United States Industrial Fabrics Institute

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United States Industrial Fabrics Institute
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Goals

• To identify, assess and act upon issues which
  affect the future of USIFI member companies

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Standing Together

• We cultivate strategic alliances to speak for the
  industry with one voice.
• American Manufacturers Trade Action Coalition
  (AMTAC)
• National Textile Association (NTA),
• National Coalition of Textile Organizations
  (NCTO)
• National Association of Manufacturers (NAM)
• American Apparel Footwear Association (AAFA)
• Parachute Industry Association (PIA)
• The Tent Rental Division of IFAI (TRD)
• We lobby for fair trade, a level global playing
  field for U.S. goods, and for support and
  enforcement of the Berry Amendment.

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Learning Together

• We educate and connect through
• Outlook Conference
• Lobby Days
• IFAI Expo Educational Seminars
• Action Alerts and Briefing Papers

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Working together

• We work together to better our industry through
  these USIFI standing committees
• Military Homeland Defense Committee
• Specifications Committee
• Government and Legislative Committee
• Conference Events Committee
• Commerce Partnerships
• Membership Committee
• As action items are identified, additional
  committees can be activated.

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Building business together

• We cooperate with the Department of Commerce
  (DOC), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS),
  and the Department of Defense (DoD) to identify
  domestic and global market opportunities for
  technical textiles.
• We track import data, market size and trends in
  key market segments.
• We study military tent procurement practices.
• We identify untapped markets.

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Setting the standards together

• We work with the Defense Supply
• Center Philadelphia (DSCP), Natick
• Soldier Center, and all military
• branches to update and revise
• specifications for industrial fabrics
• used in military applications.

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Who we are
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• Coalition of United Statesspecialty fabric
  manufacturers and end users dedicated to serving
  the interests of member companies in domestic and
  international marketplaces.

Represents all facets of technical fabric supply
chain
manufacturing for military shelters
Leading Technical Fabric Suppliers and Military
Product Manufacturers in the United
States
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Parent Association

• 2500 members worldwide
• All segments of industrial textiles
• Raw goods
• Fibers and yarns
• Weavers, Knitters, Nonwovens
• End Product Manufacturers
• Research, Design, Educators
• Distribution
• Market and Country Niches
• www.ifai.com

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Product standards and specifications need review
to insure testing compliance and consistent
product performance. Fabrics and textile
products continue to rapidly embrace new
technology for performance enhancement and cost
reduction.
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USIFI Specification Process(based on similar
models from standards-writing organizations like
ASTM and PIA)
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USIFI Specification Process
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USIFI Specification Process
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USIFI Specification Process
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USIFI Specification Process
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USIFI Specifications Committee
Work progresses on 4 specifications 55308
20696 44423 44103 Work begins on 2 new
USIFI specifications USIFI-DOC 001 USIFI-DOC
002 Committee includes military participation
from DSCP and Natick. 55308 and 001 published
Fall 2008
Initial USIFI Specification meeting held to
determine process of updating and writing
specifications Three meeting per year schedule
developed
After 55308 is published, other military people
present additional requirements for inclusion.
Lack of progress made to replace the military
document of the same number with USIFI-DTL 55308
DLA directive to update specifications with
Industry taking the lead
1994 2003 2008
2009
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Committee Success

• Better recognized industry methods for product
  performance predictability and use of best
  standard industry technology

• Strong support and participation of
• all government agencies and
• military branches in the process,
• verification of, and acceptance of
• USIFI specification changes.

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Contact Information

• Lorne Hamilton Specifications Facilitator
• PO Box 42
• 1080 Serpent Mounds Rd.
• Keene, Ontario K0L2G0
• Canada
• P 705 295 1518
• M 705 875 1240
• E lorne.hamilton_at_nexicom.net

• Ruth Stephens
• USIFI Executive Director
• 1801 County Road B West
• Roseville MN 55113
• P 651 225 6920
• M 651 271 6741
• F 651 631 9334
• E rastephens_at_ifai.com
• W http//www.usifi.com

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• Member
  benefits
• 
  information
• 
  networking
• 
  exposure
• Member dues for IFAI are determined by business
  type and size
• USIFI dues are 1200 annually
• Companies must be members of IFAI in order to
  join USIFI.

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Thank you for your participation