IFAI Tent Conference 2008 Draws International Attendees

Tent rental industry leaders traveled from around the world to attend the IFAI Tent Conference 2008 Jan. 24-26 in Long Beach, Calif.

The confererence shocased 22 exhibitors, and more than 150 attendees participated in the speaker sessions, the networking and the camaraderie. "The warm welcome received from everyone set the tempo for great networking sessions. I look forward to IFAI Tent Expo 2009 to continue to develop industry relationships," said Hartwig Birszwilks of Julius Heywinkel GmbH, Germany.

Nationally-known branding expert, consultant and speaker Rick Barrera was the keynote speaker. Barrera explored the failings of the cliché "Under-promise and over-deliver," from his best-selling business book, Overpromise and Overdeliver: Secrets of Unshakable Customer Loyalty.

"In today's crowded market, that strategy is a one-way ticket to oblivion," Barrera said. He demonstrated how changing that strategy to "over-promise and over-deliver" has allowed a number of cutting-edge firms to build breakthrough brands in record time - all while creating unshakable customer loyalty.

Leslie Haddad of Herculite Products was a return participant in the IFAI Tent Conference. "I come to IFAI Tent Conference to find out what the future of the tent rental industry is. I want to learn global market trends and change with them, and learn new ways to do business," Haddad said.

The TRD Life Safety Task Force introduced its new "Training for the Tent Installer" program to Tent Rental Division members. The program is designed to teach tent installers how to positively influence the safety of a tented event and ensure the success of their companies.

"Our goal is increase safety best practices by providing training opportunities for tent installers," said Jim Reyen of Eureka! Tents, the TRD Life Safety Task Force chairman. "No one is better positioned than the tent installers to ensure that every tented event is a success for both their company and increase the safety of the industry as a whole." The next training session is March 12, 2008, at Camarillo Ranch - Camarillo, Calif.

Click here

to register and watch a new workshop overview video.

Thirty supplier companies were on hand during the vendors' fair, where attendees perused tabletop displays, finding new products and making purchasing decisions.

Winners of TRD Award of Excellence contest were announced during the awards luncheon. Winning companies were:

# Party Rental Category:

HDO Productions, Northbrook, Ill.

# Commercial Tent Rental Category:

Roder Zelt-und Versanstaltunsserve, Budinger, Germany

# Tent Manufacturing:

TopTec Products LLC, Laurens, S.C.

# TRD Best of Show:

Eventequip, Landsdale, Pa.

The Tent Conference also marked the start of new terms within TRD leadership. New officers are Kathy Schaefer of Glawe Tent and Awning, chairwoman, and Jim Reyen of Eureka! Tents, vice chairman. New steering committee members are Ken Keberle of Classic Prime, Phoenix; Jim Bach of Apres Party Rental, Edina, Minn.; and Sam Wodetzki of American Pavilion, Danville, Ill.

Outgoing board members are Jim Gallagher of Chicago and Todd Dalland of FTL Ventures, New York.

The IFAI Tent Conference is designed for leaders in the tent rental industry, including tent manufacturers, crew chiefs and others. The Tent Rental Division of IFAI organizes the biannual IFAI Tent Conference and biannual IFAI Tent Expo. More information can be found at the TRD Web site.

For more information on IFAI Tent Expo 2009, contact Jan Schieffer, IFAI Tent Rental Division Managing Director, at +1 651 225 6944, or jmschieffer@ifai.com.

Awnings Today Message Will Now Reach Audiences On You Tube & Discovery Home Channel

A promotional video produced about the PAMA-sponsored Awning Energy Study conducted by the University of Minnesota's Center for Sustainable Building Research has been distributed to the media and was posted to You Tube this month.

The "Energy Efficient Home Upgrades" video can be viewed both on the Awnings Today consumer Web site at www.awningstoday.com, or by clicking here to go to You Tube. You can also find the video on the You Tube homepage by searching different phrases (i.e., awnings, home upgrades). The video features an interview with John Carmody, Directory of the Center for Sustainable Building Research at the University of Minnesota, discussing the Awning Energy Study, Awnings in Residential Buildings: The Impact on Energy Use and Peak Demand.

It also features PAMA Member and Awnings Today participant Gary Buermann of G & J Awning discussing the benefits of using awnings on the home, and some of the attractive features of modern awnings including a wide selection of fabrics and remote controls. You can read more about the Awning Energy Study in the January issue of Specialty Fabrics Review Magazine.

One of the key strategies for Year Two of the Awnings Today PR campaign was to take advantage of Internet tools to promote awnings and awning benefits. The posting on You Tube is evidence that we are doing just that, and that our campaign is successful in reaching millions of viewers nationwide. The posting on You Tube is a milestone for IFAI/PAMA.

Awnings on the Discovery Home Channel

The Awnings Today campaign will receive broadcast exposure on the national network Discover Home Channel. The Discovery Home Channel is being rebranded as Discovery PlanetGreen (planetgreen.discovery.com), the first-ever 24-hour television network dedicated solely to green lifestyle programming.

Their new home improvement show program will feature a special segment on awnings by replacing an old awning over a door with a new, fabric awning. PAMA member Donnie Powell Jr. of Van Nuys Awning Company Inc, Van Nuys, CA will do the installation on the show. He was chosen because of his willingness to participate and his proximity to the producers' studios. Donnie's interview will discuss the eco-friendly benefits of awnings as part of the installation segment. We do not know when exactly the program will be aired, but we'll keep you posted.

For more information about Awnings Today PR campaign contact Michelle Sahlin, PAMA Managing Director, at +1 651 225 6948 or mesahlin@ifai.com.

New--IFAI Online Educational Presentation Thinking Beyond the Sign:
Opportunities in New and Unusual Textile Graphic Markets

This past September at Graph Expo in Chicago, IFAI Vice President and Publisher Mary Hennessy conducted a seminar on new products and markets that inspire thinking beyond traditional flags and banners when exploring printing on textiles.This presentation is now online, and provides viewers with valuable business-building insights on how textile printing offers profit opportunities in unique and unexpected ways.

The presentation illustrates a range of products: Awnings, event tents, concert staging, soft-sided truck covers, boat covers, shade structures and trade show exhibits--and examines the opportunities and challenges of each product.

Consider trade show graphics: Over their life span they are shipped from one location to another, racking up hefty freight charges. Suppose you could produce the same bright and vibrant graphics on material so lightweight, compact and sturdy that your customer's freight and storage charges were negligible?

This presentation shows outstanding examples that will enable you to provide your customers greater added value. Click here to watch now.

For additional insights into the Fabric Graphics market, read award-winning Fabric Graphics Magazine, the bimonthly publication for professionals who need expert technical information about applying graphics to fabric.

Members get answers--Unlimited sourcing information and technical help

Our members frequently cite the value of their access to our toll-free Information Central Hotline as one of the best perks of IFAI membership. This year we responded to approximately 1,100 inquiries. A large portion of the volume is requests for assistance in sourcing fabrics, hardware, services and other components. IFAI members are always our first source for referral. We also have noted a trend toward technical questions, particularly concerning standards, building codes and regulations.

Don't let a question or problem sidetrack your business. IFAI's Information Central experts can help put your business back on track.

Supply and trade name questions, testing standard issues and problems with building codes can quickly put your projects on hold. Avoid losing valuable time and money searching for answers and solutions you need: Contact IFAI's Information Central.

Building codes, fabric specs, you name it, we can help you find it.

A call, e-mail or fax will put you directly in contact with experienced textile professionals who have been answering some of the specialty fabrics industry's most daunting questions for years, including:

• "I'm bidding on a government job--where do I find fabric that meets military specifications?"
• "The fabric I used for an interior project meets NFPA 701,but my local building code official says it needs to meet ASTM E84. What's the difference?
• "Does anyone make truck cover fabric that's 10 feet wide?"

Technical questions

We answer questions for IFAI members, free of charge. IFAI members have unlimited access to our experts -- ask as many questions as you want. We're here to help.

Referral program

Thousands of manufacturers call our Information Central hotline throughout the year looking for sources of supply. Now your company, as an IFAI member, can become part of our member-to-member referral program!

As an exclusive benefit of your membership in IFAI, you are eligible to have your products and services listed in our searchable Information Central database, the primary tool used by our technical staff to assist IFAI members in locating the sources they need.

You can reach the IFAI Information Central hotline at 800 328 IFAI (800 328 4324) or click here to send an e-mail.