Blog posts tagged with 'event venues'

As a banquet hall, event venue, caterer or party rental company, buying plastic folding tables for your events can be a daunting task. With so many different manufacturers and retailers out there selling folding tables, how can you be sure you’re getting high quality, durable, commercial-grade plastic folding tables that allow you to rent out or use for adequate return on investment?

Because it can be overwhelming to settle on a specific plastic folding table supplier, we've put together a checklist of 4 of the 8 most important questions to ask before buying plastic folding tables.

1. How much weight can the plastic folding tables hold?

When holding events that utilize plastic folding tables, they need to be able to withstand the expected and unexpected. Perhaps you're using them for a buffet so the tables will be holding chafing dishes, beverage tubs, stacks of commercial dinnerware, and cutlery stations. Perhaps your staff during clean up loads the plastic folding tables full of dishes. Make sure to look for a plastic folding table that can hold a minimum of 700-1000lbs and that the supplier can show proof of its sturdiness.

2. What kind of locking mechanism is underneath the table?

There's great debate over which locking mechanism—snap lock or gravity lock—makes the most sense for folding tables. We're not going to get involved in the grate debate—one customer that loves snap locks, hates gravity locks while another loves gravity and hates snap. Just make sure that when you're purchasing tables that you’re aware of which lock is available so you're prepared for what to expect.

Snap locks are as their name would suggest and snap with some effort into place. These can be really secure assuming they’re properly deployed. Some don’t lock it in all the way and then wonder why the table folds so make sure you hear that it clicks into place.

A gravity lock, on the other hand, is a ring that slides down the table leg frame and locks the leg in place. It acts as an extra safety so that table legs don’t unintentionally fold. Gravity locks can make setting up and disassembling tables more difficult for some.

3. What gauge are the table legs?

Folding tables have a different gauge (thickness) of steel depending on the table use and quality. 19 Gauge steel table legs could be classified as economy table legs because 18 gauge is lighter and less expensive than the thicker gauges.

17 Gauge steel table legs are of commercial quality and extremely suitable for foodservice, and party rental businesses looking for both durability, affordability and higher quality table legs. Make sure you find out what gauge of table leg the tables you’re planning to buy offer – so you know what you’re getting and what uses they’ll be find for.

4. How much do the plastic folding tables weigh?

While weight may not be important if you plan the tables to stay in one place however, if you're going to be moving them to events weight becomes an increasingly important variable. Plastic folding tables come in a number of different shapes and sizes so their weight will vary depending on this. Most commercial plastic folding tables range in weight from 20lbs to 70lbs.

To view the last 4 most important questions to ask before buying plastic folding tables check out part two of the series here!

National Event Supply (NES), a leading factory-direct wholesaler to the party and event rental, foodservice and hospitality industry, is pleased to announce the appointment of Stephanie Heathcote, who will join the NES team as Senior Marketing Operations Manager. Stephanie's proven background in planning and executing brand awareness and corporate marketing campaigns will help ensure NES continues to grow at record pace and further its leadership position within the party rental, hospitality and foodservice markets. "With more than 20 years of experience supplying Canada's party rental industry, and a customer service team focused on providing quality products, fast shipping and great service for our clients, National Event Supply is ready for rapid growth." Stephanie Heathcote went on to say, "I'm really excited to be a part of the NES team and hope to contribute towards their future growth."

Stephanie comes to National Event Supply with 6 years of experience in B2B marketing in the high-tech software industry. Most recently, she was Manager, Marketing Programs at Asigra, an enterprise cloud backup and recovery software company, where she managed a team of 3 inside sales and marketing professionals, planned and implemented corporate marketing promotional programs and co-managed the creation, planning and execution of the company's annual customer conference for up to 500 attendees. She has a Bachelor of Commerce from University of Ontario Institute of Technology with a specialization in Marketing.

Stephanie's appointment comes at the conclusion of another year of very good growth for the company thanks to its loyal customer base. "National Event Supply is experiencing significant year-over-year growth and great customer interest in the wake of the launch of our new English and en français website," said Dennis Heathcote, Co-President at National Event Supply. "Stephanie's experience implementing a wide variety of B2B marketing campaigns, track record of success, and business acumen are exactly what the company needs for its next phase of growth."

To learn more about National Event Supply, visit: http://www.nationaleventsupply.com

Follow National Event Supply on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/NatlEventSupply

About National Event Supply

Trusted since 1992, National Event Supply is one of Canada’s leading factory-direct wholesalers to the party and event rental, foodservice and hospitality industry. At National Event Supply, we’re focused on delivering commercial-quality products, superior customer service, and forming positive, long lasting relationships with our customers.

National Event Supply is a family owned and operated business with locations including a showroom and warehouse in the greater Toronto area and a warehouse in Vancouver, BC.

The impending United States Government Shutdown has far reaching impact on tourism, first time home buyers seeking government backed mortgages and IRS taxpayer services to name a few. What most may neglect to see is the effect the shutdown will have on events such as political fundraisers.

While I wish I had better news on this issue, this unfortunately is not a pleasant post to write. With the government shutdown, fundraising events put on by both the Democratic and Republican parties will come to a standstill.

So what does this mean to caterers, party rental companies and event venues such as hotels, golf courses and banquet halls?

Politico, a publication focused on tough, fair and fun coverage of politics and government, interviewed a Democratic fundraiser that stated “The caterers are still going to charge for food and possibly labor – some could charge 100 percent of estimate if you cancel less than 72 hours. They have already ordered the food by now and in a union shop the staff has likely been scheduled so depending on the cancellation policy they likely will get paid”. The same should ring true with event venues, and party rental companies – assuming they have contingency plans built into their contracts such as cancellation policies and non-refundable deposits.

To read more on Politico regarding their thoughts on the impact of the government shutdown on events, click here.

Much like my previous post, 5 Problems with Plastic Folding Tables, this post will focus on the 5 most common problems with Wood Folding Tables. Chances are if you have ever considered purchasing a Wood (or Plywood) Folding Table, you have also considered the difficulties that you may experience with this particular type of table. Without any further ado, here are the 5 most common problems you can experience with Wood folding tables.

Wood Tables Can Split and Splinter When Dropped

Plywood tables unfortunately can splinter. This typically occurs if they are dropped; the area that sustained the impact will show damage similar to the picture. If you have the facilities to turn a damaged table into a smaller table (8-ft into a 6-ft) then this risk may not affect your purchase decision. If you do not have the facilities to make a fix you will likely need to purchase a new table.

The Table Feet Fall Off

Okay so apparently this is a problem with both wood and plastic folding tables! Again like the plastic folding table feet, the wood folding table feet generally don’t just fall off, they are pulled off unintentionally. The most common culprit is still the soft ground. While not a major issue by any means it certainly can be an annoying one. To solve this issue you will occasionally need to buy replacement feet so the tables won’t scratch or mar the floor surfaces where they are being used.

Table Legs Don’t Stay Folded in Place

Unlike plastic folding tables that use clips to hold the folded legs in place, wood folding tables use friction from the folding mechanism to stay folded. With time, wear and tear causes there to be less and less friction meaning the legs can start to unfold while the table is being moved.

Wood Tables Do Not Survive Well Outdoors

If you have spent some time checking out our blog, you will have seen our long term Plastic Folding Table and Wood Folding Table outdoor durability test. In this test we have taken things to the extreme, absolutely nothing has been done to either table since they were set up months ago. From the blog posts you can clearly see that if the table is going to be spending very much time outside exposed to the elements, you will probably want to purchase plastic folding tables.

Maintenance Can Be Tedious

Unlike plastic folding tables that require a quick wipe down and little else, wood folding tables can require additional maintenance. While not required and generally dependent on the use, many wood folding table owners opt to refinish their tables every year or two. This process involves sanding, staining (if desired), and a final varnish coat. If done correctly the table can look just about like new but keep in mind there is significant effort involved in this process.

At National Event Supply, we offer 3 styles of cushions for Chiavari chairs; the traditional fabric Chiavari chair cushion, a vinyl cushion and a plywood base cushion. Each of the three cushion styles is available in White, Black and Ivory. Custom special order colours are available for the Chiavari cushions but can take 120+ days to source since not all the same custom colours are available from our suppliers.

Fabric Chiavari Chair Cushions

This are the traditional style of Chiavari chair cushion that is secured to the chair by Velcro tags at the back of the cushion. This is the most popular style of Chiavari chair cushion that is used extensively and gives the classic Chiavari chair look. The fabric cushion is available for $5.95/cushion or included free of charge when you purchase a Chiavari chair from National Event Supply.

While the fabric Chiavari cushion is the most popular style of cushion, it also comes with the highest maintenance costs as the fabric will need to be washed on a fairly frequent basis. The fabric is also more susceptible to staining and discolouration. This is more problematic with the white and ivory coloured fabric coverings versus the black fabric coverings. And while the washing effort is not all that difficult, putting the foam cushions back inside the fabric coverings can be quite time consuming and challenging to say the least. The other issue that can occur with the fabric Chiavari cushion is occasionally the Velcro tie tags will pull away (and off) from the back of the cushion. To fix this the Velcro tags either need to be re-sewn into the cushion or the fabric cushion needs to be replaced with a new cushion.

Vinyl Chiavari Chair Cushion

The vinyl Chiavari cushion has the same shape and classic look as the fabric style Chiavari chair cushion only the covering is made of vinyl. Vinyl Chiavari cushions are available at a cost of $8.45 each or a $2.50 upcharge if you are buying Chiavari chairs from National Event Supply.

The vinyl Chiavari cushions will perform dramatically better than the fabric cushions and will be more resistant to staining and discoloration. With that said however they do occasionally become stained or discoloured (particularly from red wine, tree saps and bird droppings). In addition, since the vinyl Chiavari chair cushions have the same Velcro tie tags as the fabric cushions; these will also need to be repaired.

Plywood Base Chiavari Chair Cushion

The plywood base Chiavari chair cushion comes with either a PU (Polyurethane) covering or a vinyl covering and cost $9.45 each or an upcharge of $3.50 if you are buying Chiavari chairs from National Event Supply.

The Plywood base Chiavari chair cushions have a Velcro strip on the bottom of the plywood base which helps to secure them to the seat of the Chiavari chair and creates a very elegant, finished look for the Chiavari chair. As a result, this option has become a very popular choice for customers looking to upgrade the cushions on their Chiavari chairs.