© Milllda | Dreamstime.com The marine fabrication industry encompasses a wide range of businesses, from multinational corporations to small mom-and-pop and one-person operations run out of garages or basements. Regardless of size, there are hardworking people everywhere with a passion for making products and/or providing services to customers. The work is rewarding, but it often [...]

Owner Mike Charlton moved to this 2,000-square-foot space in 2025 from his first shop, which was just 500 square feet and where he also had to share a table. Photo: Charlton’s Marine Canvas There are many routes to take when it comes to opening a fabrication business, and no one way is necessarily better—or easier—than [...]

The Time Standards Manual was developed in 1996 by the Marine Fabricators Association (MFA), a member group of Advanced Textiles Association, to serve as a benchmark that shop owners can use to set fabrication times, with which they can generate competitive labor costs. The manual is an ongoing project that continues to grow and change [...]

The heavy-duty umbrellas installed on this mega yacht are made from Recacril®, a premium-quality, solution-dyed acrylic fabric from RECASENS USA, LLC. Photo: RECASENS What makes a finish or fabric “high-end?” For Mike Erickson, owner and president of Canvas Designers Inc., one of the most important factors is how the material feels—although price factors in as [...]

Sailrite® DBA JustWholesale’s drill cutters utilize a mallet to pound the cutter through the fabric into a rubber block. Photo: Sailrite DBA JustWholesale Marine fabricators are always looking for ways to make their jobs simpler, safer, and more efficient and cost-effective. Precise, compact handheld tools and equipment—including snap-fastener installers, hot knives, foam cutters and upholstery [...]

If Mike Boatman were to write a book on what he’s learned from 30-plus years in the marine fabrication industry, it would be one page with a single line: “Don’t be a jerk.” This short and simple philosophy has grounded him through the ins and outs of navigating a family business and cultivating a strong [...]

Marine Tops Unlimited displays its awards in the shop to demonstrate the company’s craftsmanship to customers. Photo: Kyle Van Damme The Marine Fabricators Association (MFA) Fabrication Excellence Awards started in 1994, sponsored by the MFA, to showcase projects that represent the best in design excellence and quality workmanship that our industry has to offer. Projects [...]

© 9dreamstudio | Dreamstime.com Have you ever witnessed a unique method used by an industry colleague and thought to yourself, “That’s so simple—why didn’t I think of that?” This is the concept behind the Tools, Tips and Tricks contest, which the Marine Fabricators Association (MFA) runs every year at the Marine Fabricators Conference. Business owners and employees [...]

© Andrea Muscatello | Dreamstime.com It takes skill to be a fabricator, but it takes even more to be a successful fabricator—because at some point, your business may grow enough that you need more space. The steps required for a successful move might be new to you. “Moving a factory is not something you just know how [...]

© Aleksei Todosko | Dreamstime.com As consumers increasingly recognize the impact of good sleep on physical and mental health, they’re paying more attention to the quality and comfort of their sleep environments. Some fabricators say that demand is spilling over into the marine market, where many clients are seeking custom foam mattresses—and specially tailored custom [...]