ABOUT WAAGMEESTER CANVAS PRODUCTS |
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For over 70 years the Waagmeester family has been providing unmatched quality, service and value to customers throughout the Willamette Valley and across the United States. From the original awning and canvas shop founded in 1945 by Bud Waagmeester, the Waagmeester family of companies have grown to include three distinct businesses, Waagmeester Canvas Products, Waagmeester Awnings & Sun Shades and Waagmeester Industrial Canvas. Seven decades later, the Waagmeester companies proudly remain family owned and operated, based in Oregon’s beautiful Willamette Valley and continue to provide unmatched customer service, great value and the highest quality products to our residential and business customers. Throughout the Pacific Northwest and around the country, the Waagmeester name indicates a level of quality, craftsmanship and attention to detail that is second to none.
W. H. “Bud” Waagmeester founded the Waagmeester companies in 1945. Back then it was an awning and canvas shop on Portland’s now popular Alberta Street. Bud was a driven and enterprising business owner, having worked since the age of 13 and becoming a skilled sailmaker in the United States Navy. He brought a vision of both craftsmanship and top-notch customer service to his new business. During his service in the US Navy, Bud made lifeboat, turret and winch covers and even made sails for the Admiral’s pleasure boat. With this experience, Bud’s new canvas business became a natural attraction to customers in the fishing and maritime industries, along with sailing enthusiasts.
In those early days on Alberta Street all of the finish work and bolt-roping was done by hand, and the shop became a hub for many old square-rigger sailmakers. Bud was not only a master craftsman; he was an innovator. Credited with inventing the small boat folding top, Bud created an efficient way for salmon fishermen to stay protected (relatively speaking) from the rain. Early on, these tops were roll up fronts and side flaps, and later “windows” were added to make them even more functional and useful.
Throughout the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s Bud continued to make custom sails for local sailors, creating everything from massive, heavy canvas sails for the biggest boats to fine, long-staple Egyptian cotton sails for the smaller ones. As his sons Dale and Steve learned the craft and became fully involved in the family business, innovation continued to be norm at Waagmeester.
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While canvas had always been a staple, the Waagmeesters began to use synthetics like Dacron. Today you’ll find state-of-the-art materials like Mylar and Kevlar along with Technora and PBO fabrics. Waagmeester introduced the first computer driven sail plotter in 1989 and in 1995 Waagmeester joined the Banks Sales Group, staying at the forefront of the industry with Banks’ proprietary software. Waagmeester Canvas Products is one of only three Banks lofts in the US. By that time, the Alberta Street facility covered the entire city block between 12th St. and 13th St.
Waagmeester Awnings & Sun Shades continues to be an innovator in the industry. While the ropes and pull ties of the past worked well, today Waagmeester Awnings & Sunshades regularly incorporates lateral arms and motorization to operate our products easily and efficiently. Colors, styles and patterns have expanded as well. Canvas is no longer simply a matter of gray, white or green. Now virtually any color can be created along with graphics and imagery to suit any style or need. Just look at the images below to see some of the exciting and special creations from the Waagmeester team.
Today the Waagmeester companies are still family owned and operated. Bud’s sons Dale and Steve, along with his grandson Erik, continue the proud Waagmeester tradition with Waagmeester Awnings & Sun Shades, Waagmeester Industrial Canvas and Waagmeester Canvas Products. Canvas products from practical and functional to innovative and fantastic are designed and created by the Waagmeester team. The Waagmeesters have created boat tops, custom covers for doors, hatches, dinghies, rails, motors, bridges, seats, biminis, windlasses and more. Many of the products created at Waagmeester go beyond canvas, using vinyl and acrylic to create modern and durable creations that will last long into the future.
While the materials the Waagmeester companies work with may have changed radically, the Waagmeester ethos of and focus on excellence in customer service has stayed the same since 1945. When you work with Waagmeester you’ll immediately notice that we treat you like family, welcoming you into our facility and inviting you to share your ideas with us. We’ll take your ideas and bring them to life with state of the art software, rendering your vision right before your eyes. We’ll fabricate your order to your exact specification and keep you apprised every step of the way. You’re always welcome to reach out to us, ask for status updates and see how your project is progressing. When we deliver and install the final product, we’ll treat your home or business just like our own. Our relationships with our customers are the foundation and building blocks of our business.
Waagmeester Awnings & Sun Shades continues to be an innovator in the industry. While the ropes and pull ties of the past worked well, today Waagmeester Awnings & Sunshades regularly incorporates lateral arms and motorization to operate our products easily and efficiently. Colors, styles and patterns have expanded as well. Canvas is no longer simply a matter of gray, white or green. Now virtually any color can be created along with graphics and imagery to suit any style or need. Just look at the images below to see some of the exciting and special creations from the Waagmeester team.
Today the Waagmeester companies are still family owned and operated. Bud’s sons Dale and Steve, along with his grandson Erik, continue the proud Waagmeester tradition with Waagmeester Awnings & Sun Shades, Waagmeester Industrial Canvas and Waagmeester Canvas Products. Canvas products from practical and functional to innovative and fantastic are designed and created by the Waagmeester team. The Waagmeesters have created boat tops, custom covers for doors, hatches, dinghies, rails, motors, bridges, seats, biminis, windlasses and more. Many of the products created at Waagmeester go beyond canvas, using vinyl and acrylic to create modern and durable creations that will last long into the future.
While the materials the Waagmeester companies work with may have changed radically, the Waagmeester ethos of and focus on excellence in customer service has stayed the same since 1945. When you work with Waagmeester you’ll immediately notice that we treat you like family, welcoming you into our facility and inviting you to share your ideas with us. We’ll take your ideas and bring them to life with state of the art software, rendering your vision right before your eyes. We’ll fabricate your order to your exact specification and keep you apprised every step of the way. You’re always welcome to reach out to us, ask for status updates and see how your project is progressing. When we deliver and install the final product, we’ll treat your home or business just like our own. Our relationships with our customers are the foundation and building blocks of our business.
The future looks bright for the Waagmeester companies. As we maintain our family ownership and customer driven ethos we're always looking for new and exciting ways to better service our home and business customers. With this in mind, the Waagmeester companies relocated to our new facility in February of 2017. Now based in Wilsonville, OR (just outside of Portland and easily accessible from I-5) we'll continue to provide superior products and customer service to our customers throughout this great country of ours. And we'd love to have you stop by our new location and see what we're up to.
We invite you to contact us to discuss your next residential or commercial project. Whether you’re a home owner or business owner, the Waagmeester Canvas Products team can help you identify the solutions that best fit your unique needs and give you the features and benefits you want most.
Experience the unparalleled, customer-focused service and quality we’ve developed as a family business over the last seven decades.
We invite you to contact us to discuss your next residential or commercial project. Whether you’re a home owner or business owner, the Waagmeester Canvas Products team can help you identify the solutions that best fit your unique needs and give you the features and benefits you want most.
Experience the unparalleled, customer-focused service and quality we’ve developed as a family business over the last seven decades.
