Sen. Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., noted substantial improvements in the U.S. Small Business Association (SBA) response to natural disasters since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated her Gulf Coast constituents. However, as chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, she questioned in a Senate hearing why the SBA has been slow to disburse [...]

Recycled carbon dioxide (CO2) technology offsets its impacts on the environment and climate. Huntsman Textile Effects, Singapore, will collaborate with DyeCoo Textile Systems, Weesp, The Netherlands, to produce more sustainable dye solutions. “The collaboration is a reinforcement of both companies’ long-term strategy and deep commitment to innovation and sustainability,” says Steve Gray, global vice president [...]

MarChem CFI Inc, once a wholly owned subsidiary of St. Louis-based DASH Multi-Corp Inc., has been spun off and is now a stand-alone entity. As part of the spin-off, MarChem CFI will change its name to Marlen Textiles. The brands Top Gun, Mustang, Top Notch, Top Notch Elite, Odyssey, Vista, Softouch, Holiday, Heritage, and AQUA-TITE [...]

Norseman Structures Inc., Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, bills its steel-framed, fabric-covered buildings as “fiercely reliable,” and the Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership (STEP) agreed, awarding the company with the STEP Exporter of the Year award for 2012. Norseman displays “a high level of performance in introducing new products and services into world markets,” says STEP president [...]

Cyclonix Inc., Morgan Hill, Calif., has expanded its brand engagement agency to include equipment and capacity to create lightweight fabric architectural components in-house. The firm will do its own sewing, fabric printing and tube bending to make walls, signs, canopies and other exhibit elements that complement its brand activities. The company wanted the ability to [...]

In 1987, retractable awnings were a tough sell for Ben and Gudrun Skoldeberg, a Swedish husband-and-wife team trying to expand their business to a hot new market: Austin, Texas. They sold only one miniblind during the company’s first five months in business. Fast forward to August 2012, as Texas Sun & Shade celebrated its 25th [...]

Gehring-Tricot Corp., Garden City, N.Y., plans to become a “one-stop shop” for customers sourcing U.S. manufactured textiles by assuming operation of Gehring Textiles, Helmont Mills and Tweave LLC. Skip Gehring, third-generation owner of the privately held companies, is seeking “an increase in manufacturing efficiencies and elimination of any unnecessary administrative functions.” The Gehring-Tricot Corp. will [...]

The American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC), a trade organization for textile wet processing professionals, has elected Smrithi Kumar to lead the Lightfastness and Weathering RA 50 Committee. Kumar is the international sales manager for Q-Lab weathering, light stability and corrosion test equipment. He also serves as the U.S. expert on the lightfastness [...]

By Sigrid Tornquist While tent graphics have been an option for several years, advances in printing technology and applications—plummeting price points—are making graphics a viable option for more than just large corporate tented events. “With the emergence of digital printing over the last decade, there is more and more capacity for printing on tent materials [...]

James Jeffery, a long-time sales executive for the John Boyle Co., passed away on Dec. 22, 2012, at the age of 86. Jeffery was also an honored life member of the Canvas Products Association, Zone 7. The WWII Navy veteran is survived by his son Gary, three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.