Feature – Page 9 – Specialty Fabrics Review

By the Numbers

4,503
Show participants

380
Exhibitors

85,200
Show floor square feet

423
Expo Plus participants

133
Speakers

52
Education sessions

40
Campfire sessions

15
Mentors

13
E-Textiles Workshop discussions

11
Testing Q&As

1
E-Textiles Hackathon

70
Duffel bags
(for Raintree at-risk youth)

IFAI Expo 2017: Report from New Orleans

November 1, 2017 | Feature

Despite the hurricanes and wildfires of late summer, IFAI Expo 2017 attracted many new first-time attendees to New Orleans in late September. And exhibitors reported that attendees were more likely than previous years to purchase their products, services and equipment. Aside from exhibitor-attendee …

Tension tents hold their ground while offering an aesthetic edge

November 1, 2017 | Feature

One of many crucial questions tent rental providers must help clients planning upscale outdoor events answer is whether they want a tension or frame-supported tent. Several factors influence the decision, from aesthetics to weather and space restraints to pricing. And while more clients are choosing…

Biomimetics: Fabrics borrow from nature to solve problems

October 31, 2017 | Feature

For most people, arriving home from a hike covered in burrs would likely cause aggravation. But for George de Mestral, the burrs became an inspiration. Curious about how they clung so stubbornly to his clothes, the Swiss electrical engineer put them under a microscope, which revealed hundreds of “…

Lloyd Verduyn focuses on continuous improvement in products and processes at Verduyn Tarps

October 1, 2017 | Feature, Perspective

“As a company, we believe in the Japanese principle of Kaizen, which is the philosophy of continuous improvement,” says Lloyd Verduyn, president and owner of Verduyn Tarps, based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. “For us, that extends beyond processes and personal efficiency to our products as…

Multifunctional fabrics and material innovations

October 1, 2017 | Feature

What spurs innovation? Does the kernel of a new idea spring forth fully formed from the brow of a genius, or does it gestate over a long, arduous path involving sweat and heavy lifting? Maybe a bit of both, if you dig into the histories of new materials or processes. Often you will find that &hellip…

2017 Equipment Showcase

October 1, 2017 | Feature

With technology taking over and automation ascendant, manufacturers are reinventing themselves and their operations to maximize efficiency, effectiveness, safety, reliability, productivity and profitability. The equipment they choose, especially when skilled labor is in short supply, doesn’t repla…

How to expand into new market segments without sacrificing core products

October 1, 2017 | Feature

For many custom fabricators, diversification is the name of the game. Recognizing—and seizing—opportunities to venture into new market segments can mean the difference between staying in business or (perish the thought) going under. But companies can also become too diversified, to the point whe…

Fibers and fabrics play a starring role in the effort to harvest kinetic energy

September 1, 2017 | Feature

Back in the day, a telephone was expected to perform a limited number of functions: alert you when someone was trying to reach you and connect you to those you were trying to reach. Technology advanced and phones became more portable. The same sort of process is happening to fabrics and fibers. The …

Elissa Decker’s fabric expertise helps Moss Inc. build global growth

September 1, 2017 | Feature, Perspective

The properties of any fabric will be determined by the combined characteristics of its fiber, yarn, construction method, and dyeing and finishing processes,” says Elissa Decker, senior manager of materials, Moss Inc., Chicago, Ill. “It’s such an exciting time to work in the industry, because t…

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From machines to humans: Boost the productivity of your business

September 1, 2017 | Feature

Improving productivity depends on a combination of efficient employees, equipment and processes. Driving improvement in all these areas involves examining the current practices in place and making adjustments to systems, employee training, technology, equipment and tools. From small tweaks in commun…

Category: Feature

IFAI Expo 2017: Report from New Orleans

Tension tents hold their ground while offering an aesthetic edge

Biomimetics: Fabrics borrow from nature to solve problems

Lloyd Verduyn focuses on continuous improvement in products and processes at Verduyn Tarps

Multifunctional fabrics and material innovations

2017 Equipment Showcase

How to expand into new market segments without sacrificing core products

Fibers and fabrics play a starring role in the effort to harvest kinetic energy

Elissa Decker’s fabric expertise helps Moss Inc. build global growth

From machines to humans: Boost the productivity of your business