What Does 2013 Reveal about Fabric Curtain Walls in 2014?

2013 was a great year for the fabric curtain wall industry. Companies across the country looked for ways to better utilize their facilities to be leaner and meaner as they emerged from the doldrums of a sluggish economy. Many were adamant to shake the ways of old and consider new technology, new processes, and generally new ideas to see what had changed since the purse strings were tightened. Many looked for alternatives to traditional building methods as a viable cost savings for projects that had been moth-balled for months or years. As such, fabric curtain walls became a popular product of choice.

Flexibility is important

Fabric curtain walls were used in numerous applications in lieu of typical building methods so that the customer has the flexibility and speed to deal with not only the immediate needs in production or processes, but also any future changes that might come. Why be locked into a space or floor plan when you don’t have to be?

Cost, cost, cost

Reducing cost or improving return on investment continued to be among the top priorities with wall projects. The affordable nature of curtain walls over traditional construction, sometimes up to 70% less, proved to be important to decision makers throughout the year. Additionally, the benefits of insulated curtain walls also added to the many project cost reductions by improving energy consumption or improving efficiencies or employee comfort.

Simplicity

The overall simplicity of fabric curtain walls really seemed to ring true with customers last year. The easy, modular design of a custom built product allowed customers to use some creativity in developing the overall layout for themselves and choosing accessories as needed. Besides the simplicity of design and layout, the speed of installation, which is less of an interruption to the daily operation, was well appreciated, especially at crunch time at the end of the year.

2014 should see further growth and acceptance of these affordable solutions. Companies continue to identify areas where fabric curtain walls make sense and appreciate the overall value of a simple, cost-effective product that solves their problem.

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