s
compatible with all Somfy RTS products.
For more information, contact Somfy Systems Inc., Boca
Raton, Fla., U.S.A.; 877 22 SOMFY (U.S.), 800 66 SOMFY
(Canada), www.somfyssytems.com.
For more information, contact Mermet, Cowpens, S.C.,
U.S.A.; 866 902 9647, www.mermetgroup.com.
1208RV_p71_cv4.indd
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Designed to bring you more:
•
•
•
•
•
New products/applications
Industry professionals insight
Global market trends
Industry news
Problems resolved
{intelligence you need}
Please print.
Name _______________________________________________
$
T $129
$129 69 / 2 Years U.S.A.
T $149 $79 /2 Years Canada/Mexico (U.S. funds)
T $299 $169 /2 Years Other Int’l (U.S. funds)
Title (check one):
Primary business (check applicable):
T Owner/President/CEO
T Awnings/canopies
T Tents
T Banners
T Marine products
T Truck covers
T Structures/enclosures
T Graphics/signs
T Bags
T Safety/protective
T Containers
T Purchasing Manager/Director
T Research & Development
Manager/Director
T Sales Manager/Director
T Product Designer
1008RVW_B1G2sub.indd
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1
74
Company _____________________________________________
Address ______________________City _____________________
State _______________________ Zip _____________________
Phone _______________________ Fax _____________________
Email _______________________________________________
T Bill me
T Check Enclosed $__________
T Credit Card Payment
P Visa P Master Card P Amex P Discover
Card Number: _____________________ Expire Date: ____________
Card Holder Name: _______________________________________
Signature: ___________________________ Date: ____________
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.
10/16/08
12/5/08
2:10:17
11:37:31
PM
AM
Help Wanted
SURPLUS AND SECONDS
OF CLOSED CELL FOAM
GODSHALL & GODSHALL PERSONNEL
CONSULTANTS, INC.
Textile Industry Specialists Since 1969
Fee Paid Positions
Available in rolls, sheets and buns. Our prices
are cheap cheap cheap.
McCullough Corp.
248-646-6195 fax: 248-646-8913
email: [email protected]
VELCRO®
We are an authorized gold star
VELCRO® USA Brand distributor.
Huge inventory - Fair prices.
Please call for a price list at
1.800.841.9442
Reach us by web:
www.JFreeman.Com
Phone 864/242-3491
P.O. Box 1984, Greenville, SC 29602
Visit our Web site for additional
positions: www.sccareersearch.com
Call Robert Graham or
Richard Heard
COMMISSION SALES
REPS WANTED
Marketplace
PM
For Sale
Neoprene Sheets, Hook & Loop,
Webbing, Elastic, Zippers, Buckles
Most territories available. Established in
1985, large inventory for fast delivery.
Please visit www.perfectex.com.
ġ
Call 1-800-326-1288 ext. 104
Charlene Mastin
or fax resume 714-893-9339
E-Mail: [email protected]
J. ENNIS FABRICS
NATIONAL DISTRIBUTOR
Look for classifieds on our
website www.ifai.com
J. Ennis Fabrics is looking for Sales
Agents/Representatives in all territories
across the US to represent our extensive
product line of over 10,000 fabrics and
supplies. We carry all of the brand names
as well as exclusive offerings. View our
website at www.jennisfabrics.com
Please submit your resume to
[email protected]
or fax to: (780) 471-4994
Wanted
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: [email protected].
1208RV_p71_cv4.indd
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11:37:34 AM
Plan your year.
January
\\
February
\\
March
\\
April
\\
May
\\
June
\\
Textile Trends 2009 [ Feb. 9–11 ]
2009 January
The international conference, located at the
Sofitel Schweizerhof, Berlin, Germany, will focus
on industry trends, innovations and ecological
solutions. For information, visit www.textiletrends.de.
R + T [ Feb. 10–14 ]
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.
The International Trade Fair for roller shutters,
doors/gates and sun protection will take place at
the New Trade Fair Centre in Stuttgart, Germany.
For information, visit www.messe-stuttgart.de/rt.
GEOSYNTHETICS–2009 [ FEB. 25–27 ]
IFAI TENT EXPO 2009 [ JAN. 19–22 ]
At the Hilton Palm Beach Airport hotel, West
Palm Beach, Fla., U.S.A. 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, [email protected]
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.
At the Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake
City, Utah, U.S.A. Attendees represent manufacturing, engineering, construction, installation and research from the entire geosynthetics community. For information, contact Beth
Wistrcill at +1 651 225 6956, bbwistrcill@ifai.
com, or visit www.geoshow.info.
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.
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., U.S.A. For information, visit
www.necpa.org or www.marinecanvas.com.
February
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, [email protected], or visit www.
ifaicanada.com.
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.
Smart Fabrics Conference 2009 [ Mar. 10–12 ]
Will take place in Rome, Italy, delivering high-level
presentations from scientists, design experts
and market analysts in the field. Programs will
cover technology, design and business in areas
like home health care, industrial clothing, sport
clothing and more. For information, visit www.
smartfabricsconference.com.
76 REVIEW 12.08
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Sf Resources
CALENDAR
\\
July \\ August \\ September
\\
October
Mid-America Trucking Show [ Mar. 19–21 ]
The 38th edition of the Mid-America Trucking
Show will once again be held in the expansive
Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Ky.,
U.S.A. For information on attending or exhibiting,
visit www.truckingshow.com.
\\
November \\
December
1st World Conference on Software for the Textile and
Clothing Industries [ May 21–22 ]
At the Weston Conference Centre, University of
Manchester, U.K. Organized by TexEng Software
Ltd., in association with TechniTex Faraday
Ltd. and the School of Materials, University of
Manchester. For information, visit www.texeng.
co.uk.
April
June
3rd International Textile Machinery Exhibition
[ June 6–10 ]
ADVANCED TEXTILES CONFERENCE 2009
[ APR. 2–3 ]
A European-U.S. entepreneur networking
conference on textile technology opportunities,
in Brussels, Belgium. For information, contact
Jill Rutledge at [email protected], or visit
www.ifai.com.
The leading textile machinery exhibition in the
Middle East and Eastern Europe will be held at
the Tuyap Beylikduzu Exhibition and Congress
Center in Turkey. For information, visit www.
teknikfuarcilik.com.
September
2nd World Conference on 3D Fabrics and Applications
[ Apr. 6–7 ]
Will take place at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in
Greenville, S.C., U.S.A. Driven by woven 3D fabrics for the aerospace industry, but many other
applications include weaving, knitting, braiding and nonwovens. For information, visit www.
texeng.co.uk.
ne
Geo Africa 2009 [ Sept. 2–5 ]
The 1st African Regional Conference on
Geosynthetics will take place in Cape Town, South
Africa, under the auspices of the International
Geosynthetics Society (IGS). Activities will include
technical sessions, case studies, networking and
an exhibition hall. For information, visit www.
geosyntheticssociety.org/geoafrica_2009.
ISA International Sign Expo 2009 [ Apr. 15–18 ]
Returning to the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nev., U.S.A. Educational
and networking events will take place April 1518; the exhibit hall will be open April 16-18. For
information, visit www.signexpo.org.
IFAI EXPO 2009 [ SEPT. 23–25 ]
Material World & Technology Solutions [ Apr. 21-23 ]
At the Miami Beach Convention Center. A global
resource for sourcing, fabric, trim and trends. For
information, visit www.material-world.com.
At the San Diego Convention Center. The largest
specialty fabrics show in the Americas, offering hundreds of exhibitors and high-impact,
cutting-edge symposiums and workshops. For
information, contact [email protected], or visit
www.ifaiexpo.com.
May
Outlook 2009 Conference [ May 4-5 ]
At the Hilton Desoto Savannah in Savannah,
Ga. “Enhancing Your Competitive Advantage,”
sponsored by the United States Industrial Fabric
Institute (USIFI) and the Narrow Fabrics Institute
(NFI), is directed at decision-makers in the
specialty fabrics industry. For more information,
visit www.usifi.com.
77
12/5/08
11:37:39 AM
Sf Resources
EDITORIAL
SOURCES
Get listed on this page.
d expertise.
owledge an
hare your kn
S
Sf Features
Sf Feature
by Sigrid Tornquist
are
stories. We
t on Review
u
p
ng
in
ki
r
o
u
lo
yo
we’re
Offer
issues, and
re
tu
pics:
fu
to
g
n
se
ri
prepa
s on the
able source
e
g
d
le
w
o
for kn
n
s innovatio
tion spawn
ti
e
p
m
co
How
t contracts
governmen
se
o
th
g
in
Gett
rics
: smart fab
Showroom
A S THE WO R LD
SHR INKS, BUSINE SSE S
CA N CA P ITA LIZE O N
WID E NING THE IR P O O L
O F C USTO ME R S.
I
f we needed proof that we’re in an economic environment where lines on a map
lose significance, September and October delivered. Though perhaps first to
the trough, the United States held no monopoly on failed financial institutions
and crashing stock markets. While there are many lessons to be learned, key for
businesses in the specialty fabrics arena is how global the marketplace has become.
“I see a world just continuing to become smaller and smaller,” says Marco Alvarez,
president and CEO of Fabric Images Inc. “Our ability to continue to grow our business
globally is going to be important as costs and budgets continue to be squeezed.”
A lot of U.S. commodities transitioned to the global front years ago, says Joey Underwood, vice president of Safety Components Fabric Technologies Inc. in Greenville, S.C.,
a division of International Textiles Group (ITG), with operations in the United States,
Germany, Romania, the Czech Republic, China and South Africa. Now, he says, “the
specialty markets to some degree are transitioning.
“I think a lot of markets went to developing parts of the world for cost purposes only.
As costs rise, we will see some of those products come back to North America. We’re
starting to see some of that already. That said, 95 percent of the world’s growth over the
next 5, 10, 20 years is going to occur outside the U.S., so the infrastructure that’s going to
these developing countries will be used in large part to supply those emerging markets.”
According to Mary Lynn Landgraf, a senior international trade specialist in the U.S.
Department of Commerce’s Office of Textiles and Apparel, “The global marketplace
changes daily, which has become more evident over the last five years. New emerging
markets continually join the global marketplace. Brazil, Russia, India and China are
currently the major players with rapidly growing economies and internal growth. Much
of this growth can only be served by imports.”
TAKING THE LEAP
Fabric Images entered the worldwide marketplace five years ago. Based in Elgin, Ill., the
16-year-old company now operates a manufacturing facility in Mexico and a sales office
in Japan. “It’s been good because the product that we offer [a fabric alternative to hardwall construction] is still in the infancy stage on a global basis,” Alvarez says, noting that
a manufacturing and sales facility in Milan, Italy, is on the books for 2009.
34 REVIEW 12.08
34 \ Thinking globally: What’s next?
19, 2008 >
December
ifai.com
Contact by
nordstom@
dstrom | gd
or
N
n
yn
al
G
BondCote Corp., Pulaski, Va.
800 255 9338 | www.bondcote.com
Fabric Images Inc., Elgin, Ill.
800 228 9223 | www.fabricimages.com
Nolan Warehouses, Sydney, Australia
+61 2 9669 3323 | www.nolans.com.au
Sf Feature
by Jamie Swedberg
THIN
is in
THE FUTURE
IS HIGH-TECH
IF YOU’RE
PLANNING TO
STAY AHEAD OF
THE GAME.
T
here’s nothing particularly predatorlike about narrow fabrics designers
and manufacturers. By and large,
they’re helpful folks, always working
with their clients to create webbings
and ropes with the perfect color,
thickness, width and performance characteristics.
Safety Components Fabric Technologies Inc.,
Greenville, S.C.
+1 864 240-2600 | www.safetycomponents.com
But they’re still a bit like sharks: They must always
keep moving forward or die.
Narrow fabrics manufacturers are subject to the same market
conditions as all fabric makers. They know that the moment they
perfect a product, a competitor with lower overhead will bid the job
at a lower price. Luckily for U.S. companies, many of the markets for
narrow fabrics are in technical fields that demand constant innovation.
Certainly there will always be room for more seat belts, upholstery
trims and dog leashes. But narrow fabrics companies that manufacture
stateside are looking more and more to the high-tech world. They’re
pushing the limits of their craft as they make components for the
military, aerospace and medical fields.
THE THIRD DIMENSION
Since 1923, Bally Ribbon Mills, Bally, Pa., has engineered highly
specialized custom woven goods for its customers. Today about
30 percent of its output goes to high-tech industries. To ensure
its place in the market, the manufacturer recently invested in a
unique quad-axial loom that allows the company to weave fabric in
as many as four axes simultaneously. What on earth for, you ask?
One answer is a strange structure that the company calls “the
pi,” after the shape of the Greek letter π. It’s a trilobate strip made
of carbon fiber, used in the aerospace industry. It allows a perpendicular “wall” piece (sandwiched between the legs of the pi) to be
joined to a flat plane or beam with enormous security.
28 REVIEW 12.08
28 \ Thin is in
800 872 8723 | www.trade.gov
55 \ Fabric in the fast lane
Beaufort County Council, Beaufort, S.C.
+1 843 470 2591 | www.co.beaufort.sc.us/council
Bally Ribbon Mills, Bally, Pa.
South Carolina Department of Transportation,
Columbia, S.C.
800 845 2201 | www.ballyribbon.com
+1 803 737 2314 | www.dot.state.sc.us
Foster-Miller Inc., Waltham, Mass.
Thrace-LINQ Inc., Summerville, S.C.
+1 781 684 4144 | www.foster-miller.com
+1 843 873 5800 | www.thracelinq.com
Propel LLC, Providence, R.I.
+1 401 751 2216 | www.propel-llc.com
Offray Specialty Narrow Fabrics,
Chester, N.J.
61 \ Welcome to the roller coaster
Glen Raven Custom Fabrics LLC, Burlington, N.C.
+1 908 879 3627 | www.osnf.com
+1 336 221 2211 | www.glenraven.com
Safe Lites LLC, Eden Prairie, Minn.
Highland Industries, Greensboro, N.C.
+1 952 944 9861 | www.safelites.com
+1 336 547 1685 | www.highlandindustries.com
Hudson Awning & Sign Co. Inc., Bayonne, N.J.
+1 201 339 7171 | www.hudsonawning.com
PCI Fibres, Spartanburg, S.C.
+1 864 583 6868 | www.pcifibres.com
78 REVIEW 12.08
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Sf Resources
AD INDEX
Ad Index
Look who’s advertising.
62 Alpha Productions )
800 223 0883
www.alphaproductions.com
9
American Cord & Webbing Co. Inc. )
+1 401 762 5500
www.acw1.com
64 Assyst-Bullmer Inc. )
+1 919 467 2211
www.assyst-us.com
66 Canvas Replacements )
800 232 2079
www.canvasreplacements.com
52 Coletech
800 872 6950
www.coletech.net
56 Covin Sales & Converting )
888 862 6846
www.covinsales.com
57 DAF Products Inc. )
800 228 9837
www.dafproducts.com
59 DEMTECH Services )
888 324 9353
www.demtech.com
18 Eastern Awning Group )
800 445 4142
www.worldscreeninc.com
33 Eastman Machine Company )
800 872 5571
www.eastmancuts.com
2 Fasnap Corp. )
800 624 2058
www.fasnap.com
Cv2,1 Glen Raven Custom Fabrics )
1208RV_p71_cv4.indd
+1 336 221 6211
www.sunbrella.com
When you contact an advertiser in this issue, please tell
them that you saw their ad in Specialty Fabrics Review.
58 Greenzone Worldwide Inc. )
866 248 1177
[email protected]
19 Snyder Mfg Inc )
800 837 4450
www.snyderman.com
38 W. L. Gore & Associates Inc. )
3 Stimpson Co. Inc. )
800 276 8451
www.gore.com/specfab
4 Herculite Products Inc. )
800 772 0036
www.herculite.com
64 InCord )
800 596 1066
www.incord.com
63 InterWrap Inc. )
800 567 9727
www.interwrap.com
52 Lowy Enterprises )
+1 310 763 1111
www.lowyusa.com
22 Mauritzon )
877 765 0748
www.stimpson.com
54 SuperTex Fabrics )
800 858 8033
www.supertexpvc.com
50 TopTec Inc. )
800 845 2830
www.TopTecProducts.com
59 Top Value Fabrics Inc. )
800 428 5006
www.tvfinc.com
Cv4 Tri Vantage LLC )
www.trivantage.com
58 Value Vinyls )
800 406 8845
www.valuevinyls.com
800 621 4532
www.mauritzononline.com
Cv3 Miller Weldmaster )
66 Vicar International )
800 526 6997
www.wssl.com
+1 330 833 6739
www.millerweldmaster.com
53 Rivets Unlimited NY Inc. )
54 Vidir Machine Inc. )
800 210 0141
www.vidir.com
800 267 9334
www.rivetsunlimited.com
m
53 Robeco/Ascot Inc. )
800 992 1067
www.robecoinc.com
)
I FA I Member
63 Sattler North Americaa )
866 992 9646
www.sattler-corp.com
p.com
7 Sinclair Equipment
nt Co. )
800 624 2408
www.sineqco.com
com
The bo
bolded advertisers are exhibitors at
IFAI E
EXPO. Be sure to visit their booths at
the sshow, which will be held at the San
Dieg
Diego Convention Center, San Diego, CA on
Sep
September 23–25, 2009
Fo
For more information on IFAI Expo 2009,
p
please visit www.ifaiexpo.com.
For advertising rates and information
call Sarah Hyland at 800 319 3349.
79
12/5/08
11:37:55 AM
n Reviieew: 1987
Year iin
How
H
ow m
much
uch sshould
hould
free
free trade
trade cost?
cost?
LOOKING AHEAD TO TH
T
he 10 0t h se ss io n
of th e U .S .
Congress convenes
in January
1987, with Democ
rats holding firm
majorities in both
the House and
Senate. Democrats
have controlled
the House of Repr
esentatives since
1954 and now hold
an 81-vote majority. On the Sena
te side, Democrats gained eight
seats in the Nove m be r el ec tio ns
an d no w ho ld a
55-to-45 edge.
On Black Monday, Oct. 19, 1987,
stock markets around the world
crashed. Yet the Dow Jones Industrial
Average was positive for the 1987
calendar year, although it was another
two years before the market would hit
the highs reached before the crash.
E 100TH CONGRESS
tio ns to dr op th eir
ow n pr ot ec tio ni st
barriers and stimu
late their local econ
omies, enabling them
to consume a more
equitable share of
the world’s goods.
It
is also expected th
at future dialogue
on trade will focus
on U.S. productivity
and competitivenes
s. Bentsen expresse
d
hope that a confro
ntation over trade
could be avoided wi
th the White Hous
e
and President Rona
ld Reagan.
Re p. Ji m W rig ht
, ne wl y el ec te d
Speaker of the Ho
use, has said Hous
e
and Senate Demo
crats “will not sta
nd
idly by” and watch
the $179 billion tra
de
deficit continue to
grow. Wright belie
ve
s
the House must pa
ss a trade bill that
will reverse the de
ficit, halt closings
of plants and facto
ries in the Unite
d
St at es , an d st op
la yo ffs of Am er ica
n
workers.
Se n. Ll oy d Be nt se
n (D -T ex as ) ha s
made it clear that
trade will be at th
e
to p of th e De m oc
ra ts ’ ag en da in th
e
ne w se ss ion . In co
m m en ts fo llo wi ng
the election, Bent
sen said he expects
many attempts wi
ll be made to atta
ch
“protectionist” m
easures to a Sena
te
trade bill. He emph
asized the need for
“positive” legislat
ion that would bo
ost
world trade by en
Industrial Fabric Product
couraging other na
s Review,
-
January 1987
1208RV_p71_cv4.indd
80
12/5/08
11:37:56 AM
1208RV_p71_cv4.indd
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12/5/08
11:38:25 AM
It’s all about
family
_____.
It’s the very definition of a family business. A son works for his parents.
Learns the trade. Then ventures out to start his own business.
Years later, with parents approaching retirement, the son and his wife
acquire the original family business. And for
more than 40 years, we’ve been part of their
extended family. Meeting their company’s needs.
No matter what they might be.
Dan and Barb Lesch
Husband, Wife and Grandparents
Lesch Boat Cover Co.
Norwalk, Ohio
We’re all about
your goals.
trivantage.com
Tri Vantage, LLC, a Glen Raven Company
1208RV_p71_cv4.indd
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12/5/08
11:38:26 AM

Fabrics in the Fast Lane, Specialty Fabrics Review, p.55 - Thrace-LINQ

Transcription

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