March 2019

  • Published On: March 28, 2019

      The U.S. Department of the Interior released a Secretarial Order that will help prevent the sale of public lands important to outdoor recreation, while ensuring that public access be a key consideration in land exchanges. Secretarial Order 3373 – Evaluating Public Access in BLM Land Disposals and Exchanges – prioritizes recreation and access when [...]

  • Published On: March 26, 2019

    California Senate Bill SB 1013 prohibits Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) 134a and other HFCs used as the foam expansion agent in new marine flotation (buoyancy) foam beginning January 1, 2020. The prohibition applies to foam that enters into commerce in California, which includes foam manufactured out of state and brought into California. Marine floatation foam is a [...]

  • Published On: March 21, 2019

      More women than ever now own textile companies, and IFAI’s recent Women in Textiles Summit brought together many of these business leaders to share their unique expertise within a highly specialized industry. This year’s inaugural summit, held March 6–8 in Savannah, Ga., facilitated what IFAI President and CEO Steve Schiffman calls an “investment in [...]

  • Published On: March 20, 2019

      U.K.-based Tecsew Limited recently contributed toward the restoration of the HMS Warrior, Britain’s first iron-hulled, armored battleship. The ship is stationed at Portsmouth, England’s Historic Dockyard. Tecsew fitted the iconic vessel with a large cover for the vent cowlings, skylight covers, stairway covers, and funnel coats and rams. The MFA member-company has been in [...]

  • Published On: March 19, 2019

      IFAI’s new MFA Time Standards Web App is a convenient tool to help members quickly estimate marine fabrication project costs. In just a few clicks, the app allows users to calculate the required hours and total cost of labor for different projects based on industry time standards. To use the app or for more [...]

  • Published On: March 14, 2019

    ICAST 2019, the world’s largest sportfishing trade show, is being held July 9-12, 2019, in the North/South Building at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) is offering its members the opportunity to exhibit in the Marine Accessories Pavilion (MAP) to reach buyers, dealers and distributors seeking innovative [...]

  • Published On: March 13, 2019

    Exhibitors: Book your IFAI Expo 2019 booth by March 30 to take advantage of the Early Bird discount. Don’t be left out! IFAI Expo is the largest specialty fabric trade event in the Americas. Each year, more than 5,000 high-level decision makers, industry insiders and qualified buyers meet in an unrivaled face-to-face environment, where networking [...]

  • Published On: March 12, 2019

    The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a notice in the Federal Register requesting comments regarding a proposed consent decree related to Sierra Club v. Pruitt, which calls for a study to determine whether renewable fuel volumes–including more ethanol in the fuel supply–will adversely impact air quality as a result of changes in vehicle and engine [...]

  • Published On: March 7, 2019

    Photo: SewLong Custom Canvas. The future of marine flooring is going to be filled with more synthetic, easy-to-maintain products offering cool new looks. “Bold colors and graphics in the mats to go along with the growing surf sports market boats will be making their way into the market,” says John Salvatore, general manager [...]

  • Published On: March 5, 2019

    Canvas repairs are not always the favorite jobs for marine fabricators. But the need for repairs can be reduced by the use of longer-lasting threads, such as those made of polytetra fluoroethylene (PTFE). But there is a cost involved. “The industry as a whole has engaged in the use in longer-life threads but not completely,” [...]