© 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 [...]

Sunbrella® Horizon® marine vinyl is engineered to maximize durability, stretch and recovery, fade resistance and reduce pink staining, so it needs replacement less frequently. Photo: Sunbrella Driven by ethics, increasingly stringent regulations and demand by customers, marine fabricators continue to fine-tune their raw materials, products and practices to be gentler on the environment. Some industry [...]

Like everything else COVID-19 hit, the pandemic delivered a blow to workplace leadership development. At the same time, the pressure on leaders to deliver outstanding results hasn’t abated, often leaving millennials who are stepping into more senior roles—and Gen Zers who will begin doing so—struggling to develop their “managerial instincts.” Today’s leaders not only need [...]

A wall displaying nearly 30 years of industry awards marks the entrance to Mike’s Marine Custom Canvas in Virginia Beach, Va.—a testament to the shop’s history of quality and craftsmanship.  An idea sparked during a conversation between Dan Johnson, owner of Mike’s Marine Custom Canvas, and an industry colleague at a Marine Fabricators Conference helped solve [...]

ID 173732994 © Svetlanais | Dreamstime.com Zippers can feel like a wild beast that can never be tamed,” says Mike Boatman, owner of Boatman Marine Canvas in Oklahoma City, Okla. “When you start working with zippers for the first time, you find out really quick that it’s not as simple as sewing the zipper onto [...]

Sponsored by the Marine Fabricators Association (MFA), the Fabrication Excellence Awards contest is designed to recognize excellence in marine fabrication. The entries are judged by a panel of certified marine professionals. Awards of Excellence and Outstanding Achievement Awards are given in each category. The MFA recognizes two Awards of Distinction, chosen from the Award of [...]

Charlton’s Marine Canvas is seeing strong demand for sunfly shades, which are becoming increasingly popular with customers who desire more shade on their boats but don’t want a permanent structure that gets in the way. Photo: Charlton’s Marine Canvas The owner of a Ranger Tug wanted a full permanent top along with an enclosure on [...]

ID 211011275 © Valiantsin Suprunovich | Dreamstime.com Death and taxes may be certain, but for those who own boats, so is canvas damage. For many marine fabricators, the industry is becoming increasingly complex due to computerized patterning software, innovative high-tech materials and tools, and advanced methods for accomplishing just about anything. But most shops still have a hand [...]