I am always looking for ways to expand and recently came across an idea of expanding into truck tarps used to cover loads on semi's.
I had to deep six that idea when I seen the size. It would take a pit operation to make these behemoths and take some very strong people to shove and horse around the fabric. Some tarps weigh over 100 lbs.
I also checked the prices of current tarps and it isn't worth my time screwing around with that much fabric for such little money. I am guessing that they are being made over seas or Mexico unless some companies are getting amazing deals on vinyl. We have bulk purchasing power and get very low prices and still couldn't compete with these guys.
I am still looking though for other opportunities.
Chris
Chris. When i first moved to florida i installedd a pool amdmfor code had to installl also a baby barrier you probably seen them or have one a mesh fence about 30" tall with pole and recepti les in the de k around the pool with all the part you could do it easy and the pool guys install the deck pieces in my cool deck.
Yep. always looking for new ways to make money. But my bread and butter will always be recovering furniture.
(https://forum.upholster.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbabybarrier.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2014%2F07%2FWhite-Fence-BABY-BARRIER%C2%AE-Quality-Pool-Safety-Fence.jpg&hash=7b09453e0f3b0b1218f706e494ce85b8)
http://babybarrier.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/White-Fence-BABY-BARRIER®-Quality-Pool-Safety-Fence.jpg
this is what I meen chris maybe you could contact this guy
http://babybarrier.com/
Chris, I agree the weight of truck tarps are blasted heavy, I installed and purchased quite a few though majority were Dump and haul type trucks in the highway building industry.
Its a big industry but plenty of need and you will find the producers run Ads close in the "fleet repair" magazines as it is techs/mechanics that replace most of these tarps these days.
If in your interested product development, you find the niche market that fits your wants that would be great.
I found there truly is different fabric textiles to use. And want to help in mentioning the specific material being moved in different conditions, this sometimes is the key, I felt a pain changing them out but big jobs of a certain task this was instrumental.
I recall the very heavy materials for long heavy haul require or used the big thread.
Something I have found in bigger fleets that do bids as the norm, and even most that study the rules and benefits of particular textiles used, still key the focus on fastening for operators and almost all are automatic in an electric sense, and can be very intricate systems controlling the on signal.
In a nutshell the companies that seem to sell systems of main fastening, like the moveable aluminum bracketry are in my opinion the first producers to take a look at, though much of what is used as metal rollers parts I think you have seen plenty in your arena what I seen from the same producers is the changing or updating design of materials a real pain for stock used.
good luck with it
Floyd
Floyd:
I took a look at some of the big rig tarps and the prices. It just is not worth my time or effort to even go further in as far as looking at it. I do not know how they can sell their tarps at such low prices.
The margins are so thin that you would have to do large volumes in order to make money.
Mike:
I am not sure I want to step into an arena that has liability issues tied to it. If one kid drowned they would sue anyone and everyone associated with that baby barrier. Even if it wasn't the fault of the barrier itself.
Chris
true on the liability. way back when when I was a delivery driver I had one guy I delivered to who made dump truck roll covers and sewed the heavy mesh covers in his garage. years later when I had my bait shop and canvas shop in NH he came in for bait and we were talking e had sence retired vut he had gotton ilkl from all the dust that used to come off the thread and get all over the guides. I havnt seen that in years
anyway it had to be a pia sewing in a 2 car garage covers like that
Just had a thought Chris. How a bout gazebos?
Of course you couldn't compete with the mass produced 10' octagon ones that Wally world et al flog, but with your clientele, would there be a market for a smaller ,more "user friendly" to deploy model that would fit on a standard RV site?
I'm sure there are some days down there when the humidity gets down to where mosquitoes can fly. Poke poke grin.
Another thought comes to mind. I made some panels once for a customer in SC for the outside lanai type room. I forget if it was a home or a restaurant setting but the panels were all clear vinyl like marine windows. Simple enough and hung on hooks so they could be put up as needed. Mainly for wet weather protection. The mounting could be made differently more like a drapery rod with a 5 0r 6" sunbrella pocket on top so they would slide open.
everybody got a golfcart at a rv resort and the 55 plus parks here how about the enclosures?
OR
(https://forum.upholster.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.blog.rvshare.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F04%2FCovercraft-Rv-cover.jpg%3Fde6dcd&hash=258b7d228f381c9998ff46fe2a0cf421)
Chris while driving down little rd. The other day i was behing a pickup that had a soft cap. First time I've seen one. I have a couple pics and would post them if anyone was interested. The top was made like a boat top. It had a frame inside like a boat top, cover fully inclosed the bed. Looked good and could be reved easily or layed down.
I am trying to find something alone the lines of custom awnings, tarps. I used to do golf karts but the work was hit and miss. There is a golf kart company in Ocala that does a huge business in covers, canopies, seats, etc. They were Miami's # 1 customer in Florida and we were number 2 in volume. I guess they are still pounding out alot of work and I have no idea where we are now at in volume compared to them. MiamiMike used to watch our sales and let me know where we ranked. It was a driver for me as I wanted that number one spot. But they were doing huge volumes. :)
Ideally I would like to find another niche that I could scale nationally like we have with this business.
Something that would fit into a production setting.
Chris
Well chris golf cart and pools are not the popular everywere like rvs are everywere.
But how about truck tonnos. Of ckurse all the new one have frame. But you said nationside and production.