By Sigrid Tornquist
Paula Calderon is always looking for new ways to expand Caribbean Awning’s scope of business. St. Lucia, where the company is located, is a popular tourist destination due to its tropical climate and warm ocean breezes—a fact that results in large projects requiring awning fabrication, among other things. Calderon recognizes that while her company may not have the ability to meet such large orders by itself, there is opportunity for collaboration with IFAI member companies in the United States and Europe to land those large projects. She envisions using her knowledge of and connections in the region, along with her fabrication expertise, to collaborate with other fabricators to take advantage of growth opportunities in St. Lucia.