Marine Fabricator March/April 2020 - 28

If he does a good job with a canvas
cover, Chris Shuman of Custom Canvas
and Cushions Inc., Riviera Beach,
Fla., says expansion into new lines of
work is not difﬁcult. Happy customers
will often have other projects for
fabricators who do good work. Photo:
Custom Canvas and Cushions Inc.

Even if it leads him to challenging
projects, "My motto is if we can fit it
underneath our sewing machines or
fabric welder, bring it in and we can do
it," says Kåmark. "Understanding different templating methods has opened
multiple areas for us.
"We've designed marine windows
for buses, as well as covers or parts for
research vessels, prototypes for military
uses, slide wire canopies, custom sun
shades for amphitheaters and teak
flooring," says Kåmark. "It's all about new
ideas and spending time with research
and development. The majority of the
other shops [in the area] have been in the
business for 20 years, but we're creating
our own reputation through diversity.
"We try to keep a fresh mind," he
says, "and we're always looking for new
opportunities."
Expansion begets expansion
Chris Shuman of Custom Canvas and
Cushions Inc., in Riviera Beach, Fla.,
says expanding into new lines of business

QUALITY AND KNOWLEDGE ARE KEY
who want to expand into new lines of business can beneﬁt
F abricators
from a wide-ranging skill set, but ultimately, it's the quality of their work
that engages customers in that expansion.
"I have a pretty diverse background," says Chris Shuman, who owns
Custom Canvas and Cushions Inc. in Riviera Beach, Fla. "I was an auto
mechanic for a while, I've done upholstery, I've done electrical work
and wiring.

is simple if you've developed a reputation for doing good work.
"We get asked if we can do all kinds
of things," he explains. "We've learned
how to do things we never even dreamed
about because we're doing something
else for a customer and they trust us and
our workmanship. They feel confident
doing business with us. That's how you
develop new skill sets."
It's often a matter of convenience for
customers, according to Shuman, when
they can hire one company to do the upholstery on a boat as well as covers and
electronics. "It's a huge convenience to
be able to get everything taken care of
in one shot," he says. "If someone has to
remove and reinstall electronics, it might
as well be us.
"We've actually had to add a full-time
electronics installer to the shop because
we get so much call for that," he explains. "Now we're doing total rewires of
boats, new electronics, new stereos, new
lights-it's great to be able to say, 'We're
doing your cushions and covers; we can
replace your stereo and lights too.'"
Expansion begets expansion, Shuman
says. He's working on a plan to move
to a larger facility that will allow him
to offer even more services. "I want to
have a one-stop shop eventually," he
says. "Detailing, fiberglass and gel coat
repair, outboard engine work, you name
it-bring your boat and drop it off to get
everything done at once."

"As the conductor of the orchestra, you need to know a little bit about
everything that you're trying to expand into," he says. "You need skilled
workers and the right crew doing the work, but if you're in charge, you
need a little bit of knowledge or you could be left with all the responsibility
and not have the answers."
Getting the job done right also requires quality materials, and that's what
keeps customers coming back-as well as trusting a fabricator for different
kinds of jobs.
"You have to stay on top of the industry," says Gary Cruikshank, owner of
Custom Upholstery and Awning Center LLC, in Brainerd, Minn. "I like to try to
be more well-versed than anyone else, especially when it comes to knowing
the right product for the right project."

Thrive on unusual challenges
Gus Piccolo started as an awning
installer and then as a salesperson at a
fabrication business owned by the father
of a friend. About 16 years ago, he took
over the operation located in Royse
City, Texas, and changed the name to
Becky's Custom Canvas. He knew all
the existing customers, but he already
had bigger ideas. "I decided to spread
my wings," he says. "Why go little when
you can go big?"

28 Marine Fabricator | March/April 2020

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Marine Fabricator March/April 2020

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