Design Spotlight

Project showcase: Houston Tents & Events

December 1, 2023

Looking at the photographs from the wedding and reception, no one would ever guess just how difficult the installation was for Houston Tents & Events in Houston, Texas. “This couple had the dream of hosting their wedding behind the original ranch home on their 110,000-acre property in South Texas,” recalls Darren Randle, the company’s founder …

Installation Spotlight

TenTen Crew tents the Goodwood Festival of Speed

December 1, 2023

Billed as “the world’s greatest celebration of motorsport and car culture,” the Goodwood Festival of Speed takes place each summer on the famous grounds of Goodwood House in West Sussex, England. A 17th-century estate seems an unlikely place to stage a motorsport festival, but it is one of the most prestigious racing events in the …

Features

Themed events: transforming venues, transporting guests

December 1, 2023

Every event offers opportunities and challenges, but this is especially true for those designed around a specific theme. On the one hand, having this kind of “outline” can be handy for kicking off the creative process. But on the other hand, themed events typically come with lots of moving parts, relying on details large and …

Features

Going high tech with RFID

December 1, 2023

From cattle to casinos to rental cars, radio frequency identification or RFID technology is making inroads across a myriad of industries, including the tent industry, as manufacturers and event rental companies turn to RFID tags to streamline production and help manage inventory.  According to Mathieu De Backer, vice president of innovation and sustainability with Avery …

Features

Multigenerational workplaces: Challenges and opportunities

December 1, 2023

In today’s workforce it’s difficult to bring in new, younger workers and make them feel engaged and productive. And with older workers delaying retirement, companies now must grapple with adapting to multigenerational workforces.  Steve Belliveau, sales manager at Anchor Industries Inc., which produces tents, frames and awnings, says the industry cannot survive without what he …

Business

Insurance adviser auditions

December 1, 2023

Organizations are navigating one of the toughest insurance markets that has been experienced in decades.  Many companies are facing increased rates, retentions, restrictions in coverages and terms and reluctance from carriers to write their business with limited competition. Add on top of that the pressure of managing evolving risks and emerging trends, and you get …

Business

Safety inspections

December 1, 2023

This article provides guidance on conducting workplace safety inspections for safety officers and other workers who are assigned responsibility for safety but do so in addition to their regular assignments. Workplace inspections are an important tool for identifying hazards and resolving them. Set up a schedule to inspect the workplace on a regular basis— perhaps …

Business

Multigenerational struggles

December 1, 2023

Hello and welcome to the second column of the Covered Conversations series brought to you by the Tent Rental Division (TRD) and TRD board. As the youngest member of the current board, it is only fitting that I get to write about multigeneration workplaces. Let me introduce myself: My name is Kyle Richardson, Operations Manager …

Industry News

EventWorks, Quest Events merge

November 30, 2023

EventWorks, a Southeast event rental provider, and Quest Events, a drape and scenic elements provider, unveiled their strategic combination, marking a significant milestone in the event industry. The merger brings together two esteemed organizations to fortify strengths, broaden reach and deliver an unparalleled full-service experience to event professionals. EventWorks and Quest Events will seamlessly integrate …

Industry News

U.S. to double the number of H-2B visas for 2024

November 20, 2023

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in consultation with the Department of Labor (DOL), said that it expects to make an additional 64,716 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas available for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024. The additional H-2B visas are on top of the congressionally-mandated 66,000 that are available each fiscal year, and represent the maximum …

Expo News

IFAI Expo 2022 call for presentations

December 20, 2021

The Industrial Fabrics Association International is now accepting proposals for presentations at IFAI Expo 2022. IFAI Expo will take place Oct. 12-14, 2022, at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, N.C., with education Oct. 11-14. IFAI is accepting proposals for 50-minute classroom sessions in several categories: Advanced Textiles Shade & Weather Protection Specialty Fabrics Marine …

Expo News

IFAI Expo: Leveraging rental tents during and after the pandemic

November 4, 2021

Jim Reyen, business director at Johnson Outdoors Inc./Eureka! Big Tents Division, presented the campfire session “Leveraging Rental Tents During and After the COVID Pandemic” at IFAI Expo in Nashville, Tenn. During the session, Reyen explained the changing demands for tents throughout various stages of the pandemic. “The first wave of tent demand ran from March …

Expo News

IFAI Expo: How to outsell your competition

November 3, 2021

During the education session “Outselling Your Competition: Four Activities Your Sales Team Must Be Doing Post-COVID” at IFAI Expo 2021 in Nashville, Tenn., James Auerbach, vice president—event segment for the American Rental Association, shared four measurable and respectable pillars that all salespeople must excel at in order to outsell their competition. Referred to as the …

Expo News

IFAI Expo: Shade sail engineering software

November 2, 2021

On Nov. 2, 2021, at IFAI Expo in Nashville, Tenn., Timothy Akes, representative for the Americas, MPanel Software Solutions, and Andrew Askwith, senior software developer, MPanel Software Solutions, presented the education session “Shade Sail Engineering—It’s Not Just a Bunch of Numbers.” According to Akes, there is a tendency for shade sail engineering to be relegated …

ATA News

Messe Stuttgart’s Sun Shading Expo North America moves co-location debut with IFAI Expo to 2022

July 7, 2021

Messe Stuttgart announced that its new U.S.-based show Sun Shading Expo North America will not be held in 2021 as a separate trade show but will instead contribute its expertise in internal and external sun shading systems at IFAI Expo 2021 in the form of expert talks, open discussions and more. IFAI Expo 2021 will still take place …

Expo News

Registration is open for IFAI Expo 2021

May 10, 2021

Registration is open for IFAI Expo 2021. IFAI Expo celebrates the 100th anniversary of the show this November, and you won’t want to miss it! After a long hiatus of in-person events, this year’s show is the perfect place to reconnect with your industry. Register now to get the Early Bird rate! Early Bird rates end …

Expo News

Standard for active illumination developed in Europe

November 16, 2020

In a session at IFAI Virtual Expo 2020, “Smart Textiles Standardization, Active Illumination,” Dr. Jan Beringer, senior scientific expert Hohenstein Group, explained the new standard for active illumination that will soon be implemented in European Union countries.  Organizations worked together to develop the standards. It is notable, he said that both textile and electronics industries …

Expo News

Rapid prototyping = faster market launch

November 16, 2020

A presentation at IFAI Virtual Expo 2020, titled, “Rapid Prototyping and Textile Product Development” urged attendees to use “sticks and glue … whatever method you have to get your idea out there.” The presenter, Dr. Andre West, director of the Zeis Textiles Extension (ZTE), Wilson College of Textiles, NC State University, may not have meant …

Expo News

Textile industry leaders call for policy changes to support U.S. production of PPE

November 13, 2020

The U.S. textile industry has stepped up to meet the demand for face masks, medical gowns, wipes and other products necessary to combat the coronavirus pandemic, but it needs policy changes from Washington so that the U.S. is not caught off-guard again in a future crisis, according to association leaders speaking at Industrial Fabrics Association …

Expo News

The larger issues in respiratory protection

November 12, 2020

Dr. Bryran Ormond, assistant professor, Wilson College of Textiles, NC State explained respiratory protection in an “Ask an Expert” session with Jing Liang, Medical PPE Consulting LLC. Dr. Ormand has typically worked in the area of chemical and biological protective equipment, but with the onslaught of the pandemic, began to focus on respiratory protection generally, …

Features

Themed events: transforming venues, transporting guests

December 1, 2023

Every event offers opportunities and challenges, but this is especially true for those designed around a specific theme. On the one hand, having this kind of “outline” can be handy for kicking off the creative process. But on the other hand, themed events typically come with lots of moving parts, relying on details large and …

Features

Going high tech with RFID

December 1, 2023

From cattle to casinos to rental cars, radio frequency identification or RFID technology is making inroads across a myriad of industries, including the tent industry, as manufacturers and event rental companies turn to RFID tags to streamline production and help manage inventory.  According to Mathieu De Backer, vice president of innovation and sustainability with Avery …

Features

Multigenerational workplaces: Challenges and opportunities

December 1, 2023

In today’s workforce it’s difficult to bring in new, younger workers and make them feel engaged and productive. And with older workers delaying retirement, companies now must grapple with adapting to multigenerational workforces.  Steve Belliveau, sales manager at Anchor Industries Inc., which produces tents, frames and awnings, says the industry cannot survive without what he …

Features

Finding (and keeping) good employees

October 1, 2023

As the world adjusted to life during COVID restrictions, tents were in greater demand; however, finding people willing and able to take on the work during those early months of the pandemic was particularly difficult, says David Darby, wedding and event rental specialist at Colonial Heights, Virginia-based Rent-E-Quip.  Eli Tirado, tenting manager at South Jersey …

Features

Tent cleaning & repair tips

October 1, 2023

During the busy season, when parties, events, weddings, festivals and so on have kicked into relatively high gear, tents are going out, coming back in and then going out again. While all of this activity is welcomed by tent rental companies, it does pressure them to ensure their inventories are up to the task, and …

Features

2023 Premier Product Showcase

October 1, 2023

Customization, fast installation, easy handling and style—these are the qualities that tent and event rental companies demand. For the annual InTents Premier Product Showcase, we asked our contributors to send us information about their latest products and services that help save tent rental companies time and labor, perform safer installations and turn a profit.  This …

Features Members only content

Industry veterans

August 1, 2023

In 2022, we spoke with several of our “Leaders under 40” to find out how they viewed the industry and what attracted them to get involved with it. This year, we wanted to talk to some of our industry veterans and we asked readers to nominate individuals they felt should be recognized for their decades …

Features Members only content

Retirement planning: The long road to letting go

August 1, 2023

Owners of smaller, independent tent and event rental companies face plenty of decisions when contemplating their retirement. One of these is how, or even if, the company will continue after the owner’s exit. There are several possible options. For example, a family-owned business may continue on as such if other family members are interested in …

Features Members only content

Multistory tents

August 1, 2023

Shawn Smith is sitting in a tent on the 17th green at TPC Sawgrass, a celebrated golf course in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. It’s a typical sunny morning in the middle of February, and Smith, who is responsible for product development and quality control for Shaffer Sports & Events, one of the leading sports event …

Awards

Readers’ Choice Awards 2023

June 1, 2023

We asked InTents readers to vote for the best of the best in 15 categories. Which companies, products and services do InTents readers depend on to run their businesses? What tent rental industry supplier always comes through when you need them? Which piece of equipment saves time and labor? And what services do you depend …

Industry News

EventWorks, Quest Events merge

November 30, 2023

EventWorks, a Southeast event rental provider, and Quest Events, a drape and scenic elements provider, unveiled their strategic combination, marking a significant milestone in the event industry. The merger brings together two esteemed organizations to fortify strengths, broaden reach and deliver an unparalleled full-service experience to event professionals. EventWorks and Quest Events will seamlessly integrate …

Industry News

U.S. to double the number of H-2B visas for 2024

November 20, 2023

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in consultation with the Department of Labor (DOL), said that it expects to make an additional 64,716 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas available for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024. The additional H-2B visas are on top of the congressionally-mandated 66,000 that are available each fiscal year, and represent the maximum …

News

Advanced Textiles Expo attracts thousands to Orlando

November 14, 2023

Advanced Textiles Association (ATA) completed its debut of Advanced Textiles Expo, formerly known as IFAI Expo, Nov. 1–3, in Orlando, Fla., USA.  This year’s event was again collocated with Sun Shading Expo North America, which is organized by Messe Stuttgart, the founders of R + T, the world’s leading trade fair for roller shutters, doors/gates and …

Industry News

ARA quarterly forecast shows slower growth, resilient markets

November 13, 2023

The ARA (American Rental Association) updated forecast indicates that the U.S. equipment rental industry’s growth will soften but still grow. Last quarter, the year-over-year growth was expected to be 7.6% in 2023 and 3.1% in 2024. The most current projections indicate 11.8% growth in 2023 totaling $71.5 billion in construction and general tool rental revenue. …

Industry News

In memoriam: Grace Velazco

November 13, 2023

Grace Velazco, 53, Ventura, Calif., died Oct. 24, 2023. Velazco was employed by Phoenix-based PRO EM National Event Services and during her career as an event planner contributed to events including the Rose Bowl, the Oscars and PGA Championships. Velazco was born in Santa Paula, CA to Daniel and Mary Medrano on July 27th 1970. …

Industry News

Glamping tents fabric market to reach $1.9 billion

November 8, 2023

Allied Market Research published a report, titled, “Glamping Tents Fabric Market by Fabric (Cotton, Polycotton, PVC, Polyester, Others), and Application (1 Person Glamping Tents, 2 Person Glamping Tents, Family Sized Glamping Tents, Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2023-2032.” According to the report, the tents fabric market was valued at $0.6 billion in 2022 and …

Company News

MacFarlands Events opens new facility in Halifax, Nova Scotia

October 18, 2023

MacFarlands Events, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, has opened a new facility at 461 Higney Ave. in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, to serve the Atlantic Canadian event community. Situated on a 5.8-acre lot, the 21,000-sq.-ft. facility features a showroom, offices and warehouse area. MacFarlands Events has serviced Atlantic Canada’s event industry for more than six decades with …

Industry News

Import cargo, spending growth slowing

October 11, 2023

Import cargo volume at the nation’s major container ports has already hit its expected peak for the year and should gradually slow headed into the holiday season, according to the Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates. “Cargo volumes will still be strong the rest of the year, …

Company News

Herculite Products named one of best places to work

October 10, 2023

Herculite Products Inc., an innovator and manufacturer of high-performance and custom fabrics, announced that it has been selected by the Central Penn Business Journal and Lehigh Valley Business as one of the Best Places to Work in PA for 2023. Best Places to Work in PA identifies, recognizes, and honors the best places of employment …

News

ATA announces VISTA online sourcing directory

October 9, 2023

Advanced Textiles Association (ATA) announces an exciting new platform specifically designed to provide information on sourcing products in the textile industry year-round. VISTA by ATA is a groundbreaking online sourcing directory platform that promises to revolutionize how professionals in the textile sector source products, services and suppliers. “Sourcing is an important benefit for our membership …

Industry News

Join the National Safety Stand-Down May 6−10

May 1, 2019

Fatalities caused by falls from elevation continue to be a leading cause of death for construction employees, accounting for 366 of the 971 construction fatalities recorded in the U.S. in 2017 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data). The National Safety Stand-Down raises fall hazard awareness across the country to stop fall fatalities and injuries. What …

On the Job

Codes set for adoption

December 1, 2016

Code revision process reaches final voting stage. A proposal to regulate outdoor events regardless of the presence of tents or special event structures was approved at the Public Comment Hearing of the International Code Committee (ICC) in October. This proposal (F310-16), submitted by the Fire Code Action Committee, had been disapproved at the code committee’s …

On the Job

Site survey equals site safety

December 1, 2016

A thorough site survey communicates event needs and flags potential safety issues. Ensuring the safety of tented event participants and the tent installation crew starts at the beginning of the job. Before a single rental item is loaded onto the truck, a site survey should be completed by a qualified professional with set-up experience. A …

On the Job

TopTec training goes on the road

December 1, 2016

TopTec Event Tents, Moore, S.C., is taking its long running tent installation and safety training program on the road in 2017. The first Tent School On The Road session will be held at Rent-E-Quip in Colonial Heights, Va., March 7–8. “Our goal was to make Tent School more accessible to our customers across the United …

On the Job

Tent inspections before events ensure safety

October 1, 2016

Inspections will help avoid disaster and add years to the life of a tent. The tent is up and the event is underway. But there may still be work to be done. Especially for installations that will be up for any length of time, inspection and maintenance are top priorities for keeping the tent as …

On the Job

IFAI’s Tent Rental Division works toward standard

October 1, 2016

IFAI’s Tent Rental Division looks to write an industry standard for tent anchorage. With final voting on tent-related code revisions for the 2018 Model Code set for late October, IFAI’s Tent Rental Division (TRD) is looking ahead to writing an industry standard that could be taken up in the 2021 code cycle. “As the 2018 …

On the Job

Moving on up with multiple locations

August 1, 2016

Expanding to multiple locations offers numerous benefits, if the timing is right and both will and cash flow are strong. Delores Crum didn’t see that she had a choice. Sure, her party, tent and wedding rental store in south Austin, Texas, opened in 2000, was doing well. But up in north Austin, another rental company …

On the Job

OSHA fines increase

August 1, 2016

New law directs U.S. Department of Labor to “catch up” penalties to inflation. Fines assessed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) increased by 78 percent as of Aug. 1. OSHA’s top penalty for serious violations rises from $7,000 to $12,471, and its top penalty for willful or repeated violations rises from $70,000 to …

On the Job

Collaboration yields successful code revisions

August 1, 2016

F-CAC work group is a key factor in the code revision process for tents, membrane structures and outdoor assembly events. The International Code Council (ICC) Committee Action Hearings were held in Louisville, Ky., in April. During the International Fire Code (IFC) hearings, stakeholders representing IFAI’s Tent Rental Division (TRD), the ICC Fire Code Action Committee …

On the Job

Ballasting for safety and safety when ballasting

June 1, 2016

Learning to ballast with concrete? Follow these steps to ensure safe and efficient jobsite practices. My crew has forgotten how to use a sledgehammer. Well, not really, but it could happen. In my local tent rental market, ballasting is common. So common that the top priority for my management team has been to figure out …

Design Spotlight

Project showcase: Houston Tents & Events

December 1, 2023

Looking at the photographs from the wedding and reception, no one would ever guess just how difficult the installation was for Houston Tents & Events in Houston, Texas. “This couple had the dream of hosting their wedding behind the original ranch home on their 110,000-acre property in South Texas,” recalls Darren Randle, the company’s founder …

Installation Spotlight

TenTen Crew tents the Goodwood Festival of Speed

December 1, 2023

Billed as “the world’s greatest celebration of motorsport and car culture,” the Goodwood Festival of Speed takes place each summer on the famous grounds of Goodwood House in West Sussex, England. A 17th-century estate seems an unlikely place to stage a motorsport festival, but it is one of the most prestigious racing events in the …

Projects

Project showcase: Premier Event Rentals

October 1, 2023

When clients wanted to create a dazzling—yet challenging—wedding ceremony and reception for their daughter in the lake-filled Canadian region of Muskoka in Ontario, Canada, known as the “Hamptons of the North,” they turned to Brampton, Ont.-based Premier Event Tent Rentals Inc. to pull it off. The lakeside cottage was the perfect venue in terms of …

Installation Spotlight

Installation spotlight: Milestone Event Rental

October 1, 2023

Every event planner knows that trying to book a tent just four months before a wedding is going to be very difficult. Trying to book a tent four months before a June wedding is almost impossible. Fortunately for this particular bride, Marty Haas with Milestone Event Rental in Farmington, Minn., was determined to find a …

Projects

Project showcase: Stamford Tent & Event

August 1, 2023

Tent and event rental companies are used to making people’s dreams come true. It’s what they do—making it look easy when anyone inside the industry knows it’s anything but. So when clients request an over-the-top, spectacular, weatherproof environment to house their daughter’s wedding, it’s go-time for seasoned tent and event rental companies. The bottom line? …

Installation Spotlight

Installation spotlight: Traube Tent

August 1, 2023

DoubleTree Hotel in Chesterfield, Mo., announced the grand opening of its new tented event center in April 2023. The tent structure is a permanent building addition to the DoubleTree property that is fully climate-controlled to comfortably host special events and functions year-round for up to 400 people.  The tent structure was designed and installed by …

Installation Spotlight

Project showcase: Meyerhoff Symphony Hall

June 1, 2023

With a large hospital fundraiser coming up, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra wanted to temporarily expand its home at Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Loane Bros. Inc. was tasked with the project, which aimed to provide a climate-controlled space for cocktails, dinner and dessert for the fundraiser.  The Towson, Md., company tented outside the iconic rounded building over …

Design Spotlight

Design spotlight: Beachside winter wonderland

April 1, 2023

Staging an outdoor event in January can present a number of challenges, from blizzards to ice storms. But at this reception, held at the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club in Dana Point, Calif., the only white to be seen was on the inside of the tent. From chairs and linens to drapes and …

Installation Spotlight

Project Showcase: Formula One Grand Prix

April 1, 2023

Each year since 1978, the Formula One Grand Prix of Canada has taken place at the Parc Jean-Drapeau, a public park in the heart of Montreal, Que.—and for more than 40 of those years Montreal-based Fiesta Tents Ltd. has provided its tenting and flooring. The international event that takes place on the Saint Lawrence River …

Projects

Igloo marquees in Edinburgh

December 1, 2022

When the 2021 Edinburgh International Festival asked Worcestershire, U.K.-based Fews Marquees to provide structures for three of its performance areas, the company had no hesitation in recommending its Igloo marquees for the event. And while the job may have been more than Fews bargained for, it was a challenge worth accepting.  “Back in August last …