Friday, January 21, 2022

Marine Track – Powered by IFAI/MFA

9:00 - 10:00 am  

Sewing Machine Workshop - Virtual Presenter

Presenter Sam Sloan, Sloan Machinery Co. 

In his 40 years in the industry, Sam Sloan has presented several sewing machine workshops. For this session, Sloan will cover threading a walking foot sewing machine, cleaning, how to make simple adjustments and demonstrate a binding technique. Attendees will watch this live virtual presentation in the classroom with close-up views and ability to interact with the presenter.

10:15 - 11:20 am

Standards In Action - Virtual Presenter

Presenter: Justin Jones, SewLong Custom Covers

No two custom boat covers, or dodgers are the same, but the way your shop finishes them should be. Justin Jones will share with you how you can standardize your products from start to finish. He will share Sewlong's "Standard Boards" and how they catalog and document every aspect of a cover from the pattern to the install. Attendees will watch this live virtual presentation in the classroom with close up views and will have the ability to interact with presenter.

11:30 am - Noon 

High Pressure Steamer Demo  (Bristol Room B) - In-Person Presenter

Presenters: Katie Bradford, IFM, MFC, Custom Marine Canvas and Tonya Ricketts, The Canvas Lady

Using a high-pressure steamer is a great tool for removing glued foam off boards or softening vinyl for upholstery. We’ll demonstrate this technique in this hands-on demo.    

12:00 - 1:00 pm Lunch in Rotunda with Remarks by IFAI's President, Steve Shiffman

Combined Sessions – Powered by IFAI MFA/PAMA (Bristol Room A/B)

1:00 - 1:45 pm

Cleaning Awnings and Other Outdoor Fabrics

Presenter: Scott Massey, Awning Cleaning Industries

Why would cleaning awnings be something positive to add to our service offerings? When awning cleaning is switched to awning maintenance the work becomes easier, more profitable and the fabric looks good all the time. Scott Massey will share what you need to know before getting started.

2:00 - 2:45 pm

Interviewing and Hiring Best Practices for Small Businesses 

Presenter: Gary J. Convertino, Ed.D., SHRM-CP/PHR, CPC, Executive HR Consultant and Coach/ 3P HR Consulting & Coaching

This abridged “A to Z” presentation will help small business owners navigate the process of hiring and retaining an employee. This easy-to-understand overview presentation covers:

• What do you know about interview? Come find out!
• Developing a job description and posting a job
• The foundation of a good interview
• Steps to ensure a legal, compliant, and sound interview process
• Onboarding a new employee
• They're hired. Now what?
• Q&A

3:00 - 3:45 pm

Lean Manufacturing 

Kristy Grignon, MassMEP

In lean manufacturing the main goal is to optimize your production and response times to customers. MassMEP is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to helping small and mid-sized companies to improve efficiencies and achieve growth through lean manufacturing. Let’s look at the resources available and tools for operational excellence, workforce strategies and innovation.

Awning Track – Powered by IFAI/PAMA

9:00 am – 9:45 am

Panel Discussion on Parklets  (Bristol Room A) - In Person Presenter

Panelists: Fire Marshal Ron Anstey, Fire Protection Specialist, Ron Anstey, CBO, CFI, CFPS, CFEI, Mark Horton, Atlantic Awning, and Stefanie Vanderbeck, SV Design and Consulting, SV Designs

A trend for outdoor street dining, known as parklets, began to emerge when social distancing regulations went into effect. Restaurant owners struggled to keep their businesses running and looked for solutions beyond their walls. While parklets may have begun as a temporary solution, it does appear that parklets are expected to continue in the future. In this panel discussion, we’ll look at the manufacturing of parklets, installation and supply needs, and expected changes for parklet codes in 2022.

10:00 - 10:45 am

The Evolution and Revolution of Graphics - Virtual Presenter

 Presenters: Derek Robinson, Fabric Tattoo and Mike VonWachenfeldt, Fabric Ingenuity

The evolution and revolution of graphics on textiles for awnings, banners and advertisement progressed in the 70’s and 80’s. It started out with humble beginnings of simple graphics - painted graphics onto vinyl coated fabrics and onto acrylic painted (coated) cotton duck fabrics, which later grew into silk screening and screen printing. With the progression of the backlit market came the first revolution of cut vinyl lettering and eradicable graphics where eradication ink coated vinyl and spraying color with an added UV protective topcoat took off. Additional cut vinyl lettering, but now “new” with pressure sensitive films continued to evolve and came into vogue in the early 2000’s with existing heat transfer equipment.  By 2010 urethane films with thermal activated adhesive were added to the mix. Let’s talk about these methods in use today and what’s brand new, very exciting and available now and on the horizon for the future.

11:00 am - Noon 

Panel Discussion on Parklets  (Bristol Room A)

New Way of Business in 2022 Panel Discussion  (Bristol Room A)  - In Person Presenter
Panelists: Cheryl Yennaco, Atlantic Awning, Ed Keough, Futureguard, Mike Gatti, Herculite Products

Panelists will discuss what our industry faced in 2020-2021 from the fabricator and supplier side prospective. Highlighting critical changes such as product shortages, longer lead-times and inflationary trends in materials and labor. We will look  forward to understanding what is the industry’s “new normal”.

12:00 - 1:00 pm Lunch in Rotunda with Remarks by IFAI's President, Steve Shiffman

 Combined Sessions – Powered by IFAI MFA/PAMA (Bristol Room A/B)

1:00 - 1:45 pm

Cleaning Awnings and Other Outdoor Fabrics - Virtual Presenter

Presenter: Scott Massey, Awning Cleaning Industries 

Why would cleaning awnings, marine and other fabric products be something positive to add to our service offerings? When cleaning is switched to maintenance the work becomes easier, more profitable and the fabric looks good all the time. Scott Massey will share what you need to know before getting started.

2:00 - 2:45 pm

Interviewing and Hiring Best Practices for Small Businesses - In Person Presenter

Presenter: Gary J. Convertino, Ed.D., SHRM-CP/PHR, CPC, Executive HR Consultant and Coach/ 3P HR Consulting & Coaching

This abridged “A to Z” presentation will help small business owners navigate the process of hiring and retaining an employee.  This easy-to-understand overview presentation covers:

• What do you know about interviewing?  Come find out!
• Developing a job description and posting a job
• The foundation of a good interview
• Steps to ensure a legal, compliant, and sound interview process
• Onboarding a new employee
• They’re hired.  Now what?
•  Q & A

3:00 - 3:45 pm

Lean Manufacturing - In Person Presenter

Brian Harvey, Project Manager, MassMEP and Mike Thompson, Business Development Advisor, MassMEP

In lean manufacturing the main goal is to optimize your production and response times to customers.  MassMEP is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to helping small and mid-sized companies to improve efficiencies and achieve growth through lean manufacturing.  Let’s look at the resources available and tools for operational excellence, workforce strategies and innovation.

WHO'S EXHIBITING IN 2022?

Autometrix, Inc Booth 35
Bainbridge International Inc. Booths 16/17
Bruin Plastics Company Inc. Booth 29
Challenge Sailcloth, Inc Booth 21
Continental  Booth 36
Cooley    Booth 22
Datum Booth 26
Eastern Awning Systems, Inc. Booths 5/6
Edward Segal Inc. Booth 14
Ennis Fabrics Booth 7
Fabric Ingenuity  Booth 4
Futureguard- SummerSpace  Booths 24/25
Herculite/ Strataglass  Booth 10
IFAI Booth 49
Keyston Bros  Booth 15
L.I.F.E. Booth 11
Marlen Textiles  Booth 1
Miami Corporation   Booths 2/3
Miller Weldmaster Booth 27
National Fittings  Booth 19
NECPA Booth 50
Polyfab USA LLC Booth 28
Quality Thread and Notions  Booths 16/17
Rainier Industries Booth 34
RECASENS USA, LLC Booth 13
Robeco Booth 12
Sattler Corp  Booth 40
Serge Ferrari Booth 31
Sigma Engineering Systems  Booth 30
Sloan Machinery Company  Booths 38/39
Somfy Systems Booth 37
Sonco Pipe and Tube  Booth 23
Sunbrella  Booths 32/33
Trivantage  Booths 8/9
WeatherMAX  Booth 20