Why Consider Equipment Financing?
Conserve Working Capital – Save your cash and lines of credit for emergencies.
Build Business Credit – Let your business success support purchases by establishing business credit.
Expertise. Innovation. Collaboration.
You have the tent, you have the tables, you have the chairs and the catering people are on board. Now you look at the forecast and see that the weather is going to be on the cool side. You decide that a heated tent is needed for the upcoming event to be comfortable for the guests. So what do you need to know to correctly heat the tent?
To determine the amount of heat needed for your tented event, follow this simple formula:
BTU’s of Heat needed/hour = Cubic Volume of Tent x Temperature Rise Required x .25 (Insulation Factor of a Tent)
Example:
What happens if you are using one large unit and something fails? Disaster! So ideally you would use two heaters. Using two heaters gives you a chance to get back up and running so that no one may even notice. And two sources also help to distribute the heat more evenly within the tent. So for this example, we recommend using quantity (2) 175,000 BTU/hour heaters. (Which closely approximates the calculated heat needed.)
(Another way to look up, instead of calculating the BTU’s needed for your tented event is to contact a Rainier Tent representative and request your own Heater Sizing Guide. We would be happy mail one to you!)
The next thing to determine is what fuel source is available to you, propane, or natural gas? Most box style tent heaters can be operated on propane or natural gas. Some cities will make you pull a permit for propane, which is by far the most common fuel used for temporary events. Does this apply to you? Check with your local fire marshal to find out!
So how much propane is needed for an event? This is easily calculated if you know that a gallon of propane can produce 91,600 BTU/hour. The formula is:
Gallons of Propane/Hour = BTU’s of Heat needed/hour ÷ 91,600
Using the same example as above where you needed 360,000 BTU/hr to heat the tent:
We know that the heaters should cycle on and off, but why not figure worst case scenario? If the heaters run nonstop for the entire event, and the event is 5 hours, you will need:
When using propane, how do you know if you have a large enough tank? An under-sized tank is the number one service issue when using propane heaters. Most people think that a 100 pound cylinder is enough, but often times it is not. The amount of propane vapor available for the heater varies depending on the outside temperature and how much propane is in the tank. For example, at 40° a single 100 pound cylinder can only produce 214,000 BTU/hour when full and 125,000 BTU/hour when half full. (Our Heater Sizing Guide also shows the rates of evaporation for 100lb tanks!) Connecting multiple tanks together with a two or three bottle manifold will resolve that issue.
So how many propane tanks are needed? There are about 25 gallons of propane in a 100 pound cylinder, but remember you may not have enough enough vapor to keep the heater running at full fire as temperatures drop, or more often, as tanks start to empty. The safe way to determine how many tanks you need is this simple formula:
Tanks Needed (Rounded Up) = BTU/hour needed per heater ÷ BTU/hr in tank at 50%
Continuing with the example:
By using this formula you will never run into an issue. Will there be extra propane left over? Yes. But will the customer be happy? YES! It’s cheap insurance if the event runs long or if the tanks weren’t as full as you thought. Using this formula, you can just about guarantee a successful heat job.
The final consideration for a heated tent is placement of the heaters and availability of electrical power. Most of the time the heater can be set behind the tent, where there is no traffic, and ducted under the tent wall with a heater diffuser. Sometimes local codes require the heater be set away from the tent, in which case the warm arm is ducted to the tent and under the tent wall with a duct diffuser. Also be aware of the terrain as most heaters should sit as level as possible. Finally, the propane tanks must be secured so there is no way for them to tip or get knocked over.
Most tent heaters will also require a dedicated and grounded 15 amp service. You should confirm prior to the event that there is an accessible power outlet or if the generator you are using has enough circuits.
By following these simple guidelines everyone will be warm and happy!
Safety starts a long time before you show up on the job site. Safety begins before the job is even sold. There are steps along the way that can make a difference between you and having a long and satisfying career or you ending up injured, crippled for life, or dead.
1) Bad Planning:
a. Inadequate site survey: This happens when hazards go unrecognized or unreported.
b. Not assigning enough… Time, Personnel, or Resources to do the job. Forcing crews to improvise.
2) Inadequate training of employees or crew chiefs: This is not just in safety matters. This includes all the necessary skills and information. Including the right to refuse to put themselves in harms way.
3) Bad Instructions or inadequate communications: Asking or telling the crews to accomplish something that is unsafe or dangerous. This includes language barriers and not calling 911.
4) Bad, inadequate or unsafe equipment: If it is broken, chipped, dull, worn out, under-sized or otherwise inadequate,
it does not get loaded on the truck. LADDERS!
5) Working under the influence: Of drugs (legal or otherwise) or alcohol, or knowingly working with someone who is. These things don’t happen on the spur of the moment.
6) Not using Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): You have the equipment for a reason. Use it. Depending on the state you work in, if you’re injured and you chose not to use the PPE, your insurance claim may be rejected.
7) Not being physically capable of doing the task: This includes over estimating your strength or misjudging your fatigue. This also goes for equipment. By using undersized equipment, you can be creating accidents by tipping over forklifts, dropping beams, etc. By stressing your back you can be setting yourself up for a lifetime of disability. Get help, get the right equipment, or don’t try it.
8) No task planning on site or improvising the task: Rushing in when you should take a minute to think. Using your brain to determine what your options are and doing a good common sense plan can save you a lot of grief. For every one way in, make sure you have two ways out, in case something falls or fails.
9) Bad positioning: Do not put yourself in harm’s way. Always know what is in front, behind, above and below you.
10) Not focusing: On your job or being distracted by your personal problems. Any problem you mentally bring to work with you will only be made worse by you dwelling on it and getting hurt or killed.
The Maximizer Earth Anchor is the revolutionary new ‘anchoring’ product developed specifically for the ‘holding’ requirements of tents and temporary or semi-permanent structures in the Rental Industry.
This ‘game-changing’ product boast significant benefits over conventional staking methods…
• Holding Power – Superior holding power to conventional stakes
• Lightweight – The aluminum advantage: Shipping cost, on-site handling
• Durability – Cast aluminum 356 alloy aircraft-quality, heat treated to T6 specification (NO CORROSION)
• Ease of use, Reuse-ability – Screw in, screw out. No more sledge hammering!
• Increased Productivity – Quicker installation than conventional staking
After nearly 2 years of planning and permitting, a new banquet facility has been completed at the John F. Kennedy golf course in Napa, California.
Rainier’s team, led by project designer Spencer Etzel and project manager Randy McCauley, completed the 40’ x 74’ fabric structure.
The new facility was entirely custom built and designed. Tan Ferrari fabric with two sides in standard sidewall followed up with two sides of custom glass walls. The tent includes printed gable ends, two sets of aluminum double doors, a sprinkler system, Baytex liner, sidewall drapes, fans, chandeliers, carpet, and a hardwood dance floor.
The facility will be home to weddings, banquets, and conferences. We are seeing more and more golf courses looking to create a beautiful space like this; to expand their offerings and attract a wider range of customers.
Everyone loves to see their name in lights… So offer the opportunity to your customers. Adding graphics to your tent projects can set your company apart from your local competitors, and it doesn’t require a PhD to get it done. Corporate clients will likely have logo graphics already available, suitable for large format printing. You just need the right descriptive words to get the proper files for print production. The best source for corporate logos and graphics are the clients advertising agency or the printing firm for office forms, business cards, vehicle graphics, etc.
You can also ask your tent manufacturer if they have an in-house graphic department that can create new artwork if desired. This service is charged on an hourly rate, and they will provide electronic images for client approval.
Personalized events and corporate branding enhances your presence in the area. Besides the visual impact of a corporate logo or graphic image, having imprinted tents ties your client to your company for repeated use of the printed material.
If you want to offer graphics, the cost of the printing is approximately $4.00 per square foot, plus the cost of the tent panel. For large printing, you will want one of the following formats: Adobe Photoshop (.psd or .tif), Adobe Illustrator (.ai or .eps), Adobe InDesign (include supporting links & fonts) and Adobe Accrobat (.pdf)-uncompressed.
Give your company an advantage over other tent service providers and offer the ‘opportunity’ to your clients to brand their events with their trademark, logo, or theme for the entire world to see!
Rainier Industries helped provide a large branding presence for its customers at the recent CONEXPO-CON/AGG show in Las Vegas, NV. Considered the largest construction industry convention and trade show in North America, an estimated 2,400 exhibitors were spread across three main indoor halls as well as six outdoor parking lots that in total covered an estimated 2.3 million net sq. ft. An estimated crowd of 125,000, including contractors, dealers, distributors, service providers, engineers, producers, municipalities and others attended.
Rainier was involved in nearly two dozen projects at the show and produced over 20 custom printed graphics, a custom shade canopy, a custom frame and top for a two-story exhibit and provided installation supervision as part of the show set up. It would be hard to image an attendee that did not see something at the show that Rainier produced.
Rainier Industries announced the opening of a new North Carolina manufacturing facility at the MATRA 2013 annual conference. The new facility is located in Statesville, and at 220,000 square feet on a 32 acre campus, provides a central location for shipping tents to dealers on the East Coast.
Brian Rowinski, Vice President of Customer Service at Rainier stated “the decision to open the new facility was driven by our desire to increase the satisfaction level and service to tent rental companies across the country.”
Rainier is dedicated to increased inventory levels for immediate delivery of the Maximizer Tent Products, Baytex Liners, and tenting accessories. With inventory in at locations in Seattle, WA and Statesville, NC, Rainier will be able to reduce shipping costs and delivery time on dealers on both coasts and the mid-west.
Founded in 1896, Rainier Industries began providing tents and supplies to prospectors in the Alaskan Gold Rush. Today, it has evolved into a diverse manufacturer of a variety of products including yurts, tents, awning & screen systems, industrial fabric products as well as sports, retail, and trade show graphics to regional, national and Fortune 500 companies.
2014 Tent Needs vs. Winter Cash Flow
As the economy improves, many rental companies are anticipating new tent purchases for the 2014 season. The end of this year is a great time to look at making these purchases.
Equipment financing and leasing qualifies as a purchase under the Section 179 tax code, and with changes to Section 179 possible in 2014, it might be financially advantageous for your business to purchase now rather than in the spring. Payment plan programs available at this time of year can also help manage winter cash flow challenges.
What is Section 179?
Section 179 refers to part of the US Tax Code that was designed to help stimulate the economy. It is intended to encourage business owners to purchase equipment by allowing companies to expense large amounts of purchases in a single year or over several years through “carry overs.”
The idea behind this section is to help reduce the cost of the equipment being purchased through tax benefits (tax breaks). The Section 179 code has been modified over the last several years, but for 2013 the spending limit allowed under the code is $500,000 of total equipment purchases.
The Tax Savings Can Be Big
As an example, if your company is in the 35% tax rate and you purchase an item for $50,000 utilizing Section 179, this $50,000 purchase can be deducted from your net income. This reduces your tax liability by $17,500 for the year! If you apply that savings directly toward the $50,000 purchase, the equipment actually cost you only $32,500, not the original $50,000.
What About Section 179 For Next Year?
What will happen to this tax code in 2014 is currently uncertain. A recent article in Rental Pulse suggests that the current spending limits may be reduced to $25,000 in the coming year. To read this article in Rental Pulse, please click here.
http://www.rentalpulse.com/Article/tabid/95/ArticleId/19422/default.aspx
You should consult your tax advisor for advice on your specific situation, but taking advantage of this tax break in 2013 can potentially save your business a lot of money and set your business up with the equipment it needs for the next season.
This year, Washington’s state fair got a new name (the Washington State Fair, imagine that!)
The new name requires a full re-branding effort, which is a costly project. Read the full article on the Tacoma News Tribune site.
While you’re there, take a closer look at the new entrance — can you spot the tents behind the sign?
Yes, you’re looking at our handy work!
The new tents at the fair create a welcoming entrance, allowing fair-goers to feel transported from outside world to the fair. This entrance is called the “Golden Gate” (don’t worry, it doesn’t require an elusive golden ticket!) and the updated look has been in progress for five years now.
The nonprofit organization in charge of running the state fair determined that the re-brand was the perfect opportunity to update the outdated entrance, pictured below.
As you can see, the new entrance allows fair-goers to see the fairgrounds before they enter, and feels more open and spacious.
CEO of the Fair, Kent Hojem, is quoted in the News Tribune article as saying “The Gold Gate we’ve always considered a front door to the fair,” Hojem said. “Everybody involved fell in love with opening up that corner … It looks more comfortable and friendly.”
And for those who miss the cow heads that have graced the entrance for so many years, don’t worry – Hojem promises they’ll be back!
Pictures courtesy of the Tacoma News Tribune.