In their place are rack after rack of bolts of colorful fabrics, many of them synthetics made so they can be bonded without the need for needle or thread. The company has changed from the one that once every eight to 10 years replaced 90 percent of the awnings within 100 miles of Wausau. Now Eriksen estimates that same geographic region yields about 5 percent of the company's revenues. They're shipping goods all over North America now. The company employs 10 to 20 people, depending on the season.
Winters are slow.
Months from April to September are hectic. The only tents made there now are for its own rental program that provides large festival-type tents. If a customer comes in asking for a wall-type tent large enough to stand up in, Wausau Canvas will refer the buyer to a firm that does just tents. It's cheaper that way because of labor and set-up costs, he said. Owners of pop-up campers are accustomed to the idea that the canvas sides will need to be replaced once a decade or so, he said, but Wausau Canvas no longer makes custom replacements.