April 7, 2020
Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) is hosting the webinar “When the Economy Stops: How to Get Back to the Party” on Thursday, April 9, 2020, noon to 1:00 CST. The webinar is free to IFAI members and $39 for non-members. The events of 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and the global financial crisis all brought the economy …
April 6, 2020
As the industry works together to address the vast personal protective equipment (PPE) needs, Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) is searching for patterns or specification information fabricators are willing to share with the industry at large. The hope is to publicly post designs for masks and gowns to enable manufacturing by more IFAI members. Some …
April 1, 2020
Starting Friday, April 3, small businesses and sole proprietorships can apply for the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) – an initiative that was included in the $2 trillion economic relief bill signed by President Trump last week, which authorizes nearly $350 billion in forgivable loans to businesses to pay up to eight weeks …
Facebook announced a $100 million program to help small businesses affected by coronavirus. The grants will be available for up to 30,000 eligible small businesses in over 30 countries. Facebook said it will be accepting applications in the coming weeks. The company said the program can help businesses with rent, operational costs, maintaining workforce and …
March 30, 2020
The state of Washington is closed to recreational fishing and shellfishing through April 8, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and several other states are restricting access in their efforts to curb the spread of coronavirus. To support the action by Washington, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife announced it would …
March 26, 2020
With the U.S. Senate passing the nearly $2 trillion economic relief package and the U.S. House of Representatives expected to follow suit, the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) has compiled a breakdown of provisions in the legislation, formally known as the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and how they might affect the …
March 23, 2020
The Miami Herald is reporting that the mayor of Miami-Dade County has announced the closure of all marinas and boat ramps in the county, citing large gatherings of boaters on the water amid the coronavirus pandemic. Palm Beach County officials also banned recreational boating activities indefinitely, citing parties and other large gatherings on the water. …
February 20, 2020
The Northeast Canvas Products Association (NECPA) celebrated its 100th anniversary on January 16-18 in Worcester, Mass. The conference event included a full slate of Friday seminars presented by NECPA in conjunction with the Professional Awning Manufacturers Association (PAMA) and the Marine Fabricators Association (MFA), divisions of IFAI, plus a full Expo day with more than …
January 9, 2020
Flinders University researchers Professor Mats Andersson and Associate Professor Sophie Leterme are developing a new antifouling marine coating. The $350,000 project will conduct a series of sea trials in the next 12 months and is being led by Flinders University in South Australia in collaboration with the University of South Australia, shipbuilder ASC and the …
December 19, 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 …