The HMS President, one of three surviving Royal Navy warships from World War I, wore camouflage to mark the 100-year commemoration of the “Great War,” in which the United Kingdom lost an estimated 1.2 million soldiers, sailors and civilians. The 14-18 NOW Centenary Art Commissions, publicly funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Arts Council [...]

Recently opened in Edina, Minn., through a project coordinated by the Edina City Council, Braemar Field is one of the largest seasonal multi-sports domes in North America. The 100,000-square-foot inflatable dome measures 400 feet long by 250 feet wide by 75 feet high and was manufactured by Minneapolis-based Yeadon Fabric Domes using 28- and 32-ounce [...]

Charles Webster uses lean techniques to continuously improve production and efficiency. What we try to do better than other companies is give our customers more than they ask for, sooner than they expect it, in higher quality than they’re used to,” says Charles Webster, president and CEO of DOWCO® Inc., Manitowoc, Wis. “When we are [...]

By Sigrid Tornquist When a customer tells one of Charles Webster’s sales people that he doesn’t like snaps on his boat covers because they break and are difficult to manage, and he’s sick of needing support poles—that’s the beginning of product development for DOWCO® Inc. “Sometimes things can be defined by what they are not,” [...]

By Sigrid Tornquist Q: You’ve taken your company from one location with 14 employees to four locations with more than 200 employees. How have you changed your management style to accommodate that kind of growth? A: I’ve found that as your company grows, sometimes you have to replace staff—which is difficult to do, but if [...]

Flexible and durable power-generating textiles are poised to make a difference in meeting tomorrow’s energy requirements. Looking forward, before imagination meets prototype, the next generation of energy-producing products seems unattainable. Looking backward, after such innovations are readily available, the development process seems logical—and simple. It’s the “hindsight is 20/20” phenomenon. While photovoltaic power-harvesting technologies are [...]

The resurgence in boating and the concern over sun safety have been a boon for marine fabricators offering products that protect and beautify without spoiling the fun, or the view. People are taking to the water in record numbers, encouraged in part by plummeting gas prices. According to the National Marine Manufacturers Association, approximately 89 [...]

It was a year of respectable growth in the specialty fabrics industry and hope for an even better future, grounded in promising statistics. ATA surveys specialty fabrics industry end product manufacturers (EPMs) once a year to learn how they are doing and what they anticipate for the future. All but one of the traditional end [...]

Flexible composites are finding practical application in a growing number of industries. The world of composites covers a range of materials and applications. Flexible composites have long been manufactured to perform specific functions in generally demanding environments. Their tremendous strength-to-weight ratio and design flexibility make them ideal in structural components for the transportation industry. High [...]

The Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2014. The passage of the Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2014 late last year retroactively extended 54 tax breaks—but only for the 2014 tax year. The so-called “tax extenders” law opens the door for specialty fabric professionals to claim many of these popular (but temporary) tax incentives when 2014 [...]