The Best Seats
In The House

Originally founded as a non-denominational evening college to serve veterans returning from World War II, Carleton University has since blossomed into one of Canada’s most respected post-secondary institutions.

Located in the heart of Canada’s Capital, the university now serves over 31,000 students on its picturesque campus bounded by the world-famous Rideau Canal to the north and the Rideau River to the south.

Over the years, we’ve been privileged to have partnered with the school on numerous occasions and have watched it grow over in tandem with the lovely city we call home. In addition to outfitting a number of other facilities on campus with equipment over the years, we were honored to have been selected to completely redesign and install the school’s grandstand bleachers as well.

Located in central Arizona, just south east of Phoenix, lies the charming town of Chandler and more importantly, the home of Basha High School. Opened in 2002, Basha High School was named after Eddie Basha, Jr., a dedicated community member who called Chandler home until his death in 2013.

Basha High was the third high school built by the Chandler Unified School District and currently has over 2,500 students enrolled. In addition to a high standard of academic accomplishment, the school is home to the Basha Bears, an athletics program that has consistently gained notoriety in the state of Arizona. Early on in the school’s history, their softball team was crowned state champions in 2008 and 2009, volleyball state champions in 2019 and boy’s basketball state champions in 2017. In addition to those accomplishments, their cheerleading team is a five-time winner of Arizona’s co-ed Cheer State Champions.

When it comes to keeping balls, pucks and other projectiles in play, nothing compares to a sound netting system. While some needs and requirements can be complex in nature and design for locations such as multi-use sports fields or professional applications (we do that too!), we also supply ready-to-use netting solutions for everyday use.

Outside of custom netting solutions, our netting kit is one of our most versatile netting solutions. Without letting the small packaging fool you, these netting kits are the perfect solution to the majority of netting needs in both residential and industrial applications.

When it comes to school spirit, nothing shouts it louder than brightly displayed school colours and logos. With this in mind, we have spent the past few years developing a way to bring these colours and images to life with our superior line of athletic equipment and infrastructure.

Our retractable bleachers are one of our most popular product lines. These innovative seating structures are designed specifically for indoor use in gymnasiums and auditoriums and also in other spaces such as pools and arenas. These versatile bleachers provide seating when the need arises and are easily stored in place when not in use.

No matter where in the world you reside, your life has undoubtedly been touched by the COVID-19 pandemic. In one of the worst health and economic situations our world has ever seen, rules, regulations and processes are changing all around us.

Governments and leading health organizations have prescribed a myriad of recommendations that we should abide by with the goal of keeping each other safe and healthy.

For businesses that have remained operational throughout the entire process and for those approaching the re-opening phase of the world’s economies, a lot has changed. One of the prevailing trends that has been proven to be making the biggest impact in slowing the spread of the virus is the practice of social distancing.

As part of one of the largest real estate developments in the Middle East, we were invited by our partners in the region to participate in the project of developing The Pearl Qatar.

Comprising of nearly four square kilometers, The Pearl Qatar is a stunning artificial island designed to resemble a string of pearls, recalling Qatar’s history of being one of the world’s top pearl traders prior to the region’s oil boom.

As part of the development, the United Development Company, continues to add amenities for residents of this premiere community. In addition to the community’s luxury villas, apartments and townhomes, it is also home to an award-winning marina, beautiful beaches, and a number of gyms, in addition to the region’s premiere soccer pitch, the Temba Arena.

The truth is, we never actually left. Instead, we pivoted, shifted and adjusted. We kept our employees safe. We provided them with the external resources required to do their jobs and they did just that.

While the hallways of our office were empty and our manufacturing facility quiet, we were active in our homes. Creating make-shift home offices, we took to our kitchen or dining room tables to take phone calls and answer emails from customers, partners and team members.

Much the same as everything else we have been through in our 40-years in the athletic infrastructure and equipment industry, we made it work.

When it comes to outdoor products, how they stand-up to not only the test of time but up to the inherent weather conditions is ultimately how we evaluate their effectiveness. With structures such as bleachers, which are left outdoors through12 months of the year, much care has gone into the construction and finish of these products.

Aluminum is an incredibly durable material and fares well with extended outdoor use. While the material is great, it is the finish used to protect it is often what makes the difference in the long-term. These coatings and finishes allow these seating systems not only the ability to withstand extended outdoor conditions but also allows them to look ageless through the process.

With that in mind, below are three of the most common finish options for outdoor bleachers and ones you should consider before purchasing your next bank of outdoor seating.

 Throughout history, facilities, sports leagues, and special events have traditionally used stationary seating systems to accommodate spectators. Bleacher seating was ordered specifically to fit a specified space – typically along the sidelines of a sports field - and was never to move again.

In an ever-changing industry such as athletics, the needs and wants of facilities have changed and the bleacher market has adapted accordingly. In addition to improved accessibility seating options, reduced bleacher sizes and all-steel frame construction, there has also been a dramatic rise in the use of portable bleachers.

These seating structures can come in a couple of different configurations. The first being a bleacher that was designed and manufactured to be portable or transportable from the beginning. The second is the availability of tow kits that can easily be installed on existing bleachers, making them instantly mobile.

So aside from the obvious, what is it that keeps facility managers and operators ordering these versatile bleachers?  Let’s dig into it…

When it comes to planned expenditures, our friends over at Recreation Management Magazine conduct annual research that is helpful in more ways than one. Their annual report takes a deep dive into annual trends for spending with regards to colleges and universities across the United States.

While the 2019 edition of their annual survey indicated little to no changes with regards to planned features and upgrades, there was certainly some movement up the ranks for certain products such as bleachers and seating.

While planning for the development of synthetic turf sports fields remains at the top of the list for the second consecutive year, bleachers and seating took honours in the third spot for the most planned additions to colleges and universities. Jumping up from sixth position in late 2018, it is no secret that the building boon for planned seating will continue through 2020.