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Pricing, costing and estimating
May 1st, 2023
Expertise plays an important role in a successful marine business. However, a fabricator might be highly skilled, with lines of customers and a backlog of projects, and that’s still no assurance the business will remain viable in the long run. If pricing is at odds with costs, the effect on the bottom line could be […]
Husband and wife teams
March 1st, 2021
Charlene Clark says she “took a leap of faith” and left her job in the hospitality industry to help Chandler Clark run Signature CanvasMakers. “We didn’t realize back then that working together and having a common focus to build a successful business would ultimately bring us closer as a couple,” says Chandler. A Juggling Act […]
Canvas repairs—turning pain into profit
March 1st, 2019
Let’s go out on a limb here and make this proclamation: Repair jobs are not the sexiest work in the marine fabrication business. Okay, maybe that’s not so much of a limb. The fact is, some fabricators try to stay away from repair work altogether or consider it something of a necessary evil. They’ve got […]
Considering automation in your shop? Read this first
July 1st, 2018
Automation continues to play an increasingly important role in everyday life. Its potential effect on a marine fabricator’s workplace has, unsurprisingly, become a focus of both research and reality. The topic can become a bit like playing 20 Questions: What jobs will or won’t be replaced by machines? Which equipment will serve as the best […]
Better job costing for better profits
July 1st, 2018
Working with numbers may not be your cup of tea, but it’s critical to the success of your business. It’s a fairly safe bet that not many fabricators started their operations because they wanted to work on spreadsheets. But like it or not, when you hang out a shingle, only part of your work will […]
Cutting room automation makes sense for many
September 27th, 2017
If automating your cutting room seems either too expensive or too difficult, you may want to think again. Panelists of the IFAI EXPO session on “Optimizing Your Cutting Room” gave a long list of potential benefits for why you might want to consider using an automated cutter. “Everyone’s ROI is slightly different,” says Thomas Carlson, […]
Marine fabricators meet customers’ window wish lists
August 1st, 2016
When making boat windows for customers, marine fabricators often have a specific set of requirements of their materials. “Our fabricators require a sheet that is easy to handle, durable and can be cut and sewn easily without fear of damaging the product,” says Lyle Shipley, product manager at O’Sullivan Films, Winchester, Va., for O’Sea and […]