October 2012

  • Published On: October 1, 2012

    [Chattanooga Tent Co.] Chattanooga, Tenn. Chattanooga Tent Company’s location helps it to respond quickly to disasters, such as hurricanes on the Atlantic, Gulf and Florida coasts. Hurricane Katrina was so devastating that temporary shelters formed base camps which housed hundreds, or even thousands, of relief workers and emergency employees for weeks or months. The tents [...]

  • Published On: October 1, 2012

    [Traube Tent & Structures] Columbia, Ill. Sherman Hospital is a Regional Hospital Coordinating Center (RHCC) with the responsibility for providing disaster preparedness assets for the Elgin, Ill., region. Acknowledging a need to provide better off-site medical care during disasters, Sherman RHCC made an investment in rapid deployment tents that will allow it to provide field [...]

  • Published On: October 1, 2012

    [Transhield] Elkhart, Ind. In partnership with Dr. Shrink Inc., Manistee, Mich., Transhield donated 50 disaster shelters to the survivors of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan. The lightweight 8-by10-foot shelters have a waterproof floor and screened windows. The frame is made of PVC piping and requires no tools for assembly. The shelter covers, [...]

  • Published On: October 1, 2012

    Lessons learned from smart phone success can be applied to e-textile development. By Patricia Wilson, Ph.D. What are the most exciting or intriguing developments in the industry in advanced textiles? The transition of nanotechnology to scale up production and applications research is an exciting development to keep tabs on. One of the challenges in electronic [...]

  • Published On: October 1, 2012

    Gary Barnes taps into tenacity and creativity to solve customer problems. By Sigrid Tornquist “In the Navy when the ship’s underway and there’s a problem, you can’t just say ‘I’ve got a headache and I’ve got to go home.’ You’ve got to do something,” says Gary Barnes, MFC, CDR, USN-Ret., co-owner of Tropical J’s Inc. [...]

  • Published On: October 1, 2012

    Fabric interiors are flexible and functional, artistic and adaptable, economical and ecologically sound, offering new advantages to designers and architects. But there’s still a learning curve. By William Atkinson For a lot of end-product manufacturers (EPMs), customer interest in fabric for commercial interiors is still in its infancy. The future, they believe, is wide open, [...]

  • Published On: October 1, 2012

    Fabrics offer better comfort and functionality, meeting growing demands for safety in a variety of environments and markets. By Janice Kleinschmidt Work environments of many types pose hazards that can result in injuries. The safety and protective segment of the specialty fabrics industry works to develop high performance products that prevent illness and injury from [...]

  • Published On: October 1, 2012

    Under the Affordable Care Act, every business must provide “minimum essential” and “affordable” coverage, and size does matter. By Mark E. Battersby Like it or not, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled, and the so-called “Affordable Care Act” (ACA) is now the law of the land—and the tax code. Soon, every individual must have health [...]

  • Published On: October 1, 2012

    Marine fabricators discover how working together has benefits for both. By Maura Keller Working with a company that meshes perfectly with your vision—one that’s organized, effective and delivers on promises every time—can be downright startling. That company is the one you turn to time and time again because of its exceptional products, services and business [...]

  • Published On: October 1, 2012

    A double-layer fabric roof helps solve the seasonal issue for a beach club on Holland’s coast. By Mark Zeh Recently a new type of trendy nightclub and restaurant has appeared on the coast of Holland: the beach club. The words beach club normally evoke thoughts of summer heat, light dress and casual eating fare, so [...]