SPECIALISED TEXTILES ASSOCIATION INC. Vol 13 No 1 February • March 2013 Striving for SUSTAINABILITY CAMPING and CARAVANNING FABRIC STRUCTURES COMMITTEE sets the standard www.pathfinderaus.com.au WHAT DO YOU NEED TO CUT IN YOUR BUSINESS TODAY? MADE IN AUSTRALIA LIGHT WEIGHT STRUCTURES’ powerful grip STA MEMBER NEWS | INNOVATION | SUPERB STRUCTURES | RTOs
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
SPECIALISED TEXTILES ASSOCIATION INC. Vol 13 No 1February • March 2013
Striving for SUSTAINABILITY
CAmpINg and CArAVANNINg
FABrIC STrUCTUreS CommITTee sets the standard
www.pathfinderaus.com.au
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO CUTIN YOUR BUSINESS TODAY?
MADE IN AUSTRALIA
LIghT WeIghT STrUCTUreS’
powerful grip
STA member newS | innOVATiOn | SUPerb STrUCTUreS | rTOs
• 10 year UV warranty including removal and replacement
• Manufactured using 100% round monofilament yarn
• Custom colours, widths and lengths available by request
• Install and forget – NO re-tensioning
Monotec 370 is proudly manufactured in Australia by PRO-KNIT Industries Pty Ltd www.monotec.com.au
Designed for many applications including:
• Council Parks • Shopping Centre Car Parks• Shade structures • Shade sails • Childrens Playground Area • School Outdoor Lunch Areas • Athletic Events • Swimming Pool Canopies• Outdoor Recreation Areas • Truck Tarpaulins • Umbrellas • Nurseries
superior in strengthand performance
For a shadecloth that is superior in strength and performance characteristics, Monotec is the unsurpassed choice!
RR Monotec 370 ad.indd 1 29/08/11 2:15 PM
FEBRUARY • MARCH 2013 · 1
CONNECTIONS magazine is published on behalf of the Specialised Textiles Association Inc. by CommStrat Limited.
Disclaimer: Except where specifically stated, the opinions and material published in the magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher or the STA Council.
contents
A S S O C I A T I O N
association Matters2 Report by STA President 4 STA office update Presenting a local and global overview 26 Young Leaders’ Challenge Jamie Howard on the next gen’s
progress 32 Fabric Structures
Committee report By Beatrice Moonen 43 STA welcomes new members
neWs corner8 Members' news 45 Aussie Quality
suPerb structures18 Recreation related structures Showcasing member talent
sPecial Features12 Sustainability Industry initiatives and developments
16 What’s this year’s plan? Roger La Salle’s sage advice 28 Camping and caravans A snapshot of the market and
emerging trends36 Stainless story board Miami Stainless and Sydney TAFE join
forces37 Light Weight Structures,
heavy hitters Lucille and Trevor Scott’s professional
supremacy 40 Spotting tent quality IFAI reviews superior shelters
sPotlight on MeMbers27 First class canvas
training and eVents48 Industry events and RTOs
subscriPtions to subscribe to Connections for just $75 inc gst annually contact ruth spiegel [email protected]
• 10 year UV warranty including removal and replacement
• Manufactured using 100% round monofilament yarn
• Custom colours, widths and lengths available by request
• Install and forget – NO re-tensioning
Monotec 370 is proudly manufactured in Australia by PRO-KNIT Industries Pty Ltd www.monotec.com.au
Designed for many applications including:
• Council Parks • Shopping Centre Car Parks• Shade structures • Shade sails • Childrens Playground Area • School Outdoor Lunch Areas • Athletic Events • Swimming Pool Canopies• Outdoor Recreation Areas • Truck Tarpaulins • Umbrellas • Nurseries
superior in strengthand performance
For a shadecloth that is superior in strength and performance characteristics, Monotec is the unsurpassed choice!
RR Monotec 370 ad.indd 1 29/08/11 2:15 PM
2 · CONNECTIONS
From the office of the President
STAMATTERS
For some, sustainability
is seen as a catchword of the lunatic fringe but
it is an issue for us all and one
where we all can play some part.
For example reduction of waste
in all its forms can have a very
positive impact in our business.”
Hello all. It is now time for belated good wishes for the
New Year, and let us all hope that it is a good one for
everyone. In what seems like the blink of an eye, we are
well into the second month of 2013. The festive season is
just a dim memory and we are all hard at it again, many
hoping for a better year than last.
We have commenced the year with some extremes
in weather ranging from devastating bush fires to
more catastrophic flooding in many parts of the east
coast. That is Australia for better or for worse. The hot
summer (while it lasted) has been positive for many in
the shade and covering sectors of the industry, and not
unhelpful for many in the water storage area. Of course,
once the rains started, much of that work ceased. I
think that overall the industry is a little slower than what
we would like.
And now, on top of the extreme weather events, we
have to endure a seven month election campaign. Many
of us will be approaching our candidates to outline what
we consider sensible policy to help or bolster, rather
than impede, our industry. To help us progress.
Talking of progression, the article in this issue on
sustainability may be useful, timely and interesting in
these current times. In essence sustainability is the
capacity to endure and essentially is a melding of
environmental, economic and social dimensions. For
some, sustainability is seen as a catchword of the lunatic
fringe but it is an issue for us all and one where we all
can play some part. For example reduction of waste
in all its forms can have a very positive impact in our
business.
Waste does not have to be something we put in the bin
but can be as simple as wasted effort or thoughts. It is
often said that we should not dwell on the past but rather
concentrate on today and the future. We cannot change
the past, but what we do today can affect the future. As
Mother Teresa said “Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has
not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”
super expoI am pleased to announce that all of the June 2013 Super
Expo exhibition booths have been sold. That is, covering
each of the four halls in the Gold Coast Exhibition
Centre.
This is an excellent achievement and suggests that the
broader industry, including BMAA and STA members
and individuals, have been hoping for an event
such as this. In addition to the massive support from
exhibitors we urge all other industry players to support
the exhibition by attending all or part of the event.
We will soon be circulating information on exhibition
registrations and the social events that form part of the
overall exhibition.
Suppliers to the industry have shown their support, we
need “YOU” to show your support by attending, and by
sending some of your staff as well.
Member sessionsAs you are aware STA member sessions are being
held in state capitals towards the end of this month and
in mid March. These sessions present an opportunity
for all members, and interested non-members, to
hear about STA initiatives and to have their say. I urge
you to come along for an update and then benefit
from networking with others in your state. Check
our website or the member newsletters for more
information regarding session dates, times and venues.
While I am talking about members and getting
involved, I would like to suggest that you consider
filling a vacant position on one of the various sub
committees or nominate for the STA Committee of
Management. There will be three COM vacancies
this year in June. Working with the COM is extremely
rewarding and I commend it to anyone considering
it. While there is some work involved, the sense of
achievement - of putting something back into the
industry - is most worthwhile. We can all criticise
from the sidelines. If you have ideas, let us know, get
involved, provide suggestions and positive solutions.
Welcome back all. Enjoy this issue of Connections
and keep an eye out for the member newsletters from
STA Manager Ana Drougas and myself, stay involved
in the association. After all, you only get out what you
put in.
lance st hill
Australia’s Best Selection of Industrial and Commercial TextilesCombining 30 years of experience with Australia’s best selection of industrial and commercial textiles, Ricky Richards is the most trusted source for a variety of products.
For fabrics for tarpaulins, caravan and camping, tents and marquees and agriculture and horticulture, to sports equipment and window furnishing, we have the expertise and inventory to get you what you need, when you need it.
Take comfort in our experience and talk with our friendly team.
Welcome to our first issue of Connections for 2013.
As I am writing, I am trying not to reflect too much on
the year that has passed but rather look forward with
optimism for the year that is already passing us by so
very quickly!
So far this year, reports are showing that
Australian manufacturing has ensured a slow start
to the year, natural disasters have continued to
plague our country, unemployment figures are
continually rising, our skilled workforce is reducing
… all of which leaves me wondering what 2013
will actually bring with it. Will it be as challenging
as 2012?
Manufacturing employs nearly one million
Australians and is a central part of a resilient, diverse
and broad-based economy. It faces challenges from
the high Australian dollar, economic weakness in
Europe and intense global competition.
The September Federal electionWith our Prime Minister having called an election for
14 September this year, I wonder how much hope we
are placing on the election to bring about necessary
changes to our industry and country. I would be
interested to hear what your thoughts are on the
election and your predictions for the year ahead and
its effects on our industry.
While the months ahead may not bring about the changes
we would like to see in our country, I am certain of one
thing. Change is about to take place within our association
and industry. Our year ahead looks to be an exciting and
positive one. 2013 will bring to fruition the release of our
industry Accreditation Program, a combined SuperExpo
(BMAA and STA) and commencement of specific industry
training just to name a few of the great things we have in
store for this year!.
We anticipate introducing a basic accreditation
program for members on April 1 to coincide with the
new membership year. Members have contributed over
the past few months by providing feedback on the draft
STAMATTERS
A recap on recent and upcoming association activities.
COMING UP IN CONNECTIONSEach issue of Connections features two or more specialist articles that focus on an industry sector. Upcoming features are as follows:
April/May 2013 Blinds and awnings, Transport and tarpsJune/July 2013 Tents and marquees Sail makers and tension structuresIf you would like to be involved in any of these features by providing commentary or insights please contact the editor [email protected]
Innova International Pty. Ltd. Distributors in all states.
our brands, your future
10 · CONNECTIONS
While many people were relaxing at the beach or in backyards during the festive season of
late last year, hard working staff at Wax Converter Textiles were on the move, relocating their
distribution centre from Lidcombe in Sydney’s west to Rutherford in the Hunter Valley.
James Kelman explained that after many years spent operating one business across two
locations, they decided the time was right to consolidate the burgeoning textile business.
“All Wax Converter operations – manufacturing and distribution – are now at the one site in the
Hunter Valley where we have installed a new warehouse and distribution centre. The Valley’s hub
is in nearby Newcastle and its large freight companies so we can now get to the market faster
and more effectively than before.
“It makes a lot of sense and it is much easier to control operations on one site,” said James, who
then had to forfeit time off over the Australia Day long weekend to move his young family from
Sydney to the Hunter Valley. No small feat, given James is now proud father to four children under
seven, with the youngest Kelman born in November 2012.
Wax converter’s consolidation
MeMber neWs
Known as Endeavour 600gsm the tarpaulin
quality fabric is UV stabilised, waterproof
and anti mildew with an easy clean finish.
Appropriately too, it is flame retardant.
“The fabric has a five year warranty as a
fixed cover material but not as a tarpaulin
which can be flapping around in any
environment. Due to the large colour range it
has picked up many uses in sporting goods
such as goal posts, tackle bags and shields,
and of course barbecue covers, but most of
our Endeavour 600 is taken up for tarpaulins
and covers.”
Back to Sandra who currently runs a well
established home cleaning business but now
holds a dream for Colour my BBQ to enable
her to move on.
“I've dribbled it onto Facebook on the quiet
this week only to be overwhelmed by 386 hits
already with 15 orders in the wings waiting for
me to hit the green light, hopefully a sign of
things to come!” she enthused.
To help turn her dream into reality Sarah
enlisted the marketing expertise of well known
industry identity Connie Hellyer of One Link
Agencies.
For more information: www.
colourmybbqcovers.com.au
www.waxcon.com.au
Connie Hellyar of One Link Agencies can be
contacted on 0404 086 158 or at connie@
onelinkagencies.com.au
For more member news see page 45
Just some of the colours in the WCT Endeavour 600 swatch.
Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre
5-7 June 2013 Visit Australia’s largest trade exhibition and conference for the window furnishings & specialised textiles industries.
Showcasing the latest trends and innovative designs, products and services on display by industry leaders.
Networking events and business sessions will also be taking place during SuperExpo2013.
Check out the full program online atwww.superexpo2013.com.au
Inspira t ion in design & tex t i les!EXPOSUPER 2013 A S S O C I A T I O N
BLIND MANUFACTURERS’ ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA
INVITATION
Platinum Sponsor
Silver Sponsors
Bronze Sponsors
Gold Sponsors
Presented by
12 · CONNECTIONS
A series of industry initiatives are aimed at creating more sustainable practices. Here we look at some “greener” textiles … and some nice looking urban walls. By Nicola Card.
sustainability and green-ability
The word ‘sustainability’ is bandied around a fair bit, but as someone
said, “A universally accepted definition of sustainability remains
elusive”. Taking up the challenge, we checked various references to
present ‘sustainability’ thus: the ability for endurance, for planet earth
to continue maintaining quality of life and well being in environmental,
economic, and social spheres without compromising the future well
being of the planet or its people.
A good example of what is not sustainable is Beijing’s atmosphere: smog
levels recently rocketed to the suffocatingly high 886 micrograms per
cubic metre. Putting that in context, the “acceptable” level of fine particles
in the air is no more than 25, and once the dial hits 300 the air is described
as hazardous. “Officially 886 is off the charts for dangerous air quality,”
someone commented. “This is the worst ever air pollution in history …
more people now realise sustainability is a matter of life and death.”
Leading the chargeBeijing seems a long way from Australia but a wave of diverse activities
in the textiles industry underpin sustainable development, and Technical
Textiles and Nonwoven Association Executive Manager Kerryn Caulfield
told Connections that ‘lightweighting’ was a focus of efforts.
“Lightweighting covers all textile technology including fibre and
yarn production, knitting, weaving and non woven production across
all synthetic and natural raw materials,” she said. “It has profound
application in many areas including the military, and in other areas they
are using textiles as the solution for [reducing] energy usage.”
Late last year TTNA announced that ‘lifecycle thinking’ was being
applied to identify areas important to lightweight and to determine other
design strategies to reduce material use and the embodied energy
within products.
The organisation is conducting an analysis of fibre and textile
lightweighting technology on manufactured componentry that will
conclude with recommendations for integration into fibre and textile
industry and eventually be applied to the manufacture of commercially
viable lightweight products, Kerryn told Connections. “Mindful of meeting
stringent carbon emissions target and reducing fuel consumption.”
SPECIALFEATURE
FEBRUARY • MARCH 2013 · 13
TTNA is taking the reins by providing technical
training aimed at helping manufacturers to better
understand the changing marketplace and moves
toward lightweighting.
The trend is no stranger to Wax Converter Textiles
which, through its network of industry contacts and
intelligence and R+D efforts outcomes, is at the
forefront of advances in lightweight materials destined
for a range of applications.
James Kelman cited an example, saying “Ten years
ago most tents were made using a 12 ounce roofing
fabric which was also used in walls. This progressed
to 8 ounce walling … and these days it had reduced
again to 8 ounce roofing and 6 ounce walling.”
Quality has not diminished; with technological
advances fabrics are more durable than ever.
“These tents are much lighter weight, and larger
tents can fold into a same sized area. They fabrics
are also used for flip-out, off-road camper trailers.
This area has undergone a boom in the past ten years
and most manufacturers are now using lighter weight
materials.”
James added that in other PVC developments, WCT
has a capability to produce a 10 kg psm security
screen which is in demand at airports.
He also revealed that in mid march WCT is
launching a new, lighter weight fabric weighing just
440gsm called Duralight 440. Stay tuned for more
details on this, once distributors and suppliers have
been notified.
A salient reminder that once Nylex closed its doors,
WCT became the only Australian manufacturer of
outdoor industrial PVC fabric.
But like it or not, the spotlight often lands on PVC/
Polyvinyl chloride/ ‘vinyl’, which dumped in landfill
poses environmental threats due to its chlorine and
other contents. The good news is that given its long
lasting, durable nature, around 80% of PVC is destined
for use in products which notch up a lifespan of
between 15 and 100 years.
But what of PVC waste in off-cuts in the factory or
plant? More efforts to curb and contain are being
initiated, such as the European PVC industry’s
VinylPlus, a 10-year sustainable development program
and a recycling plant is now operational in Europe.
Aussie first - Texyloop: Innova Ferrari recycling plant
During the past 12 months, Innova International
has invested considerable time promoting the
Texyloop® recycling process to architects, specifiers
and fabricators. To date in Australia 9000 square
meters of ‘retired’ architectural fabric has been
collected from projects nationwide and is being
stored and awaiting transfer at Innova’s Melbourne
collection depot, with more material being collected
during 2013, Chris Arkell told Connections.
green wall design by Patrick Blanc: Vertical garden Trio at Camperdown,
courtesy of Frasers Property.
14 · CONNECTIONS
Innova plans to return containers with recyclable materials to Europe in
the next few months, once target fabric quantities have been collected.
The company is also investigating methods of increasing packing
efficiency for shipping by using bailing and shredding equipment to
reduce the environmental impact of the transportation.
Those attending the 2012 STA Exhibition in Melbourne will have
noticed a series of Texyloop® recycling bins placed throughout the
Expo hall. Innova supplied Serge Ferrari® recyclable fabric to exhibitors
Elizabeth Machines, Pathfinder, Aeronaut and Ultracut, for demonstration
on cutting equipment and welding machinery. More than 200 square
meters of used fabric was collected for Texyloop® recycling, instead of
simply ending up in landfill.
“This was the first time an environmentally responsible disposal
method was made available to exhibitors,” Chris said. “And in another
Australian first, Helioscreen Australia in NSW became the first blind and
awning manufacturer to adopt the Texyloop® recycling program for
production waste and replaced fabric. Helioscreen started segregating
and collecting Serge Ferrari® Soltis® fabric offcuts for return to Innova in
October 2012.”
Innova has commissioned prototypes of clearly identifiable Texyloop®
bags for customer use in their premises for the collection of REACH
compliant production waste.
Recycle, re-useMelbourne based The Banner Lady proudly promotes its Satin Skins as
100% eco-friendly, with all their satin being recyclable.
In late 2011 the company started collecting satin banner off cuts, over-
runs and discontinued client banners, and supplying these to Reverse Art
Truck which provides schools, kindergartens and playgroups with a large
variety of affordable art and craft materials for various creative programs.
And that means less material is destined for landfill.
Banner Lady CEO Richard Gill told Connections “We encourage our
corporate and other customers to return old banner skins and we pass
these on to Reverse Art Truck, in turn school students and other groups
use the material for drawing or painting on, some even turn scraps into
carry bags or shopping bags.
“It gives us a good way of recycling our satins and other off-cuts that would
otherwise not be used for anything, just be dumped and end up in landfill.”
Eco-friendly satin banners and inksThe company prides itself on its range of high quality satin banners
which, using 70% less material, weigh just one third of their vinyl
counterparts and reduce energy in production and transportation.
SPECIALFEATURE
MSA saysThe Manufacturing Skills Australia’s Sustainability Issues in Textiles guide focuses on the manufacture of fabric from natural and man-made fibres – processes such as stripping, blending, dyeing and weaving or knitting. Among other things the guide illustrates how some of the processes relate to specific sustainability issues including water consumption and chemical use. Using a risk rating system the guide details some of the potentially high impact
sustainability issues.
Above: Innova Texyloop recycling in action
FEBRUARY • MARCH 2013 · 15
greener walls, better life styles a green or “living” wall which is either free-standing or integral to a building is partially or completely covered with plantations that effectively reduce overall temperatures of the building (insolation/absorption of solar radiation). and let’s face it – the back-to-nature soft look is much easier on the eye than stark grey concrete.
Matt gisler of Miami stainless told Connections about his company’s interest and development of green walls, saying that stainless steel trellis, also known as Vertical garden Mesh, green Wall garden Mesh or green Façade, is stainless steel wire in lines or patterns across an existing surface or between uprights such as walls or posts.
there is a difference between a green wall – often built with bucket like structures – and a cable trellis using stainless steel wires. the latter is not an entirely new concept, it is based on a mesh arrangement used in gardening for years but a reinvention of sorts.
“stainless steel trellis can be placed in the same green technology basket as solar panels or wind turbines as they can reduce the ‘urban heat island effect’ held by development materials such as concrete, which retain heat.
“the major advantages of green Walls over other green technology are their beauty and regulation of interior temperatures created by shading,” Matt said. “When applied specifically to vertical structures, green Walls create an insulating layer of air between the vegetation and façade which evens out temperature fluctuations and noticeably reduces heating and cooling costs.”
Matt commented that another major benefit of green Walls has been identified through psychological research. dr rachel Kaplan’s research into the impact of nature on people’s mental functioning explains the mental and physical restoration derived from nature, which has important implications for how we build our homes, work environments and cities.
“even a glimpse of nature from a window helps. in one well-known study, for instance, rachel Kaplan found that office workers with a view of nature liked their jobs more, enjoyed better health and reported greater life satisfaction!” Matt said.
types of stainless steel trellis include horizontal or vertical single wire systems or a combination of both horizontal and vertical wire to form a grid pattern which can be installed as horizontal or diagonal and a home for leaf-stem climbers, leaf climbers and scrambling plants.
green Walls and façades are increasingly popular among government entities, architects, planners, green specialists and diYer’s to create vertical gardens for decoration and to provide shade, privacy and space dividers. in some cases, even animal enclosures.
“Miami stainless is driving product innovation in cable trellis and by 2014 we will be working more with the government and councils and will have cost effective offerings for consideration,” Matt told Connections.
Further, the company uses non-solvent, vegetable based inks that
are water based and used in the printing process, are environmentally
friendly compared with oil based solvent-based inks. Dye-sublimation
printing technology ensures they can fully use the benefits of water
soluble inks which are transferred to satin fabrics using pressure and
temperatures of around 200°C.
Banner Lady stands are manufactured from high quality “100%
recyclable” lightweight aluminium which reduces emissions levels in
transportation.
Further information
Texyloop®: Innova International, ph 03 9551 8722 or email texyloop@
innova.com.au.
www.reversearttruck.com.au
www.compositesaustralia.com.au
Vinyl Council Australia’s Findings on Life Cycle Assessment
The Manufacturing Skills Australia’s Sustainability Issues in Textiles
guide
Left: Lightweight satin, used by the Banner Lady
16 · CONNECTIONS
What’s this year’s plan?
BUSINESS
Following is an adapted version of a Roger La Salle article produced in 2012.
It’s the start of another year and many businesses will be reflecting on the past 12 months and measuring their progress. As Roger observes, “In this economy … if we remove the mining States, the businesses that are prospering are lawyers overwhelmed with litigation, receivers and administrators trying to make sense out of failing businesses, accountants, and the child care sector”
three vital questions need to be addressed1. How are you tracking compared with last
year?
2. Are you going to weather the storm or
simply “shut up shop”?
3. If you are in for the long haul, what are you
going to do differently in the coming year?
the business cycleIf we look at any business that is at some stage
extremely profitable, unless there is protection
of sorts or huge barriers to entry others will
enter the market as competitors. You can be
sure over time that, as more competitors enter
a lucrative market, profits will soon be eroded
to make the business just an “also ran”.
Petrol stations, convenience stores and
coffee shops may fall into this category.
Indeed as profitability falls with market
saturation, one thing is sure, when the tough
times come, only the fittest survive. Further,
when the good times inevitably return, the
landscape is far more hospitable as the
weak have disappeared and are no longer
competitors. In this regard there is definitely
“light at the end of the tunnel”.
going the distanceIf you have made the decision to stay the course
and be around for the good times, then
questions one and three above
need to be addressed.
Question 1 Compare your results and
assess the weak areas and decide how to
address them, if indeed you believe they are
worth saving;
Question 3 Ask yourself, “What am I going
to do differently this year in order to get a
better result?”
We all know the old saying, if you keep doing
what you have always done you will keep
getting the same result. Perhaps it may be
time to embrace a new approach and look at
the opportunities afforded by systematically
innovating your offering and searching for the
next opportunity for your business.
some examplesTake Microsoft for example. Ten years ago
who would have thought Microsoft would be
in the hardware business with mobile phones
and gaming machines. And who would
have thought Nokia, formerly in the lumber
business, would have become the number
one cell phone maker until quite recently. And
could you have foreseen the Apple iphone a
decade ago?
Each of these companies have embraced
innovation on a grand scale and so far been
extremely successful.
how about You?The “big boys” if you like, had the
financial capacity and brand presence
to take some risk, but what of your
business? The small local foundry,
the machine jobbing shop, the
powder coating service or even the
suburban Milk Bar, what of these micro
businesses, what can be done for these?
The simple answer is Innovation.
Find out what people are doing that is
FEBRUARY • MARCH 2013 · 17
working and do it better. Not everybody in
your industry is “going to the wall”, some will
be great survivors. What is it they have that
you don’t, what are they doing differently or
better?
You can embrace innovation by
changing products to add improvements,
“channel enhancement” by leveraging
your existing customer relationships,
“complementary products” by fulfilling
the entire customer needs or by adding
accessories to platform products you
have already sold.
There are huge opportunities available
if you are systematic and strategic in your
search.
Further, do you have a systematic
opportunity search mechanism? An
opportunity is simply “An Observed
fortunate set of Circumstances”. Do you
know how to position yourself to find this set
of circumstances?
"Find out what people are doing that is working
and do it better. Not everybody in your
industry is 'going to the wall', some will be great
survivors. What is it they have that you don’t,
what are they doing differently or better?"
is it all doom and gloom?Most definitely not. Embrace innovation
and opportunity, and remember, only the fit
survive the bad times, and good times always
follow bad. If you are a survivor the way
ahead will soon be clear for you to prosper
like never before.
This article is reproduced with the kind permission of Roger La Salle
Roger La Salle is the creator of the "Matrix Thinking"™ technique and is widely sought after as an international speaker on Innovation, Opportunity and business development. He is the author of four books, Director and former CEO of the Innovation Centre of Victoria (INNOVIC) and involved with as a number of companies in Australian and overseas. He has been responsible for a number of successful technology start-ups and in 2004 was a regular panellist on the ABC TV’s New Inventors. In 2005 he was appointed to the Chair of Innovation at The Queens University in Belfast. Roger also chairs two Syndicates of the National organisation The CEO Institute. Matrix Thinking is now used in more than 26 countries and licensed to Deloitte, one of the world’s largest consulting firms. www.matrixthinking.com
18 · CONNECTIONS
neWs
coalition on carbonThe carbon tax is less than popular among a large number of STA
members, whose views are echoed by the Australian Industry Group
(Ai Group) which found business costs had increased by an average
of 14.5 percent “as a direct result of the carbon tax”.
Meanwhile the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) found 80% of
retailers felt their business had been negatively impacted since the
July 2012 introduction of carbon tax.
In the ARA survey of late 2012, 98% of respondents declared they
were unaware of government compensation programs, and 60% said
consumers had spent less since carbon pricing was introduced.
ARA members listed a string of price hikes: increased costs in raw
materials (hence merchandise); increased cost of product, greater
expenses, and rising electricity bills (some to the tune of 10%). A
familiar scenario, no doubt, to STA members.
But with a federal election date now fixed, the landscape could
change.
In his address to the Shadow Cabinet in early February, Opposition
leader Tony Abbott stated unequivocally the importance of giving
Australian people “… good government …” saying “there are real
solutions for the Australian people in Real Solutions Plan. The carbon
tax [has] gone because that’s the best thing we can do to ease the
pressure on cost of living …”
This follows his mid-2012 statement: “As soon as an election is
called, the Coalition will take immediate and concrete steps to repeal
the Carbon Tax … to ease cost of living pressures on families, help
small business and restore confidence to the economy.
“On the day the election is called, I will write to the Secretary of the
Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet to make it clear that, if
elected, the first priority of a Coalition Government will be the repeal of
the Carbon Tax.
On day one, the Environment Minister will instruct the Department
to commence the implementation of the Coalition’s Direct Action Plan
on climate change and carbon emissions … Within the first month, the
Cabinet will approve legislation to repeal the Carbon Tax.”
The message could not be clearer.
When we canvassed Sydney TAFE’s Steven Busuttil about the
forthcoming election, he stated: “The Liberals (coalition) may get
things back on track and spend more …”
STRUCTURESSUPERB
Several entries to the 2012 STA Awards for Excellence focused on the great outdoors – entertainment, relaxation and leisure. Here we showcase several of these superb structures that were designed, developed and installed by members.
Fun constructions for leisurely pursuits
Stylish, comfy leather lounger Person and company: erin grant of e h brett & sons P/lProject: leather lounge for up-market campers Fabric: san diego leather supplied by shann
Our client, a well established high-end camper trailer company, prides
itself on its lightweight campers that ease the load on their customers’
vehicles. They were keen to present customers with an option to
upgrade from their cloth lounge; to offer a more luxurious, elegant yet
practical leather lounge which was being incorporated in an innovative,
up-and-coming camper about to be launched to the public.
They approached us to design a curved leather lounge which would
feel comfortable and present an allure of sophistication and class.
The plush leather lounge – which was to be no thicker than 100mm –
needed to accommodate weight and size restrictions where the bed
slides in on top of the lounge when not in use.
The lounge was to be manufactured in four separate pieces in our
factory to enable easy installation and we had to ensure the design and
dimensions were 100% correct without having a physical unit in the
workshop for fitment as the client’s camper was located 300 kilometres
from our workshop. The camper’s unique curves were catered for by
working off a fibreglass mould.
The leather lounge also had to be created relatively fast to minimise
costs; Erin Grant simplified the cushions to enable a streamlined
manufacturing technique and pattern, and he cleverly designed the
lounge pattern in a series of smaller panels to mask the imperfections
of cow hides.
Another challenge was presented by the different densities of foam
for the cushions and backs, affecting the curve. The special design
features our nominee recommended to the client was the plush shape
of the cushions, with the creation of gathers in certain areas to create
a more luxurious style. He also recommended a firmer foam density
for the base cushion and a lower density for the back to ensure there
would be plenty of support and comfort.
All up, a very elegant look and feel.
20 · CONNECTIONS
STRUCTURESSUPERB
Top job Company: horizon sail structures P/lProject: Mermaid beach residence at Mermaid beach in Queensland Fabric: Monotec 370 supplied by Prorange Wholesale
The client was renovating two beach front units into one prestige
residence; the building featured a roof top pool and entertaining area
that required protection from the elements.
The client and architect had very specific ideas and there was to
be no compromise on quality. The rooftop area had to be protected
from the sun throughout the day, with sufficient headroom to prevent
a claustrophobic feeling and enable residents to appreciate the
spectacular water views.
We custom fabricated and installed 316 stainless steel posts and
wall mounts. Great care was taken to reseal the posts and wall mounts
after fitting, to prevent ingress of water into the building. The sail was
designed to create the greatest coverage possible over the entertaining
area and servery; strop wires and extra plates were required to facilitate
the coverage of the sail.
Shaping of the sail accentuated the design to provide a stunning
outcome that was in sync with the overall ambience of the renovation.
Bowling them over Company: abacus shade structuresProject: austral bowling club in sydneyFabric: settler 648 supplied by Wax converters textiles
The project involved a 90sqm waterproof cantilevered structure for a
lawn bowling club in Austral, Sydney, as part of a major redevelopment
of the bowling club.
The client wanted a large continuous structure that enabled
weather protection for bowlers and offered clear views of the
bowling greens. Seating and lighting was added to provide
additional amenity.
The shade structure is located between the club house and along
a bowling green, and members can walk from the bowling green to
the club under shelter.
It is rewarding when experts in shade structure and architecture
collaborate on a project to achieve a common goal. The initial
concept of several independent sails was not as suitable as one
continuous structure. The agreed design was a shade structure with
quality refinements and practicality and which blends seamlessly
into the overall club redevelopment.
Bowling clubs have made a big push to improve shelter around their
greens, showing interest in the comfort and health of members and
as a drawcard for new members. Bowling greens that offer adjacent
shelter are preferred by members – they send a clear message to the
clubs to increase the amount of shelter around greens.
The quality of the shade structure, lighting, decor and colour
scheme are very high and are now an impressive part of the
bowling club. The shade structure is integral to this. So much so
that the client’s website highlights membership of the club for
the “availability of outdoor alfresco areas as perfect places to
unwind”.
FEBRUARY • MARCH 2013 · 21
Made for shade Company: advanced shade systems P/lProject: broadwater Parklands at southport, Queensland Fabric: Monotec 370 supplied by Prorange Wholesale
Gold Coast City Council wanted to upgrade a playground facility by
installing a jumping pillow for additional entertainment and shade fabric
shade structures for sun protection.
The location generated some challenges that called for innovative
engineering and construction methods, for example the design and
installation of footings for the shade structure had to be specially
engineered and scheduled around the prevailing tides, with the sub-
structure consisting entirely of sand. This uniquely revised construction
method enabled us to deliver a completed product that would withstand
the harsh environment and fully meet the client’s requirements.
Situated between the Gold Coast Seaway and Gold Coast highway,
Broadwater Parklands is highly visible to passers-by. The structure has
received many favourable comments from the public and the pillow has
proven an outstanding feature in the parkland environment.
Perfectly portable Company: Weathersafe shadesProject: Portable shade sail structures, various locations Fabric: abshade supplied by absolute trade supplies
To date shelter at large scale events has been limited to marquees,
pop-up tents and umbrellas – simply put, structural requirements for
contemporary shade structures have been too great to offer any viable
alternatives.
After significant R&D, we have developed a portable shade sail
structure that is 100% removable with no remaining footprint, and
requires no backstays or supporting roof framework. Using a patented
footing system, the structure has revolutionised the event hire industry in
SA, providing the first genuine large-scale alternative to drab, traditional
marquees.
It is expandable in all directions, offering significantly more flexibility for
event organisers, and is simple to erect and dismantle. It is also extremely
cost effective. Since its creation in November 2011, it has been used for
the Adelaide Oval test match and one day internationals, the Clipsal 500,
the Adelaide Festival and Writers Week, the Womadelaide Music Festival,
the Melbourne Cup, and Adelaide cup race day carnivals, and various
school and community events throughout Adelaide.
This product has opened up market opportunities for us that were
previously non-existent, and to the best of our knowledge this is the first
and only structure of its type in the world.
22 · CONNECTIONS
STRUCTURESSUPERB
Winds of change Company: FabritectureProject: Four Winds sound shell at bermagui, sapphire coast, nsWFabric: sheerfill ii PtFe supplied by saint gobain
Situated along the sparkling Sapphire Coast is the coastal town of
Bermagui, a secluded area of surf beaches, estuaries, wetlands and
coastal lagoons. Bermagui is also home to the biennial Four Winds
Festival of classical, cultural and world music.
In preparation for the 2012 Four Winds Festival, a new ‘Sound Shell’
was constructed to replace the previous amphitheatre. The project
outsourced the design, supply and installation of a four-cone conical
structure for the event’s amphitheatre.
The Four Winds Sound Shell is a cultural venue that has been
partly funded by the Government. The Sound Shell will be used as
a community facility for the arts with the aim that Four Winds, and
Bermagui, will continue to attract visitors and talented performers and be
seen as a cultural hub of New South Wales. The structure was designed
to take advantage of the spectacular natural setting and to incorporate
elements of the previous structure such as the lily pad pond in front of
the stage. Attention was given to the acoustics of the event and to ensure
full visibility for audience members.
Specifications included: weather protection to the stage area for the
Festival; improved sound quality with acoustic properties to enhance
performances and visually complement the idyllic setting; design in
keeping with the surrounding natural environment and the artistic and
cultural theme of the Four Winds Festival; and good audience visibility.
It also had to act as a purpose-built stage designed to optimise sound
quality and enhance the audience experience.
The Sound Shell has a structural steel frame with a three-coat paint system.
We worked with architects who developed the initial concept and we then
finalised the design, engineered and modeled it to ensure it worked. The
design of the four cone conical structure has limited steel with the only steel
components to be the four columns and two lighting beams.
The remaining structural support is achieved by the use of under
fabric cables and guy cables. Water runoff was also considered in the
design with the structure built to enable rainfall to fall to the back of the
structure; this was achieved through design modeling and on-site final
adjustment of the under fabric cables.
The most complex part of this project was achieving the 3D form put
forward by the Architect. While the form appears simple to the untrained
eye, achieving the rather flat ridges from cone to cone was extremely
difficult and required the use of highly tensioned under fabric cables to
manipulate the fabric into the required shape.
These under fabric cables and shallow ridges also meant that the
patterning could not be completed using the typical conical approach
of strips meeting at the peaks, instead patterns had to be run at about
45 degrees to normal to ensure that no warp edges were welded to weft
edges and instead were welded along the bias (45 degrees to weft or
warp direction).
The main project challenges included achieving the required form
as put forward by the architect and coming up with a seam layout that
worked from an engineering standpoint and that created an aesthetically
pleasing look. Access to the remote site was restricted – a single and
narrow access point proved an issue during the wet weather and with
heavy equipment such as cranes, boom-lifts and other machinery.
The first musical concert was staged during March 2012 to rave
reviews. The final shape was perfectly in tune with the original concept
and the seam layout works perfectly. Facilitating a broader range of
performances, the Four Winds Sound Shell will be available for use
year-round.
Pho
tos
by R
ober
t Ta
chec
i
FEBRUARY • MARCH 2013 · 23
Eye catching swimmers’ sanctuary Company: oasis tension structures and atkins FabricationProject: glen eira sports & aquatic centre, VictoriaFabric: Fabsorb 2aPtFe glass acoustic membrane; Fibertop t400 PtF glass membrane; Filbertop c1008 PtFe glass membrane, supplied by st gobain and Fibertech
This project involved solving a complicated design brief that no other
building cladding could achieve – an anticlastic form sealing a complex
eclipse that dampens noise while sustaining a heated environment
through its insulated, inner acoustic lined structure.
The structure encloses two intertwined waterslides with support tower
and maintains the heated environment within a chlorinated water activity
space with a fully insulated conical structure. The hyperplasic fabric
surface aims to nullify the noise that evolves from such water activities
through an acoustic inner liner.
The client requested a long lasting, stand out feature from an otherwise
ordinary building façade/cladding, something exciting that would
symbolise the excitement within – and Oasis produced a sporting
facility big top that dominates the streetscape during the day and, when
illuminated inside and out, creates a lighted beacon during the night that
can be seen for kilometres.
Located approximately 20 kilometres South East of Melbourne CBD,
the Glen Eira Sports & Aquatic Centre is one of the largest indoor and
outdoor sporting facilities in Australia and is on a similar scale to the
Melbourne Sports & Aquatic Centre. The longevity of a PTFE coated
fibreglass outer skin and PTFE coated fibreglass acoustic inner liner
sandwiched an inert, highly insulated commercial building material.
This is the first fully insulated coated fabric structure in Australia. It
was complicated to pattern, extremely difficult to fabricate and equally
unaccommodating to install – add a waterslide penetration in a highly
stressed zone and that would make it the most intricate fabric structure
in Australia.
Ensuring the inert insulated material maintained its position with the
outer and inner liner during fabrication yet was able to stretch and move
once the structure was in a tensioned state presented a challenge. The
large penetration did not make anything simpler. The structure was
fabricated in three large sections, spliced together on site and then
crane-lifted and tensioned into design position – the splices were then
also insulated and sealed using a combination of rope access and large
boomlifts. Similarly the penetration was also sealed once the structure
was completely tensioned.
The Tender Documents specified an American produced aerogel
insulation substance enclosed by PTFE coated fibreglass materials: that
translated to only one contractor being able to conform to tender! Oasis
drew upon its engineering ingenuity to research and develop “InTeMs”
– Insulated Tension Membranes – the very first insulated tension
membrane material. Atkins Fabrication was the only fabrication facility
Oasis was prepared to engage to fabricate the solution that satisfied the
demanding Tender Specification. Not only that, the Oasis solution was
much cheaper than the monopolised option specified.
The structure was locally designed, patterned, fabricated and
constructed. Every contractor and consultant associated with the project
has commended Oasis and Atkins Fabrication on the “staggering”
solution to a very complicated problem.
“The client requested a long lasting, stand out feature from an otherwise ordinary building
façade/cladding, something exciting that would symbolise
the excitement within …”
26 · CONNECTIONS
YOUNGLEADERS II
In this report Jamie Howard provides a sneak peek on the flavour of the challenge presented to STA’s younger set. However, Jamie is unable to reveal too much information as that would ruin the surprise nature of the challenge, in which designs are kept under wraps until the STA Expo.
So, without giving too much away but by way of the general theme …
The brief presented to the young leaders in
this year’s challenge is aimed at fostering
innovative ideas and turning these into
practical, material constructions.
First up, we told the young leaders that the
challenge was to find an organisation that
is worthy of a product that our industry can
provide … this was not limited to a type of
structure or a product; it was designed to
allow for innovative thinking.
Participants were encouraged to ‘think
outside the box’, in other words to find a
project that rates highly in the categories
listed below - and on which they will be
judged:
Wow factor The end product should be innovative and
unique - areas in which the youthful ideas of
the participants are the strongest. The ‘wow
factor’ can also be seen in the marketing
activities of the product, or the publicity it
gains.
Purpose effectivenessThe suitability of the end product is crucial to
the overall success of the teams. Strong ideas
may guarantee the winning design is used for
years to come, so it is critical that the teams
carefully consider this aspect.
Marketing to greater audience Here is where exposure to the greater
public is the key. Our young leaders need
to get the wider community involved to
give exposure to their project and also to
give exposure to the industry. How will they
achieve this?
A budget was provided to enable young
leader challenge participants to work within
set parameters. A total figure of $20,000
was allocated for the cost of raw materials,
external services, approval documents,
certification documents, freight costs and
donations of materials from team companies.
Items of the budget not restricted by a
dollar value include marketing, research
and development, sponsorship and media.
Also included is: in-house engineering,
fabrication and install labour, along with
personal logistics (if sponsored), so team
members who are situated in different states
may be able to meet to discuss ideas or
install products.
The budget will be checked to ensure the
playing field is fair. Let’s not forget $20K is
a substantial amount of money, this could
translate into one large structure or 100
smaller items. The possibilities are only
limited by the innovative thoughts of our
young leaders!
The Young Leader teamsTeam A
Team name: Greentextiles
Project Manager: Ben Thorburn
Team members: Alberto Del Arco, Samantha
Duggan, Dwayne Rickard, Brendan Saunders,
Amanda Saunders and Michael Young
Project Location: Wynnum West State School
in Brisbane
Team B
Team name: Shade A Cause
Project Manager: Brendan Allen
Team members: Justin Esdaile, Max Hayman,
Michael Guinea, Scott Bartlett, Chris Smith,
Brad Clark, Linda Bester and David Splatt
Project Location: Blacktown PCYC (Youth
Club) in Sydney
Both teams are busily finalising designs
and specifications for their respective
project. Design work is likely to be
completed by the end of February, paving
the way for fabrication works to commence.
After speaking with both team leaders, it is
evident that a great deal of thought is being
put into how the project will be marketed to
the local community. Marketing plans and
strategies have been developed on the basis
of getting the message out to a very large
audience. This will bring valuable publicity
to the industry and will be very rewarding
for all team members.
Without giving too much away I can say the
teams are very much on track to construct
something to be proud of. The next few
months will be very busy for all involved;
and I am absolutely certain everyone will
rise to the challenge.
Watch this space …
Young leaders ramp up activity
FEBRUARY • MARCH 2013 · 27
SP36 Pedestal Digital Graphics Triad
SP36 Side Arm 6 inch Pole Pocket Triad
SP36 Quick Arm Acrylic Triad
Austech Welders are proud to announce being appointed as the Australian distributor for the Smartseal by Seamtek range of hot air welders and seam tapers.
For more information on the new Seamtek call Greg on 0418 771 600.
Seamtek are industry leaders in rotary hot air welding and seam sealing. Their welders/tapers feature Smartseal digital control technology. As the fi rst rotary hot air welder to use a touch screen controlled PLC (a standard feature for over 10 years) the Seamtek welder/taper makes it easy for the operator to control on the fl y speed adjustments and differential wheel speeds, repeat complex shape patterns and precisely control production variables.
For ease of use and the ability to change from one type of weld to another quickly and easily nothing beats the SP range of welders. The one welder can be confi gured with a pedestal, side arm and quick arm. The operator can change between these by simply swinging one out of the way and swinging the new one into place.
truckin’ alongNathan Ennor of First Class Canvas may have only been in business for two years but he is already making a big splash in ute covers. Here Nathan showcases vehicles sporting his smart looking buttonless tonneau system.
Most Australians have been camping at some stage in their life, and for many it’s an annual ritual. Others are packing up and setting off indefinitely into the sunset. All of which is good news for businesses supplying goods and services to the camping sector. Here we talk to some STA members about industry trends and developments.
By Nicola Card
enjoying the great outdoors
For six days from March 7 the roads
surrounding Caulfield Racecourse in
Melbourne will be more congested than
usual, with thousands of visitors swarming
to the very popular Caravan, Camping &
Touring Supershow to admire – or drool
over – the latest and greatest in all things
camping related.
On show will be caravans, pop tops, tent/
camper trailers, campervans, off road
and touring accessories, tents, camping
equipment and more, pretty much everything
related to the great outdoors.
Camping is big business: nationally there
are around 450,000 caravans and 51,000
campervans, and the overall growth rate of
the fleet is estimated at 4.6% pa. Businesses
supplying camping accessories and
goods, parts and accessories post average
annual revenues of $400,000. Just some of
the findings of the Victorian Caravan and
Camping Industry’s 2012 Blueprint.
And according to the CRVA almost nine
in ten people have stayed in a caravan
park; predominantly young middle income
families or grey nomads seeking a relatively
inexpensive holiday, though the later group is
swelling faster as more baby boomers retire.
The nation boasts 2350 caravan and camping
parks, but they are on a decline due to rising
land values. In the seven years to 2010 the ABS
estimates around 3.4% of the total amount of
sites were lost. While that sounds bad, it still
leaves enormous choice and scope in sites
located across Australia: from the steamy
tropical north and hot dry centre to cool,
windswept Tasmania and all in between.
But what is it that campers are demanding
these days? In a nutshell, bigger, better
- and lighter. In many cases that means
enhancements to the caravans basic
features and characteristics; custom made
additions. As someone put it, caravan
owners are not unlike boat owners who are
always on the lookout for extras, accessories
or upgrades in the bid for greater comfort
or looks or simply to gain one upmanship.
Either way it is good news for the likes
of STA member EH Brett whose specially
designed and tailored leather lounges for
up-market campers feature on page 18.
What campers wantToday, innovations in the field (pardon the
pun) are focused on packing in as much
folded out external space as possible into
the minimum amount of folded volume for
minimum weight. Also installing “as many
of the creature comforts of home into the
smallest space and lowest weight possible”.
SPECIALFEATURE
FEBRUARY • MARCH 2013 · 29
500 Denier PU Coated Polyester Manufactured in Koreawidth 160cm, 50m rolls
fire retardant, UV stabilised, UPF 50+, waterproof
colour PMS Blue 287
Black
Camouflage
Orange 158
Heritage Green 3435
Pink 190
Heritage Red 209
Light Blue 298
Red 186
Yellow 109
Green 348
Polycanvas from Wax Converters, Coolibahwidth 204cm , 50m rolls
colour PMS Blue 287
Yellow 109
Red 186
Black
Quikshade Australia Pty Ltd for details call 0404 846 433Email: [email protected]
www.quikshade.com.au
PReMiUM FaBRiC
NEW Durkopp Adler model: H867Unbeatable high performance heavy duty sewing with Durkopp Adler M-TYPE technology
with the very best in after sales support via, product application knowledge, unequaled spare part deliveries and factory trained service technicians is the benchmark in the industry. Isn’t it time you took a closer look?
| PO Box 130 | 3 Gunya Street Regents Park NSW 2143
• The large clearance (700 x 157mm) facilitates the handling of large area work pieces
• bottom feed, needle feed and alternating walking feet
•
•
•
•
Up to 12mm long stitches
Extremely high sewing foot lift of 25mm
The sewing foot stroke up to 9mm allows
material piles
New needle system of 328
• New hook system with 3XL bobbin for thread sizes up to nm 8/3
• Sewing speed up to 2,000 stitches/min
• Robust thread trimmer guarantees a safe and clean cutting of extreme thick sewing threads
James Kelman of Wax Converter Textiles could not agree more,
saying “A decade ago most tents and annexes in flip-out, off-road
camper trailers had 12 ounce roofing and wall materials whereas
today we manufacture 8 ounce roofing and 6 ounce walling. Larger
tents can fold into the same size area as their smaller predecessors.”
Today’s camping customers are demanding more features and
better products! For example they want easier access to bedding so
they do not have to take ladders which means steps are now more
commonly designed into the fold-out unit. Campers also want larger
living areas and LED lighting, just like at home.
“They also want bathrooms and hot water, which is why some towed
units alone now sell for up to $100,000! When campers arrive at a
destination they can simply detach the unit and use their car as a
regular vehicle. Not like the massive lumbering Winnebago home-on-
wheels seen in the US that need the space of a Bunnings car park!”
(Thoughts of Meet the Parents spring to mind, with Robert De Niro
behind the wheel of the mighty machine.)
“A decade ago most tents and annexes in flip-out, off-road camper trailers had 12 ounce roofing and wall materials whereas today we manufacture 8 ounce roofing and 6 ounce walling. Larger tents can fold into the same size area as their smaller predecessors."
30 · CONNECTIONS
Good looks, fine structure, smart brandingWith an emphasis on portability and
convenience of pitching, dismantling and
transportation, today’s tent and annex PVC
materials are generally longer-lasting,
waterproof and light-weight. Australia’s one
and only manufacturer of these PVC materials
is Wax Converter Textiles, whose R+D crew
under the direction of Jim and James Kelman
have devoted countless hours over the years
developing lighter, more durable materials.
WCT has smartly chosen popular – indeed
iconic – Aussie names for its products, and
among these is Coolabah. Boasting eight
colours, Coolabah is described as a superfine
polyester/cotton “Japara” quality tenting fabric
that WCT specially designed and developed
for the continental and family-style frame tent
roofs and walls. It is also used as walling for
campervans where a large amount of fabric
can be folded into a tight compact area.
Meanwhile with a dozen colours to the
swatch, Billabong is the high quality, light-
medium weight, blended polyester/cotton
canvas tent fabric. Woven from fine yarn
counts, Billabong is a very tightly constructed
fabric that is designed specifically for higher
quality family frame tents and campervan
roofing and walling.
Sturdy enough for the militaryCaravan and camping products represent
a significant business portion of WCT,
which is market leader for waterproofed
(Dynaproofed) canvas. Manufactured to
tough military standards it is designed to
withstand Australia’s unique environmental
conditions which means waterproofing,
weathering, colour fastness, and resistance
to UV breakdown, mould and mildew growth.
The canvas is also made available to the
commercial market.
WCT is also Australia’s only manufacturer
of PVC mesh fabric for insect screening
products. The insect proofing Multi-screen
250 keeps flies and mosquitoes at bay when
installed on camper trailer windows while the
heavier grade Multi-screen 440 is popular for
screening caravan and annex sections.
Australian madeUnderstandably, WCT takes every opportunity
to display the ‘Australia Made’ logo on all
manufactured goods. “All our branding and
packaging – it is a huge point of difference to
us,” said James who is mindful of the number of
consumers stung by cheap inferior imports.
Still on local matters, caravan and camping show
goers will notice a brand new logo on display,
that of the newly formed Australian Manufactured
Camper Trailers Guild whose members provide
guarantee of workmanship. (See related feature
on the AMCTG on page 45.)
Camping trendsSetting up in business two years ago, Nathan
Ennor of Toowoomba based First Class
Canvas fabricates annexes and awnings.
We asked him if he had observed any
developments in that time.
“One small thing I have noticed is most
people get a caravan and they have a roll
out awning and they have the full annex for
when they set up for a week or two, but a lot
of people don’t stay in one spot for very long
– they arrive and want to put up their annex
and not have a full heavy one – they just want
to slide in a few shade cloth walls for a bit of
privacy and as a wind break or sun shade,”
Nathan said. “So more people are getting
lighter weight shade cloth walls that are fast
and easy to put up and take down, especially
convenient when they are just stopping for a
night or two.
“Most people get shade cloth for that factor
as it’s nice and lightweight and comes in a
range of colours. It does not block out the
view totally – you can see out and take in the
surrounding water, outback or beach view.”
ChallengesPaskal General Manager Tom Frame has a
slightly different take on the market, saying
over the past five years the camping market
has trended away from traditional materials to
semi-permanent on-site structures. “And they
are not using the traditional camping textiles,
that is canvas or vinyls, instead they are using
polystyrene with a metalized ‘sandwich’ sheet, a
building structure made by the likes of Alcoa.”
Did you know? Eucalyptus Coolabah - sometimes spelt
Coolibah - is found throughout Australia from
arid inland to coastal regions. The name
is derived from the Indigenous Australian
Yuwaaliyaay word ‘gulabaa’.
Less certain is the origin of the word
‘billabong’; some say it stems from Scottish
however others are convinced it derives from
the indigenous Wiradjuri term bilabong,
meaning ‘a watercourse that runs only after
rain’. ‘Bila’ meaning river and ‘bong’ or
‘bung’ meaning dead.
The two words feature in Banjo Paterson’s
true blue, evocative Waltzing Matilda:
Oh there once was a swagman camped in
the billabong,
Under the shade of a Coolibah tree,
And he sang as he looked at the old billy
boiling,
Who'll come a'waltzing Matilda with me
Economic impactsThe post-GFC boom in caravan and
camping popularity over the past few years
is only just beginning to stabilise. “The GFC
of 08-09 significantly impacted overseas
travel and the resorts and hotels took a dive
while caravan and camping increased,”
James Kelman said. “Today the grey
nomads are the biggest consumer group.”
SPECIALFEATURE
FEBRUARY • MARCH 2013 · 31
Paskal’s involvement in the camping industry
includes supply of accessories: zips, threads,
eyelets, fasteners and camping pegs as well
as some PVC for caravan annex walls and for
pop-up campers.
“We’ve recently been speaking to a few
customers and one company was trending
toward more permanent PVC structures
and tensiles – Ferrari and Hiraoka products
– for use in permanent camping structures.
Instead of using canvas products they are using
structurally oriented PVC fabrics
which have a higher tensile strength and better
stability,” Tom said. “And they last longer, they
do not need the same degree of maintenance
compared to tents made from canvas.”
To illustrate the point he mentioned the rise in
permanent camp sites in Kakadu, catering for
tourists in the Top End.
“There is a boom in this more permanent,
less mobile market; there is an increasing
number of these sorts of facilities across
Australia. Tents that look like a tent but
are five star accommodation. These are
becoming the norm.
“Moving from poly-cotton canvas to acrylic to
high tensile PVC … it is all changing,” Tom said.
Market innovationAccording to the camping industry’s 2012
Blueprint the industry is slow to change or
adapt to the times and innovation, with the
market taking up to five years to tap into
emerging trends and overseas advances.
One of the more notable recent advances is
solar panels atop tents.
The article 'Solar ambition: tents powered
by the sun' published in IFAI’s InTents in June
2012 shone the spotlight on the development
of a mobile solar-powered structure by Scott
Gibson of New Sun Productions in Highland,
New York. He spent around seven years
developing the mobile structure and tested a
solar tent in 2006 before developing the ‘Alpha’
Tent which housed a stereo system, lights and
television that ran on batteries charged with
solar power generated by thin-film arrays.
The article explained that Phase II involved
breaking down the structure into a smaller
unit and using an upgraded silver reflective
material, the tent skin on the interior of the
frame creating a buffer zone between the solar
panels (generating heat along with power) and
the tent interior. The silver material acts as a
thermal barrier reflecting heat.
Young leaders tune in to renewable energySolar power was very much on the agenda of
the 2012 STA Young Leader teams. Both of the
innovative relief structures designed and built
by the groups factored in solar panels as a
means of tapping into an abundant free natural
resource. In that context, the power could be a
life saver.
But for happy campers wanting to make the
great escape and finding themselves in remote
areas, well off the power grid, portable home
grown energy could not be more convenient.
And of course Australia is blessed as a ‘land
of sunshine’.
We are just wondering if the ‘Australia Made
logo’ could be attached to those rays!
In any event, portable power could be the
next big thing.
Camping show and other images supplied by Adriana Manson of CD Media.
“We have until mid March 2013 to develop a case to open AS4174 … The Fabric Structures Committee seeks written contributions from
suppliers and manufactures of shadecloth and STA members. If we do not act our industry standards
risk becoming obsolete at the hands of decision makers who do not consult our industry.”
FABRIC STRUCTURESCOMMITTEE
Report by Fabric Structures Committee Chair Beatrice Moonen
FEBRUARY • MARCH 2013 · 33
neWs
can shade sails save the reef?
An interesting news item caught our attention last
year: the prospect of giant shade cloths spanning
the Barrier Reef to protect the fragile underlying
eco-systems.
A leading climate change scientist had reported
that it was time for Australia to investigate “novel”
ways of protecting the Barrier Reef, and one
possible option was giant shadecloths.
Issuing a warning, Ove Hoegh-Guldberg
who is with the University of Queensland's
Global Change Institute, said time was
running short to save the reef via global
action on climate change.
His paper in Nature Climate Change today
called for studies into solutions to address the
damage already caused to the region famous
the world over for the colour and beauty of its
aquatic life.
One of those solutions, according to Professor
Hoegh-Guldberg, is the installation of massive
spans of shadecloths in a bid to protect coral
from heat stress.
Another was to apply low-voltage electric
currents to stimulate coral growth.
A third suggestion was genetic engineering
(modification) in a bid to help marine life
cope, or the application of base minerals
to the waters surrounding the reef to partly
offset higher levels of acidity which is harmful
to the coral.
Professor Hoegh-Guldberg is reported as
saying “We should be ready to investigate what
might be called non-traditional solutions …
we're not promoting one idea, but we do need
to evaluate them so that we can see their value
or disregard them."
In the ideal scenario the generic solution is
to prevent higher global temperatures which
in turn cause harmful ocean acidification and
upset the eco systems..
The professor acknowledged that engineering
fixes are enormously expensive and work only
at the local scale, and he added that research
was necessary “because we are looking at
a future which is pretty grim for coral, and if
we don't do the research no amount of local
solutions will work."
At some point down the track if shade sails
are deemed the most suitable remedy – not too
far-fetched, given their primary purpose is to
filter out the sun’s harsh rays – it would put STA
members in an entirely new light.
Specialised Textiles AssociationSuite 201, 22 St Kilda Road, St Kilda Vic 3182
Phone 03 9521 2114 n Fax 03 9521 2116 www.specialisedtextiles.com.au
Learn, share and network with others in the industry who have a similar passion for our industry at national and state based events held throughout the year.
Have your say about the direction of our industry and association through involvement on Council of Management, industry focus groups and special interest groups.
Connect with buyers and suppliers by exhibiting, presenting or attending one of the premier exhibition and conference events in this region.
Be acknowledged for your great work by entering your projects into the Awards for Excellence, an annual competition, designed to recognise excellence and innovation in our industry.
Take advantage of event discounts by enjoying reduced fees on a variety of events such as the annual trade exhibition and advertising in Connections Magazine. Your membership also gives you access to IFAI bookstore at discounted rates.
Educate and inform others using Connections Magazine to communicate to a niche market hungry for knowledge and news about our industry. Members can use Connections to advertise their products and services to their target markets.
Get listed in our comprehensive member and product directory - published in hard copy and searchable online.
Differentiate yourself from non members by making use of the Specialised Textiles Association logo on your stationery and other collateral.
Access expert information and advice by accessing the specialist knowledge and expertise of our member fabricators, installers and suppliers. Specialised Textiles Association is also a member of Australian Industry Group with access to comprehensive range of information and member advices on employee and industrial relations, occupation health and safety issues and much more.
The advantages of becoming a member
Manufacturers, installers and suppliers. Together we cover the world.
A S S O C I A T I O N
Specialised Textiles Association Inc.
Suite 201, 22 St Kilda Road, St Kilda Vic 3182Phone 03 9521 2114 n Local Call 1300 555 787
Fax 03 9521 2116 n [email protected] 83 594 171 330 n Registration Number A0010895W
www.specialisedtextiles.com.au
MAM8919
STA Promo Advert (August12).indd 1 15/08/12 11:06 AM
Specialised Textiles Association Inc. Suite 201, 22 St Kilda Road, St Kilda Vic 3182
Phone 03 9521 2114 n Local Call 1300 555 787 Fax 03 9521 2116 n [email protected]
ABN 83 594 171 330 n Registration Number A0010895Wwww.specialisedtextiles.com.au
Company / Business Name
ABN or ACN # Please supply proof of business registration with this application
Does your business trade under any other name? n Yes n No If yes, what is the other trading name
Address
State Postcode
Telephone ( ) Fax ( ) Mobile
E-mail Web
Name of Business Owner Position held in business
Name of second business contact/representative Position held in business
Has this business or any other business owned by you (either now or previously) ever been reported to the ACCC? n Yes n No (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission) If yes, please provide details to accompany this application
What area of the industry are you involved in? n Blinds and Awnings n Marine n Motor Trimmer n Shade Sails installer n Supplier to the industry (specify)
n Flags and /Banners n Sailmaker n GeoSynthetics n Shade Sail Fabricator n Other
What Products do you manufacture, design or supply?
Full Membership Categoryn FABRICATOR Construction/Manufacture from prepared components n ASSOCIATE Individuals interested in STA objectives
n SuPPLIER Material/Component/Equipment /Services n AFFILIATE Organisations affiliated with STA
Do you belong to any other Industry Association? n Yes n No If Yes, please list
All membership applications are required to be proposed and seconded by 2 existing Specialised Textiles Association Members –
If you do not know of any Members, please contact our Office for further assistance
Proposed by Company Name Telephone
Seconded by Company Name Telephone
I, (name of business owner) agree to abide by the Statement of Purposes and Rules of
the Association and its Code of Ethics. I understand that should at any time any of the information supplied by me is found to be false/
incorrect, my membership will be immediately withdrawn from the Association.
Signature (of business owner) Date
Payment Details Amount $
n EFT - Payments to Westpac BSB # 033047 Account # 549608
n Cheque n Mastercard n Visa
Credit Card Number / / /
Expiry Date /
Name as it appears on card
Signature
Date
Annual Membership Fees Tiered fee structure based on average number of employees (Prices are inclusive of GST)
n 1 to 5 Employees $510
n 6 to 15 Employees $855
n 16 or more employees $1155
n Associate $160
n Affiliate $190
(pro-rata Rate applies July through to March plus $100 processing fee. This will be calculated by STA office)
Current from 1st April 2012 to 31st March 2013Membership Application Form
MA
M87
20
STA Membership Form.indd 1 11/04/12 4:57 PM
36 · CONNECTIONS
In mid-February Sydney TAFE received a very important delivery
despatched from Miami Stainless: a purpose-made display board
featuring a range of super shiny Miami Stainless tools and fittings.
Measuring two metres by 1220 millimetres, the vinyl display board
will sit alongside six other specialist boards on show to students
attending textile training courses in the workshop.
Matt Gisler of Miami Stainless who has overseen the production
said “On our board will be all types of stainless steel hardware used
in installations and on structures. We hope students attending textile
training courses at the TAFE college will find it useful and instructive.
“We at Miami Stainless believe that all installations should be done
expertly and that involves education. That is why we have teamed up
with Sydney TAFE. Further, we believe that there is an art to shade
structures and installation, for example if wire balustrades are incorrectly
installed they become very dangerous in high winds and if you cop a big
storm there will be broken posts. Correct tools are very important.”
To find out more, we contacted Steven Busuttil. Having been a full-
time textile fabrication teacher at Sydney TAFE for 28 years working
in the areas of textiles, vehicle and marine trimming, Steven is very
well known in industry circles.
STA participants He explained that Sydney TAFE textile training workshop houses six
company show boards including Innova, Stayput fasteners, Nolan.UDA ,
Ricky Richards, Velcro and Bradmill.
“Each does their bit to contribute. When Brendan Hall of Bradmill
visited the TAFE campus he noticed we had no heavy canvas on show
and a few days later a ‘canvas fairy’ turned up! This was great for us
as we work to a tight budget and cannot afford to buy it,” said Steve,
who at last year’s STA Expo spotted Miami’s glistening display.
“Expos and shows are a good sounding ground for this activity.
At ACASPA – now STA – shows we are always looking around for
ideas and for industry related donations. We spotted the Miami stand
and thought it looked very professional, Miami Stainless is a quality
product, and we knew their board would also look good in the TAFE
workshop where we offer suppliers space to exhibit their products.”
Steven subsequently chatted to Matt Gisler of Miami Stainless. “The
introduction actually came through Connie Hellyer. When I explained the
situation to Matt he immediately agreed to be a part and asked us what
we needed or wanted. ‘Just anything you can spare’ was my response!”
Voila – the Miami Stainless board is the latest addition to the fold,
and the well stocked display sits gleaming and ready for the next set
of students to see and learn from.
“Through this display board students can see the quality and variety
of hardware in lots of applications,” Steve said. “And it will help us as
it is a valuable teaching and demonstrating aid, it will enable students
to see and feel hardware as an extra dimension.”
Sydney TAFEAbout 100 students a year across various courses including Certificate
II evening classes (for those in allied industries wanting to expand their
skills), (ship) sail makers, textile and fabrication trainees attend
Sydney TAFE.
Steve explained that their workshop was the only trimming institute
in NSW and “We want to promote ourselves as widely as possible; we
also want to provide students with as much information as possible
about quality materials.”
Participating companies update their boards when they source
new products or want to showcase a certain fabric or item, and that
presents an opportunity for Steve to discuss new materials with them.
All goods are fully donated.
Needless to say, the college is delighted by the latest acquisition.
“All of the team at TAFE NSW Sydney Institute at Ultimo want to
thank Miami Stainless for supplying the board which will be a very
practical and useful resource for use in training in the textile industry,
in textile fabrication courses and marine trimming,” Steve said.
Each year STA members engage in hundreds of different initiatives. One that caught our attention concerns the Miami Stainless product display board which is now on show at Sydney TAFE.
Miami on show
TRAINING
Do you produce quality goods that would look good displayed at Sydney TAFE? If so, email [email protected] or call him on 02 9217 3657 or 0414 590 840.
Additional contacts:Connie Hellyar of One Link Agencies
The Macquarie dictionary’s definition of lightweight is: “A person of
little mental force or of slight influence or importance”. Something of a
misnomer for Light Weight Structures Advisory Service senior design
engineer Trevor Scott who is a master of design and harnesses cutting-
edge software technology to develop engineered forms previously
considered unachievable.
When Connections asked LWS to nominate its top design projects
there was no shortage of dazzling illustrations; among them shade
structures in Abu Dhabi and the Australian Embassy in Jakarta; a
saddle shaped roof at Florida’s Sarasota Yacht Club and the triple
conic curved rafters adorning Bahrain’s Military Academy.
Eye catching, game changing designs all of them yet despite the
exotic locations of some projects, Trevor rarely makes site visits,
having established “Systems and processes whereby we are able to
extract the data we need from the people on site and can complete
our scope of work then project manage it from Australia,” he said.
One site he is familiar with, however, is nearby Mooloolaba Bowls
Club, which boasts the feather in the company cap: a wishbone
structural steel configuration featuring two of the strongest building
elements which can be incorporated into a structure: arches and
triangles. LWS completed all facets of design and engineering in-
house, after which Stanfast fabricated the canopy and Made for Shade
carried out installation.
“Installation was quite streamlined and the folding plan of the fabric
had to be thoroughly thought out and then correctly implemented in
the factory, so on site the fabric could be unfolded to fit the canopy
with minimal manpower.
MEMBERPROFILE
Design guru Trevor Scott of Light Weight Structures Advisory Services combines his knowledge of European trends with powerful technical tools to deliver eye-catching, functional fabric forms destined for all quarters of the globe.
trevor scott - design mastermind
“The selected fabric was Ferrari 1002 T2 due to its warranty and the
surface coating, its ability to resist dirt build-up. The fabric is at the top
end of the market and the best quality PVC,” Trevor told Connections.
He added that prevention was the best way to reduce maintenance
so the wishbone shape was developed to overcome problems
associated with trussed steel, namely visual pollution and
maintenance issues relating to pest management (spiders, birds
nesting) and dirt build-up on the flat surfaces.
“We also selected protective coatings for structural steel work
appropriate to the site environment to ensure long-term corrosion
protection … all these features require greater upfront investment by
clients but in turn boost longevity of the structure,” Trevor said.
“All structures need to be cleaned and budgeted for but as our wide
span structure is designed to require minimal cleaning this is a selling
feature against other products.”
A wealth of experienceIt was back in 2001 when Trevor and his wife Lucille established LWSAS.
Earlier on in his career Trevor owned a steel fabrication business in north
Main image: The multi award winning project at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The selected fabric was a combination of Australian made Monotech Shade Cloth and Fibetrtop PTFE
Inset: Master of design and engineering principles, Trevor Scott holds a long list of qualifications: M.Eng Membranes Light Weight Structures (First Class); Diploma Building Design; Fitter and Turner; Crane Operator 60 tonne; BSA Medium Building Designer; and BSA Builder (shade sails).
38 · CONNECTIONS
Spotlight on Europe
Tensile membrane architecture originated in Europe, the main
influence and development of the form stemmed from German
architect and structural engineer Frei Otto. To understand the
European influence on tensile membrane design, the Master’s
program places emphasis on the architectural design criteria,
the theory, tools and software technologies to deliver the most
creative, and structurally efficient, tensile form.
On course completion, Trevor formed a network of tensile
structure professionals, including software developers, architects,
engineers and suppliers and says the informal knowledge
exchange between experts in different but related fields
facilitated his evolution in professional design and analysis
processes.
Trevor master’s course exposed him to architects and engineers
who have worked through the evolvement of the Tensile
Membrane from “pen and paper” beginnings to the technology
driven 21st Century. However Europe does not hold the
monopoly in expertise – Trevor’s academic supervisor actually
hailed from NSW.
Queensland, specialising in the development of cane transporters with
hydraulic lift mechanisms, before relocating south to the Sunshine Coast
to manage Shade n Net for eight years. There he developed relationships
with software developers and expanded the product range to free form
membranes, aided by RPEQ engineer Jeremy Hunter and greater
knowledge of tensile form. Trevor grew the company to a peak of 37 staff
before leaving in 2001 to launch Light Weight Structures with wife Lucille.
Over the years Lucille has successfully capitalised on opportunities
presented by the internet and steered product export. “Lucille's
successful marketing efforts gave me the opportunity to get involved
in creative larger projects located in the USA, UAE and Hong Kong,”
Trevor said. “Her managerial contributions enable me to focus on
project design and engineering as well as research and development.”
High degree of satisfactionToday Trevor’s well-stocked toolkit includes a strong working
knowledge of design tools including CAD, Tensile Membrane
project management and installation of Tensile Membrane Architecture.
Skills that come in handy working with clients on the development of
project design to meet a functional, aesthetic and budget outcome -
conceptual presentation, engineering analysis, working drawings, fabric
patterns and engineering certification for council submission.
MEMBERPROFILE
“The minimalist style of the structural support to the roof canopy, the expanse of fabric and the billowing effect achieved with the use of valley cables creating an undulating ridge and valley effect was developed using my own creative process inspired by my exposure to the European process.”
FEBRUARY • MARCH 2013 · 39
He commented on the warm glow of satisfaction seeing designs evolve
from 2D documentation to a 3D built reproduction, and explained that the
Mooloolaba and Yas Island projects were designed using Computational
Fluid Dynamics linked to Finite Element Analysis.
“When linking these technologies to design software Form Finder a
very powerful creative process can be harnessed and forms can be
achieved with an understanding of budgetary constraints,” he explained.
Capitalising on European expertiseTrevor has another trick up his sleeve: having studied for his masters
in Vienna, he is tuned in to European trends in tensile membranes and
drew on this knowledge when designing the Mooloolaba structure,
saying “The minimalist style of the structural support to the roof canopy,
the expanse of fabric and the billowing effect achieved with the use
“Looking to nature for inspiration, architects [in Europe] consider tensile structures an art form.”
of valley cables creating an undulating ridge and valley effect was
developed using my own creative process inspired by my exposure to
the European process.
“In Europe projects have a lightweight appearance - the key design
feature is the fabric and its form. Supporting members are minimalist
in appearance with slender columns and stabilising guy cables
transmitting loads to the ground. In Australian projects you rarely see
guy cables. European structures are designed for wind and snow load;
snow is a significant consideration. Looking to nature for inspiration,
architects consider tensile structures an art form.
“Typically architect designed projects are larger in size which
is in contrast with the smaller projects typically seen in Australia.
Many design professionals hold dual degrees in architecture and
engineering and they embrace technology, using it as a driver in
creating more challenging tensile forms. Their larger projects come
with bigger budgets enabling architects to devote time and resource
to developing a tensile structure to suit client requirements, hence the
more creative outcomes.”
Winning waysGiven Trevor’s breadth of expertise, it is unsurprising to hear that
LWS has proudly picked up a string of IFAI Outstanding Achievement
Awards for design of the Mooloolaba Bowls Club; Florida’s Lake Eola
Shade Sails project (using Monotech Shade Cloth) and the Port Douglas
Central Hotel Sail Structures. In 2011 LWS was recognised by LSAA for
the iconic structure gracing Yas Island.
“In preparing material for award entry LWS staff take a day or two
to source information and images and compile project descriptions,”
Trevor said. “The process is time consuming but rewarding, in general
awards are a great way to enhance your profile at very little cost.”
Now that the STA Awards eligibility has been amended, keep a look
out for multi award winner Light Weight Structures.
For more information: www.LTWSAS.com.au
do You have a story to tell? email connections editor [email protected]
Below: Spanning 43 metres the leaning arch sections create a triangular configuration from the centre attachment point to the outside edges of the arch members, a departure from standard engineering practices for webbed truss members.
40 · CONNECTIONS
Knowing how to spot superior shelters can save the day, says Barb Ernster
spotting tent quality
John Crowley can spot a quality tent just
by looking at it. “You get a feel for a good
tent when you see it. It looks structurally
superb,” says the general manager
of ProEm Distinctive Tents in Denver,
Colorado. He sums up a tent’s quality in
three words: aesthetics, engineering and
craftsmanship.
Cutting-edge technology, ease of
installation, fabric performance, seams and
stitching, wind load capacity, value-added
features and manufacturer support all factor
into a tent’s quality, according to rental
companies and manufacturers.
ProEm focuses on high-end structured
tents and is willing to pay more for top-notch
performance and looks, suitable for the
grade-A catered events, golf tournaments
and car racing clientele that it serves.
Crowley contends that value is also
important in today’s economy, as well as the
supplier’s service and support track record.
“You always want the best product for the
least amount of money, but sometimes there’s
a tradeoff,” he says. “I used to own a company
and I would pay a little bit more just knowing
that I had [a tent manufacturer] behind me.”
Rental companies also look for construction
and design, supporting engineering
documentation, marketing support and
cost-reducing features, which may include
labor, transportation, inventory management,
insurance and permit cost savings, says
James Reyen at Eureka! The Tent Co., Division
of Johnson Outdoors Inc. in Binghamton,
New York.
In his mind, quality tents are well designed,
manufactured with appropriate raw materials
that meet the needs of the tent type and can
be installed safely and securely.
Value-added qualities may include a double
valance (making it easier to gutter the tent or
use sidewalls), the ability to “button up” a tent
for better climate control and the ability to
light and accessorize it.
The cost of qualityA quality tent will look better, but it can add
to the cost, Reyen says. “It’s more difficult to
manufacture a tent with a lot of curves and
arches. When you get into larger peak tents
and tension structures, companies have to
put more resources toward the design and
manufacture of the tent.”
Anchor Industries Inc. in Evansville, Ind.,
measures a tent’s quality by its excellent
IFAIFEATURE
EXPECT QUALITY- EXPECT SERVICE - EXPECT VALUE
One of Australia’s largest ranges of stainless steel shade sail hardware
High quality stainless steel fittings and wire rope
Large stock holdings with same day dispatch and efficient delivery Australia wide
Extensive range of hand and hydraulic swage tools, cutters and accessories Professional staff to help choose the right components for your project
SHADE SAIL FIXINGS
FEBRUARY • MARCH 2013 · 41
workmanship, consistent stitching, good
weld seams, straight line seams and
quality hardware that meet or exceed
code standards. John Fuchs, regional sales
manager, says the company follows a safety
factor of x2—if a web requires 10,000 lb.
break strength, the company uses 20,000 lb.
break strength.
“Quality is a tough thing to pin down,”
Fuchs says. “For us, it’s not deviating from the
specifications that we set and no shortcuts
taken in building the tents. Being that tents
are temporary structures—extremely
susceptible to the elements—we’ve got to
build them [to be] safe and provide a good
event for the rental company. We like to build
tents [as if we were building them] for our
own families.”
Demand for engineered tents
An increasing number of municipalities
are enforcing stricter codes for tents and
temporary structures, driving customers
to seek engineered tents that meet certain
ratings. While still offering traditional pole
and frame tents, Anchor has developed and
continues to develop these style tents that are
engineered to code.
“Traditionally, engineered tents were required
for larger venues but we’re seeing a trend of
certified tents for almost every type of event,”
Fuchs says. “To meet these codes, [we must]
utilize components strong enough to meet the
criteria, driving the cost of the tent up.”
Carol Lee Cundey, marketing
communications manager at Eureka!, says
engineering is at the top of the list when they
begin designing new tents and clearspan
structures.
EXPECT QUALITY- EXPECT SERVICE - EXPECT VALUE
One of Australia’s largest ranges of stainless steel shade sail hardware
High quality stainless steel fittings and wire rope
Large stock holdings with same day dispatch and efficient delivery Australia wide
Extensive range of hand and hydraulic swage tools, cutters and accessories Professional staff to help choose the right components for your project
SHADE SAIL FIXINGS
42 · CONNECTIONS
“Anything that’s engineered will require
heavier duty aluminum, stronger fabrics
and raw materials, and come with stamped,
engineered blueprints that guide how the
tent must be installed safely,” Cundey says.
Eureka! designs to the ASCE/SEI 7-05 code,
which requires a wind load capacity of 70 mph
sustained wind and gusts of up to 90 mph.
“Engineered products are typically
stronger because there’s more substance
to them. They take longer to set up and
are more expensive, but you get what you
pay for,” acknowledges Richard Nealon,
senior event manager for ProEm. The trend
in Phoenix, where he is based, is to use
structured-style frame tents with kedered
channels to slide in ceilings and sidewalls,
which eliminates wind flap.
“Once you put a structure up on a site,
the client really likes it. It’s one step closer
to a building,” Nealon says. “As a tent rental
company, I feel a lot better when the wind
starts blowing, knowing I have a structure up
rather than a pole tent.”
The downside, he adds, is that an
engineered structure takes longer to install
because of additional staking and anchoring
requirements, and can look less stylish and
more building-like. Manufacturers are starting
to address those issues by introducing more
design features in their engineered tension
pole tents and clearspan structures that are
suitable for weddings and special events, as
well as making them easier to assemble.
That’s good news for rental companies like
B.C. Tent & Awning in Avon, Massachusetts,
which is embracing more engineered tents,
including hybrid models with keder frame
systems. Owner Bob Costa says more and
more of his customers don’t want to deal with
staking and interior poles, but favor track
systems that are more user friendly and tents
with greater wind-load capacity. Topping his
list is ease of installation because it saves him
labor costs.
Fabric is another important factor for
Costa. “We’re choosing more coated fabrics
because of the life expectancy, ease of
cleanliness and minimal blemishes,” he says.
The company is also buying more blockout
tents to eliminate the “pinhole” effect of
laminated vinyl and allow more lighting
control.
Coated or laminated vinyl
There is a range of fabrics in the market
and all have a niche, says Drew Nelson,
awning product manager at TriVantage
LLC in Cleveland, Ohio. Some have more
sophisticated performance features, such
as cold weather durability, solar reflection
and UV protection, cleanability, dimensional
stability and varying weights depending
on the requirement of the product. “Good
inexpensive fabrics are available,” he says.
“Fabrics with enhanced performance
characteristics are in a higher price range.”
Coated vinyl, typical in clearspan structures,
is mildew resistant, sheds dirt easier and
is heavier weight to withstand long-term
exposure to wind and extreme temperatures.
Lighter weight laminated vinyl is commonly
used in other tent designs because it is
durable, strong and good value for the price.
“Weight alone doesn’t determine quality,”
Fuchs says, “but the quality of the scrim, how
well it holds up to ultraviolet rays, the integrity
of the vinyl and the type of glue used are some
of the components that make up a good vinyl.”
Ranch Busch, president of Value Vinyls Inc.
in Grand Prairie, Texas, says more fabric
products have come to market that haven’t
been designed well, and that will be notable
in strong storms and windy conditions. “Wind
load is significant in a fabric’s performance,
as well as having a lower crack code and
being able to withstand more extreme heat
and cold temperatures.
With a laminate, you get two layers of film
laminated with yarn in the middle. When
poorly done, the film separates from the
yarn (due to wind).” Busch adds that there
hasn’t been a test or quantifiable way to rate
the product for wind resistance, but it will
continue to be a focus in the performance of
the fabric.
In the end, a quality tent is one that is made
with fabric and components that are tried
and true, and meet the needs of the type of
tent. As Cundey says, “A basic one piece
lightweight canopy for your backyard may not
be a wind-rated engineered tent, but so long
as it’s manufactured properly, pieced together
and sewn together properly, it’s a quality tent.”
Barb Ernster is a freelance writer based in Fridley, Minnesota.
This article is reproduced from InTents
magazine with kind permission of IFAI.
IFAIFEATURE
FEBRUARY • MARCH 2013 · 43
Paskal’s industrial fabrics and accessories: one-stop shopPaskal has come a long way since starting out in
wetsuit zips two decades ago. Today¹s range is
extensive, encompassing commercial industrial
fabrics and accessories for a series of markets:
awnings, canvas tent, canvas and PVC tarpaulins,
PVC and canvas annexes plus swags. But the
list does not end there: apparel, horse, filtration,
caravan and camping, tensile structures, printing,
advertising, geomembrane, geotextiles, commercial
buildings, umbrellas, grain tarpaulins and the
mining industry complete the market round-up.
NEW MEMBERS
In this section we learn about the products and services offered by members who are new to the Specialised Textiles Association.
Paskal’s company ethos: ‘Stay true to providing quality products with exceptional service at competitive prices’
44 · CONNECTIONS
NEW MEMBERS
If you have a product that needs to be welded, we have the complete range of standard and automated custom models to meet your needs.
VERSATILITY AND RELIABILITY, THAT’S WHY MILLER WELDMASTER IS THE FIRST CHOICE!
Elizabeth Machines are the authorised Australian distributors for Miller Weldmaster equipment.
Distributed in Qld,Vic and WA by PASKALPh: 03 95888 8800E: [email protected] in New Zealand by W. WigginsPh: 9282 2771E: [email protected]
BACK TO BASICSAuTO ArmS
AuTO guIdeSl BrACKeTS
unIverSAl BrACKeTS5 SIded endCApS
pulldOwn rIngSSprIngS
KeywAy TuBehOOdIng
SplIne
STrAIghT drOp BlInd STAInleSS FITTIngS
4.0mt BOTTOm BArSpeCIAl BulK prICe On Any Order
CHANNEL - ITTM
Side Channel Awning System
ADVERTISTERS'INDEx
ABC Products 14
Austech 27
Bartlett 45
CJ Loftus 33
Darling Downs Tarpaulins 15
Dasec 31
Elizabeth Sewing 44
Hiraoka 19
ICL 47
IFAI Expo 46
Innova 9
Miami Stainless 41
Nolan UDA 5
Pathfinder Front Cover, Outside Back Cover
Plastral 32
ProKnit Industries Inside Front Cover
Quick Shade 29
Radins 7
Ricky Richards 3, 47
Sewing Perfection 43
SuperExpo 2013 11
Triax 8
Wax converters 24-25
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
Industrial Textiles
At Ricky Richards we currently have a fantastic opportunity for an experienced Account Manager to take their next career step and join our fun & friendly team who are passionate about the development and distribution of industrial textiles.
As an integral member of the sales team, you will be responsible for establishing and building on relationships with new and existing customers, identifying and developing new business opportunities, in addition to meeting sales objectives and territorial budgets.
To be successful, you will have experience with industrial textiles, or selling into the industrial market.
If this is your next role and you would like more details, please contact Kristy Haynes, [email protected] or 0466 110 496 for a confidential discussion.
• Great Company Culture & team• Homebush location
EVENTS& RTOs
REGISTERED TRAInInG oRGAnISATIonS
nSW, nT, SA & QLDvia Sydney Institute of TAFEPh (02) 9217 4601 Fax (02) 9217 4963Contact: Lawrence De [email protected]/sailmaking
TASMAnIATasmania Institute of TAFEPh 1300 655 307 Fax (03) 6233 7830 www.tafe.tas.edu
VICToRIARMIT UniversityPh (03) 9925 9182 Fax (03) 9925 9129Contact: Kent [email protected] 25 Dawson Street Brunswick Vic 3056 www.rmit.edu.au
WESTERn AUSTRALIAPoLYTECH WESTTextile Fabrication TrainingPh: 08 9207 4412Fax: 08 9207 4399Gary McCormickBalga Campus Gate 1 Lockwood Road, Balga WA
March 2013STA Perth Members Session
Wednesday March 13, 4-6.30pm
Polytechnic West
STA Adelaide Members Session
Thursday March 14, 4-6.30pm
Oriental Hotel
April 2013 Geosynthetics 2013
Monday April 1– Thursday April 4, 2013
Long Beach Convention Center
Long Beach, California
IFAI’s biannual geosynthetics conference is co-locating with the annual Southwest Geotechnical Engineers Conference. The event is sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and state transportation departments from the southern and western US.
The Geosynthetic Research Institute’s conference will be incorporated as two half-day sessions.
May 2013Smartex-2013
Tuesday May 14 - Thursday May 16
Sharm Elsheakh, Egypt
The 3rd World Textiles Conference will be held in Sharm Elsheakh, Egypt, sponsored by the Textile and Apparel Branch of Kafrelsheikh University and North Carolina State University.
Participants from textile teaching, research and industry will discuss the latest developments in textile materials, technologies, fashion and marketing.
www.kfs.edu.eg
Hightex 2013
Wednesday May 29 – Saturday June 1
Tuyap Fair Convention and Congress Center
Istanbul, TurkeyThis year the Tuyap Fair Convention and Congress Centre in Istanbul, Turkey will host The Technical Textiles and Nonwovens and Weaving Technologies Trade Fair. This show is staged every three years.
June 2013 | Super Expo 2013STA and BMAA have joined forces to
stage one big Super ShowWhen: Wednesday June 5 to Friday June 7
Where: gold coast convention and exhibition centre
this is shaping up to be the biggest and best expo yet … more exhibits, more delegates, more visitors, more variety than ever. awards for excellence night, social
events, the Young leaders’ structures. lots to see and do!
www.superexpo2013.com.au
october 2012IFAI Specialty Fabrics Expo 2013 and Advanced Textiles Conference & Trade Show
Wednesday October 23 – Friday October 25
Orange County Convention Centre in Orlando, Florida
The IFAI Specialty Fabrics Expo and Advanced Textile Conference & Trade Show is co-locating with the Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA) show under one big roof in Florida. The event takes place over three days. The Expo tagline is ‘Experience the future in Orlando, Florida.’
(for more details see advert on page 46)
www.ifaiexpo.com
october 2012 The 2013 Young Leaders Conference
STA event
saturday october 12 to sunday october 13
For the third year in a row STA is holding the very successful Young Leaders’ Conference. The event welcomes those aged 35
or under with a minimum of two years’ experience and who demonstrate passion and initiative for the industry and
the work in which they are involved.
… and spreading the word about your business
Did you know? By advertising in Connections you are reaching as many as 10,000 people who are actively involved in the specialised textiles industry.
Featuring the latest and greatest industry developments, Connections is the voice of the specialised textile industry and enables all who are involved in the industry to showcase their business developments, news and views.
Circulated to thousands in all facets of the textile industry, Connections casts a wide net by encompassing the geosynthetic, awning, shade sail, blind maker, and marine and motor trimmer sectors. It does not stop there: also covered are flags and banners, caravan and camping, canvas, cutting equipment, umbrellas, tarpaulins, side curtain and more … distributors of industrial fabrics and all related components suppliers.
Just the ticket for reaching more potential customers …
6
2500
10,000
Number of issues each year
Circulation
Readership estimated at
To ADVERTISE Call Yuri at CommStrat on 03 8534 5008 or 0419 339 865 to secure your place in Connections.
CHoICES Your advert can be a quarter page, half page, full page, front or back page, horizontal or vertical – you call the shots.
Yuri would be happy to email you the Connections Media Kit outlining all specifications and prices.
Located at 8/574 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne Vic 3004, CommStrat is the publisher of Connections on behalf of the Specialised Textiles Association.
“Connections magazine is the key communications tool for a large and diverse range of businesses encompassing the specialised textiles industry”
Untitled-2 1 1/03/2012 2:31:14 PM
Are you cutting materials to create products and haven’t yet implemented advanced cutting technology to improve your business outcomes? Then isn’t it time to ask yourself… why not?
At Pathfinder we would appreciate the opportunity to introduce you to a cutting solution that is easy to implement, affordable and will significantly improve your business outcomes. Specifically by, improving; total production output, quality, material utilisation, removing waste, minimising mistakes and reducing your dependency on a sometimes hard to find skill set.
It doesn’t matter if you are cutting; Single Ply, Low Ply or High Ply, small volume or high volume, this is the one cutting system that can handle it all.
For two decades Pathfinder has been designing and building in Australia the most productive cutting machines on the market today. These machines feature a small footprint and yet deliver the benefits of flexibility and big production outputs.
Accurate … Fast … Reliable and significantly more productive than static table plotter cutters.
So if changing the way you cut in 2013 is on your mind, then why not talk to Pathfinder about what you need to cut today and let us demonstrate how… you... might decide to cut tomorrow.