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Manufacturing Industry

Technology churning the water in marine market

Bobbin, Nov, 1998 by Jules Abend

Advanced fabrics and high-tech CAD/CAM systems are boosting all segments of the marine textile market, and the benefits are reaching from the dominant original equipment manufacturers all the way down to the small after-market fabricators.

Pleasure boats come in different sizes and configurations, as do the companies that make and outfit them. One common denominator: Virtually all use textiles. And from the production angle, the industry leaders are turning more to automation for designing, cutting and sewing the goods that become tops, covers and interior furnishings.

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There are at least 1,200 original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of all sizes making fiberglass boats in the United States, according to some estimates. And industry insiders say that the top 20 companies probably manufacture 70 percent of the vessels. But this is just skimming the surface: After-market fabricators also are key participants in the marine market and exist in the thousands. This includes the artisans who fashion, among other things, custom textile products such as seats, curtains, draperies, covers and tops for custom boat makers and boat owners. These fabricators usually - but not always tend to be small operations. Additionally, many OEM contractors sew interior furnishings, tops and covers for the major boat producers and are a significant part of the infrastructure. Thus, their operations often are quite large and have state-of-the-art production equipment. The major boat makers also have in-house cutting and sewing operations for portions, if not all, of their textile product needs.

Marine textiles are usually purchased from wholesalers that stock inventories from specialized resources such as woven marine fabric leader Glen Raven Mills, which acquired its major competitor, Dickson Elberton Mills, this past May. Most in the industry note that a middleman tier is necessary in a business where so many entrepreneurial fabricators and boat builders buy small amounts of yardage. However, marine textile distribution is changing, and it's become a touchy issue among distributors who state that, more and more, the mills are selling directly to the boat companies.

As for the most popular fabrics used today, the mainstay is solution-dyed acrylic, followed by vinyl, vinyl laminated over polyester and coated vinyl. Also coming on strong is solution-dyed polyester, especially for boat trailer covers, because it is more dimensionally stable than acrylic when subjected to highway speeds and buffeting winds. Obviously, the popular fabrications are mildew and rot resistant. That's why cotton canvas, although it is still used in some regions, isn't a factor for tops any longer. Cottons do enter the picture, however, for curtains, draperies and seat covers.

From the Industry Perch

To examine the industry in some detail, Bobbin asked participants and suppliers in the market to offer their views on their special niches.

Custom Marine Canvas. Katie Bradford, master fabric craftsman (MFC) and owner of Custom Marine Canvas, has been in the marine business 13 years and knows it inside and out. She operates a four-person, low-tech shop in Noank, CT, that serves custom boat builders and boat owners. Prior, she worked as a sail maker.

If you look at the number of aftermarket fabricators in the industry, the impression is that they constitute a numerically large, geographically scattered group of skilled specialists. But in a sense, they're like residents of a small community where people are connected. And gregarious Bradford, who is still using old sewing equipment, including an Adler and three Singers, is well known for the helping-hand advice and expertise she offers to her peers.

Although her tools may not be the latest in terms of technology, Bradford knows and sews high-tech fabrics. Looking at the materials she has to work with, the fabricator says, "The textiles are changing every day. For example, in solution-dyed acrylic, they've redesigned the solutions that create the reds and the browns, making them much more stable. Those colors were traditionally the least reliable. Now the suppliers can offer five-year warranties. Also, they're coming up with better and better waterproofing. And the solution-dyed polyesters [have been improved]. In the early days the goods were so abrasive that [when] used as trailer covers, they would rub off the boat finishes."

The certified MFC, who does interiors as well as tops and covers, will use cottons on an interior if a boat is climate-controlled to prevent mildew. Otherwise, she notes, Glen Raven has a line of acrylic furniture fabrics that lend themselves to draperies as well. Although she can only estimate, Bradford figures that for powerboats, possibly 20 yards of material are used for exteriors and 30 yards for interiors.

She reflects: "Being a fabricator isn't a lucrative business. There's a lot of overhead in running a marine operation. But I think the one thing that stands out in this particular industry is the great sense of camaraderie. There's plenty of work for everybody."

Manufacturing Industry

Technology churning the water in marine market

Bobbin, Nov, 1998 by Jules Abend

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