UK-based drapes specialists J&C Joel was contracted to supply over 300 drapes to the new AsiaWorld-Expo exhibition and events center at Hong Kong International Airport. The drapes were in place for the December 21st opening ceremony, led by The Honourable Donald Tsang, chief executive of Hong Kong, and senior representatives of the shareholding and management companies.

The HK$2.35 billion center was built as a world-class exhibition and events venue AsiaWorld-Expo offers over 70,000sq.m of rentable space across 10 halls for trade shows, conventions, concerts, sports, and entertainment events. It’s the largest column-free exhibition center in Hong Kong, and the only exhibition center located among a multi-modal transportation hub.

The contract entailed J&C Joel to manufacture more than 300 individual drapes at two different drop lengths of 18m and 9m respectively, consuming more than 130 rolls of 1.5m-wide heavy Black Wool Serge fabric. Two hundred and twenty-five of the drapes were fitted with an additional row of tie-tapes sewn onto the back at different heights, offering the flexibility of multiple drop options on the same curtains.

According to J&C Joel’s sales manager Suzanne Wynne, Wool Serge was chosen for its durability and good acoustic properties. J&C Joel’s Black Wool Serge lends itself ideally to this type of application, as its flame retardancy–to BS5867 pt2B DFR–is not affected by humidity, and the fabric hangs well over extensive drop areas.

J&C Joel is one of the largest curtain manufacturers in the world, with its Sowerby Bridge HQ housing 64,000sq.ft. of floor space, 24,000sq.ft. is used as sewing rooms. J&C Joel dedicated one sewing room and nine of their most experienced cutters and machinists to completing the order, which enabled J & C Joel to finish the job and dispatch all drapes to the sea freight container by the 6-week manufacturing deadline.

J & C Joel has worked extensively in the Asian sub-continent over the last 15 years. Other high-profile projects have included supplying drapes and special fabric requirements to The Academy of Arts & Cultural Centre and the Ko Shan Theatre, both in Hong Kong; The Grand Theatre, Shanghai; Bangkok Opera House, Thailand and The National Theatre of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur.