Deadline to enter 2020 Miami Innovation Awards is Jan. 10
December 31st, 2019
The deadline to enter new products for the 2020 Miami International Boat Show® Innovation Awards is Jan. 10, 2020. The Innovation Awards recognize manufacturers and suppliers who bring new, innovative products to market, and the winners will be announced during the Miami Boat Show in February. The Innovation Awards program is managed by the National […]
New powerboat registrations rise in October
December 26th, 2019
The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) October New Powerboat Registrations Report shows new powerboat retail unit sales were up 5 percent on a rolling 3-month year-over-year (R3M YOY) basis and down 1 percent on a rolling 12-month year-over-year (R12M YOY) basis. Total new units sold in 2019 (through October) reached 261,600, signaling that total 2019 […]
Eqodry reticulated foam now available in US
December 24th, 2019
Eqodry USA launched a new line of thermally reticulated smart foam products to the U.S. market at the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) Marine Fabricators Conference held in Daytona Beach, Fla., January 9-11, 2020. The open cell structure of Eqodry®—pronounced E-Co-Dri—allows water to pass through for zero water retention and fast drying times, which makes […]
Manufacturers to cut capital spending for the first time since 2009
December 19th, 2019
U.S. manufacturers plan to pull back on investing in 2020, a move that could rein in a rebound even as companies increase profits. In a Bloomberg report, citing a semiannual survey from the Institute for Supply Management Factory, executives forecast capital expenditures will decrease 2.1 percent in 2020. It would be the first annual decline […]
Minnesota creates outdoor recreation task force
December 17th, 2019
Minnesota will create an Outdoor Recreation Task Force (ORTF) to study and identify economic and participation opportunities around the state’s robust outdoor recreation resources. The effort to create the task force was jointly pursued by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Explore Minnesota and was supported by many Minnesota outdoor recreation businesses—from boating […]
New Jersey pledges $13 million to fight harmful algal blooms
December 11th, 2019
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced that his administration will distribute more than $13 million to fund a new initiative to reduce and prevent future harmful algal bloom outbreaks in New Jersey. The program will fund science-based prevention, mitigation, study and response efforts across the state. In 2019, there were more than 70 suspected and […]
New book chronicles tugboat captain’s adventures
December 10th, 2019
Captain Thomas Teague has worked in the tugboat industry since 1974 when he was hired as a deckhand. A respected captain who now commands a tugboat in the New York Harbor, Teague has assembled a collection of stories of his adventures in his book “Tales from a Tugboat Captain.” The book discusses how Teague got […]
Long-term growth: the right equipment, the right software, the right employees
December 6th, 2019
At each step along the supply chain, customers demand quality, efficiency, flexibility and speed. The right kind of equipment, with the right kind of software and the right kind of operator, can lead to long-term growth. by Maura Keller Today’s consumer expects faster turnaround times and custom quality at low prices, which means that manufacturers […]
Gain and retain: creating a rewarding culture for employees
December 6th, 2019
Today’s tight labor market can turn employees fickle, posing challenges for companies that need to maintain a strong and skilled workforce. But with the right approach—and good benefits and wages—employers can keep ‘em coming back. by Pamela Mills-Senn An associate guides a customer through Milliken’s Innovation Gallery located at its global headquarters, the Roger Milliken […]
Additional services enrich relationships and bottom line
December 6th, 2019
Adding services to core offerings can provide a way to cement customers to your business, meeting more of their needs and strengthening your appeal—and bottom line—in the process. As an online retailer and wholesaler for upholsterers, sewers and DIYers, Sailrite offers a variety of tools, hardware, kits and other supplies, in addition to its proprietary […]