The Equifax breach is reminding small business owners they may be vulnerable to cybercriminals. Companies that provide security and other technology services to small businesses say they've had an increase in calls from customers since Equifax revealed that the personal information of 143 million Americans had been exposed. The hack has galvanized some owners into [...]

Terri Madden, the owner of Sand Sea and Air Interiors Inc., located in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and a regular contributor to Marine Fabricator magazine, recently contacted IFAI to provide an update of the situation facing her business as well as many others on the hurricane-ravaged island. "I am more fortunate than most,” Madden says. [...]

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has launched an online matchmaking program aimed at connecting small business in need of money to small business lenders, which include commercial banks and non-profit organizations. The program is called Lender Match and brings together entrepreneurs and SBA lenders to help increase access to capital. It's free and it [...]

A group of trainblazers in the world of e-textiles offered ideas and fielded questions in a casual setting on IFAI’s EXPO show floor yesterday. Many of the audience were experts themselves, so the discussion was, one might say, among colleagues in this segment. Standards for smart textiles was on the minds of many. One audience [...]

Mary Lynn Langraf, left, talks to an attendee of IFAI Expo 2017.] Business owners who want to pursue government contracts shouldn’t be discouraged, says Mary Linn Langraf, senior international trade specialist for the U.S. Department of Commerce/OTEXA. Langraf presented a detailed discussion Sept. 26 at IFAI Expo 2017, emphasizing that the textile industry [...]

“Shade Sails 2.0” was one of the opening presentations Sept. 26 at IFAI Expo 2017. The presentation featured Tim Koehler, Lawrence Fabric and Metal Structures Inc., and Tim Akes, MPanel Software Solutions, who discussed two projects that could handle wind and snow loads. The first project at Southwest Illinois Community College was an outside study [...]

Winners of the 2017 Innovation Awards were announced recently at the International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition & Conference (IBEX). The Innovation Awards honor achievement in product development in 10 areas of the marine industry. The winners were selected by a panel of judges from Boating Writers International (BWI), a professional organization consisting of writers, editors, publishers, photographers, [...]

As reported in the Wall Street Journal, the total economic loss from hurricane boat damage won’t be known for months, according to Scott Croft, spokesperson for Boat Owners Association of the United States, or BoatUS, an advocacy group for recreational boaters. The largest concentration of damaged boats and docks from Hurricane Irma is expected to [...]

The National Marine Manufacturers Association’s (NMMA) New Powerboat Registrations Report has been updated through July 2017, and advance data show new powerboat registrations were up 6.1 percent year-over-year for the rolling twelve-month period through July. Highlights from the report include: All boat segments were up through July. Growth in registrations was led by the following [...]

The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) will assist and continue to share news and tips for businesses impacted by hurricanes in Texas, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. Resources and tools for businesses and individuals in regions impacted by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma are being coordinated by FEMA here. A list of key NMMA staff contacts can be [...]