January 2012

  • Published On: January 1, 2012

    By Angelle Bergeron Geosynthetic materials have figured prominently in providing New Orleans with the best flood protection the city has ever had. “We couldn’t have delivered this work by 2011 without geosynthetics,” says Richard Varuso, deputy chief of the geotechnical branch of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ New Orleans District (USACE/NOD). When Hurricane Katrina [...]

  • Published On: January 1, 2012

    A heartwarming movie about devising a prosthetic tail suitable for a dolphin has helped launch a new material, WintersGel™, that allows human amputees to wear their prostheses longer. The movie, “Dolphin Tale,” focuses on two volunteers at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Clearwater Beach, Fla., who create a prosthetic tail for an injured dolphin named [...]

  • Published On: January 1, 2012

    Strategies that are paying off in today’s marketplace. By Barb Ernster Competition can be stiff in this economy, but business owners are dealing with it in a variety of creative ways. Some face competition from cheaper products coming from overseas, others from cheaper products coming from the U.S. Although they are feeling pressure to meet [...]

  • Published On: January 1, 2012

    Make the most of today's tent trends. By Sigrid Tornquist From the structural integrity of engineered structures to the ethereal glow of sailcloth tents, understanding and acting on the latest tent innovations and growth segments can open up new opportunities for tent companies. And while there’s no “right” direction for focusing tent inventory, that doesn’t [...]

  • Published On: January 1, 2012

    Suppliers of performance fabrics respond to wide-ranging inventory demands and customer needs. By Jan Brenny There are as many different “performance” fabrics as there are needs in the marketplace. To fulfill those needs as quickly and completely as possible, suppliers collaborate with customers and capitalize on strengths. Performance fabric suppliers range from those that offer [...]

  • Published On: January 1, 2012

    Kathy Schaefer draws on a background in psychology for a smooth and productive workflow. By Sigrid Tornquist “Can you imagine sitting at a sewing machine for eight hours a day?” asks Kathy Schaefer, COO of Glawe Awnings and Tents, Fairborn, Ohio. “I learned to sew this past summer and though I’m not all that good [...]

  • Published On: January 1, 2012

    Bekaert Textiles, Waregem, Belgium, has launched MediTiss® high-tech textile products designed for the healthcare and hospital market, including smart fabrics used in the SensoTiss mattress cover, which can alert nursing staff or a caretaker when a patient leaves his or her bed. Created to optimize bed comfort and focus on the welfare of patients of [...]

  • Published On: January 1, 2012

    Fisher Textiles, Indian Trail, N.C., has introduced new fabrics for printing, including GF 7176 Supreme Knit (pictured). The100 percent polyester is fire retardant and compatible with UV- and dye sublimation printing for photographic back drops, geometric displays and trade show exhibits. 8682 Twilite is Fisher’s newest backlit fabric for dye sublimation and UV printing. The [...]

  • Published On: January 1, 2012

    Drytac® Corp., Richmond, Va., has added the JM55Fuzion to its line of film laminators. The new roller laminator has many of the features of the JM63Pro but in a two-part construction and at a lower price. The JM55 Fuzion comes equipped with top and bottom auto-grip supply shafts, rear and front take-up or feed shafts, [...]

  • Published On: January 1, 2012

    Durst Phototechnik AG, Brixen, Italy, presents an alternative to flatbed screen printing: the Kappa 180. This high-performance inkjet printer achieves a printing speed of more than 300 running meters per hour with excellent print quality (1056 x 600 dpi), enabling the on-demand production of between one and many thousands of running meters. With RIP specialist [...]