October 29
Please join us on Thursday, October 29th at 1 pm CDT for IFAI's Annual Meeting. This is where you'll hear about everything staff and our volunteer leaders have been doing on your behalf to help you succeed and your businesses to prosper! You'll also hear about the things IFAI has done in response to the COVID-19 pandemic - all in an effort to provide you with information and resources to help you and your business weather the storm.
November 2 – November 12
For close to a century, the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) Expo has been regarded as the industrial fabric industry’s flagship show for commerce, networking and knowledge. As the premier industrial, specialty and advanced textiles event, IFAI Expo attracts approximately 5,000 industry stakeholders from around the world for four days of buying and selling, networking, learning and fun — all designed to help participants grow their bottom line. For more information please visit the website.
November 19
As we continue to deal with the implications of the pandemic, GMA is making every effort to maintain our influence with federal and state governments to position our industry for success. Many members of Congress are now advocating for our industry, in large part, due to GMA's lobbying efforts along with the support and involvement of GMA members. It is critical that GMA members continue to educate members of Congress about national issues affecting companies within their districts and states. GMA appreciates the hard work of our members and will continue to be a strong industry advocate.
December 1
12 - 1 pm CST
Free for Members
$39 for Non-Members
Architectural projects are notoriously complex, circuitous, and lengthy. Every project can involve hundreds of players, thousands of decisions, and millions of dollars. This makes sense considering that each building is custom designed for a specific site, climate and particular client’s needs. Generally speaking, economies of scale rarely exist. With virtually no exposure to fabric in any architectural school curriculum, how can the FSA educate the A&D community about fabric structures and provide ongoing support for their evaluation and specification as building components? The answer is by creating broad industry awareness of product capabilities and applications while developing ongoing personal relationships with individual architects and architectural librarians.
December 3
1 - 2 pm CST
Free for Members
$39 for Non-Members
Business can grow in size, or stature. Either way, setting yourself with a modern web design and tools to streamline incoming projects, will give a sense of professionalism and respect to both the fabricator and the client, no matter the size of the current business, or your production capabilities. Learn from my experience as a operator of a small shop. I’ll take you through go-to phrases, how to handle clients requests with kindness and certainty and how to respectfully decline a project and still have the rejected client send you referrals.
Learning objectives
December 17
1 - 2 pm CST
Free for Members
$39 for Non-Members
What is Industry 4.0? What will be the impact of the Pandemic on this conversation? What will success look like in the current industrial revolution? The manufacturing industry was already facing digital disruption. Shifting economic alignments, changing customer expectations, and new technology are forcing the industry to examine old assumptions and to transform processes. Gone are the days of consistent human oversight of mechanical manufacturing processes. Instead, traditional managers and supervisors are being supplanted by an army of robots and tech-enabled soldiers. Technological advancements are firmly entrenched and growing in power due to support of a tech-savvy workforce. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is here, creating both opportunities and challenges. Attendees will be challenged to think differently and build strategies to address:
January 7 – January 9
Sheraton New Orleans
Join us at the annual Marine Fabricators Conference 2021 taking place at the Sheraton New Orleans, overlooking the French Quarter. The conference features three full days of education and networking designed to help you cultivate industry connections, improve your efficiency, and increase revenue.
February 18 – February 19
Sheraton Jacksonville Hotel
Make plans to attend this 1.5-day conference in person at the Sheraton Jacksonville Hotel from Feb. 18–19, 2021 in Jacksonville, FL USA and virtually from your home or office. Grow your industry knowledge with session topics on cutting rooms, industrial sewing machine maintenance, shade sails, foam and more! Network with fabricators and suppliers. Discover what’s new at the showcase tabletops featuring products and services.
February 18 – February 19
The Marine Fabricators Association (MFA) Marine Workshop features educational opportunities that offer hands-on training and education. Build your network with like-minded business owners and share information while you socialize with marine fabricators.
Co-located with Fabricators Conference and Showcase—Winter 2021.
February 21 – February 24
Kansas City Convention Center