Bret Kelley has officially begun his tenure as president of Trivantage^®, and for our first issue of Market Corner in 2024, we asked him to share his message to our customers and thoughts on how Trivantage can deliver for you.

What are your goals as president of Trivantage?
First and foremost, it is important to me that I have a clear understanding of customer preferences, which is why I spent the second half of 2023 visiting and listening to our customers in one-on-one meetings. Only through active listening will Trivantage continue to deliver a best-in-class, end-to-end experience. I also want to better understand what is working well, those areas to emphasize, and where we have areas of opportunity. I have no doubt our customers can count on Trivantage for innovative new products and services, and I value their input on how we can deliver for them.

How would you describe the evolution of Trivantage in recent years?
Trivantage is not the same company it was five years ago, and it won’t be the same company five years from now. This is due in no small part to how our company takes the long view with a drive to improve mindset and exemplifies high integrity and determined resolve. We also are forward thinkers, and to that end, we remain focused on an omnichannel environment, which provides customers with a seamless brand experience regardless of channel. Given increased shopping habits through technological advancements, including for online, mobile, and app experiences, we must identify new and different ways to connect with our customers and move their business forward.

What’s your message to Trivantage customers?
At our core, we remain firmly committed to their success and will work very hard to earn their business each and every day. They can count on Trivantage to listen and understand areas we need to emphasize and where we have opportunities to improve. There is always room to improve. We must lean into the strong partnerships we have developed for more than two decades and really listen to what our customers are telling us. If we all get a little better at what we do each day, the tide will lift everyone’s boat.

In the latest episode of “Talking Textiles,” a live podcast produced by Advanced Textiles Association, our very own Keith Purves joined a panel discussion on the state of the marine industry and tips for teaching and learning the craft. Purves, business development and training manager for Trivantage^®, is a marine industry veteran, having operated a custom marine canvas shop for 20 years prior to joining Trivantage.

The podcast, hosted by Marine Fabricators Association member Kyle Van Damme, seeks to inspire the next generation of textile professionals. Purves and the panel delved into trade careers, including hiring for character, teaching skills necessary to succeed, learning a craft, and managing a multi-generational staff. They also discussed building an “environment of belonging” and ended their conversation with succession planning and how to prepare for selling your business, topics Purves knows well.

“I grew up in this business, and my experiences as a fabricator have helped to shape my career,” Purves said. “There’s nothing that gives me a greater sense of value than when I can share my experiences and help make someone’s job easier, better, faster, or more profitable.”

Purves is immediate past chair of MFA, longtime member of ATA, and was honored with the 2022 Outstanding Volunteer Award from the industry organizations.

Click here to listen to the podcast.

When Faith Roberts, owner of Banner Canvas in Ham Lake, Minnesota, left bridal design in 1986 to pursue a career in marine fabrication, she sought out an industry expert for advice. That’s when she met the late Bob Weldon, former branch manager at Trivantage.

“Bob was a wonderful friend and mentor,” Roberts recalled. “He did a lot for me and for our industry.” In the early days, when Roberts had a question about dying fabrics or where to find a finishing company, Weldon was ready with an answer: “I could always rely on Bob to help me figure out a problem.”

Roberts has worked in the marine fabrication industry for more than 40 years, but perhaps her most impressive accolade is that she purchased the company she worked for — and her current company, Banner Canvas — after only a year of experience. “When the owners were ready to sell, they thought I had the right talent to take over and keep the brand name strong,” she said.

Roberts built her robust clientele solely through word of mouth, noting: “Potential customers would approach me because they had seen my work at their friends’ houses.” When asked how she provides value to her customers, she explained the importance of technicality. “You have to understand the products and how one product is better for a certain location and project than another,” she said. “This comes with an understanding of the market and fabric engineering.”

When asked what makes a good supplier, Roberts emphasized the importance of relationships and drew parallels to her partnership with Trivantage.

“The truly best suppliers invest their time and develop a long-term relationship — I know I can call them if I have any questions,” she said. “Bob was a true partner and did not view our customer relationship as transactional.”

Today, Roberts relies on Trivantage account representative T.J. McGillis, who has guided her through several projects. She also turned to Trivantage to outfit a 30-foot slipper launch, a traditional Thames River pleasure boat. It was fabricated with Sunbrella^® marine fabric in Ivy and Hemlock Tweed.

For more information on how Trivantage can assist with your next project, contact your sales representative, shop trivantage.com, or call us at 800-786-1876. Be sure to contact your sales representative and share your story with us and we may include it in a future Market Corner.

We are equal parts thrilled and proud to share that Keith Purves has been promoted to Business Development and Training Manager for Trivantage. In his new role, our long-time outside sales representative in Florida will focus on expanding our portfolio of products and leading internal and external product application training.

Keith joined Trivantage in 2013 after a 20-year career operating his family business, Riverside Covers, a custom marine canvas shop. He is a current chair of Marine Fabricators Association (MFA), longtime member of Advanced Textiles Association (ATA), and was honored with the 2022 Outstanding Volunteer Award from the industry organizations.

According to Bret Kelley, vice president of sales for Trivantage: “Not only has Keith been highly successful in his sales position, but his unique skill sets and expertise as a fabricator have made him a highly valued resource and problem-solver for our customers and a training resource for our team.”

During the transition period, Keith will continue to work closely with customers as we work to fill the open outside sales position.

Please join us in congratulating Keith on his new position, and if you have not yet met him, your sales representative would be happy to facilitate an introduction for a conversation on how to solve a problem you may be having.

At Trivantage®, we are continually seeking ways to partner with our customers on ways to save fabric waste from entering landfills. Our parent company Glen Raven holds itself to high standards of environmental consciousness, and Trivantage is proud to support this effort across our footprint.

For more than 50 years, Sunbrella has recycled acrylic manufacturing waste and delivered it to partners who repurpose the materials into industrial products, including felt, insulation, padding, and filtration. In addition, all packaging waste is recycled at Sunbrella manufacturing facilities. This is an ongoing journey for Glen Raven, and eco-friendly practices like these demonstrate our joint commitment to the environment.

To bolster these efforts, the Recycle My Sunbrella and Recycle My FIRESIST programs were created to allow domestic consumers to participate in the recycling process. These are unique take-back programs that offer a sustainable alternative to disposing fabric scraps, awning covers, boat covers, and upholstery fabric for Sunbrella and FIRESIST. The Recycle My Sunbrella program alone has collected nearly one million pounds of fabric that otherwise would have ended up in landfills.

For details on how to recycle your fabrics, including shipping instructions and guidelines for recycling, please visit trivantage.com. You also have the option to drop Sunbrella and FIRESIST fabrics at your nearest Trivantage fulfillment center, which will inspect the fabrics upon arrival.

We look forward to working with you on sustainability initiatives that address our collective environmental responsibilities. If you have any questions, please call your local sales representative or contact us at 1-800-786-1876.

Have you visited our Resource Center lately? If not, be sure to check it out and quickly find the answers you need from a variety of resources available from Trivantage.

Need a product catalog? You can download a PDF from the center that details over 9,000 products to choose from, backed by our commitment to having the largest inventory.

Have questions about a warranty? We’ve got answers at the Resource Center. You also can learn about industry-favored brands and read up on how to clean your fabrics.

The center also includes rich details on our in-depth product guides, FAQs on all things Trivantage and doing business with us, and helpful guides on some of the products we carry.

We think you’ll agree the Trivantage Resource Center has all the essentials for your next project. Consider the center as your one stop for product details, industry knowledge, and getting around our website – and then deliver the wow factor on your next customer project.

We would like to share two video updates with you: Awning Composer™, our ultimate software solution for awning fabricators, and a final message from IFAI Expo on how, after all we’ve collectively managed in the last two years, there’s nothing quite like being together.

Awning Composer is an easy-to-use rendering software designed to move projects to production in half the time. As Mark Stiver, Director of eCommerce for Trivantage explains in this video, the idea is as simple as the promise: Instead of asking customers to imagine an awning, the software allows you to show it to them.

We value your input, which is why our customer care teams stand ready to help you every step of the way. As sales representative Hofler Williams noted at the Expo, let’s continue to work together to build our partnership.

To see how Trivantage is committed to exceptional service, hassle-free ordering, and having the largest inventory and product availability for the industries we serve, please contact your sales representative, shop on trivantage.com, or call us at 800-786-1876.

The results are in and the responses were overwhelming. Thank you to everyone who completed our Market Corner survey to let us know how we can enhance our monthly e-newsletter and blog to better serve you. Your input was invaluable to ensure Trivantage® provides you with information you find relevant to strengthen your business and better serve your customers.

Sixty-five percent of respondents indicated they were most interested in product information, and this issue highlights three products to keep in mind for spring and summer projects. This also is the first issue of Market Corner in a new template designed to keep the newsletter fresh and top-of-mind in your inbox. Our goal is to be a resource for you and our newsletter is part of our commitment to provide you with even greater access to content developed with your business in mind.

We’ve also refreshed our social pages; click on the following to access: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn. If you haven’t done so already, be sure to follow us and share details of your projects for a chance to be featured on our social pages, or as part of a Customer Spotlight in a future issue of Market Corner.

Thank you again for sharing your voice. Please contact your sales representative at any time with your questions or comments.

We are pleased to share that Trivantage® uses 100% renewable electricity for its facilities. This is a significant milestone for our company and it also supports our parent company’s global sustainability initiative.

For Trivantage, this means we use renewable electricity for 100% of the power demand in all our facilities by matching this power with renewable energy certificates from sources like hydroelectric, solar, and biomass. This achievement represents our ongoing commitment to being an industry leader in reducing environmental impact. We’re proud to be powering our facilities from 100% renewable electricity, and we will continue to educate ourselves and empower others within our industry for a lasting future.

When Glen Raven launched its Corporate Sustainability Report in 2021 it detailed a global commitment to holding itself to high standards of social and environmental consciousness. As Glen Raven’s distribution subsidiary, Trivantage is proud to work alongside our colleagues in this effort.

We look forward to sharing our company’s sustainability journey and welcome your comments at any time.For more information, please contact your Customer Care Team or call us at 800.786.1876.