City of Burnsville Highlights Landmark in Feature for MN Manufacturing Month - Oct 2021

How Are Landmark Creations’ Inflatables Made? Here’s the Inside Scoop

During an interview with the City of Burnsville to celebrate Manufacturing Month, President Stephanie Meacham explains the complex process of creating impressive cold-air inflatables. Unlike hot-air or helium inflatables such as flying balloons, Landmark Creations’ products operate using blowers or fans.

 These massive props can easily be inflated and deflated. This flexibility makes them perfect for concert stage designers, festival producers, retail advertisers, brand managers, and trade show organizers.

 How is something so large and with so many moving pieces constructed?

Landmark Creations starts with the client’s concept. This is relayed to the talented design team who construct a concept model based on the original idea. Once the model is approved, the designers create patterns and, in some cases, surface art for the printing department to print full-size on Landmark’s large-format printing equipment.

Once the patterns have gone through the printer, our cutting department takes over. We have an advanced cutting table that can cut out the pattern as a precision stencil based on the information we load into the system. Or, our skilled craftspeople can hand-cut the fabric pieces so they are ready to go to the sewing department.

Next, the pieces are expertly stitched together to construct the finished inflatable.

Sometimes special fabricated parts are added, such as light systems or mechanisms for blowing confetti or smoke. 

One final quality control check is done to inflate the masterpiece in-house and make sure it operates perfectly. With final client approval, the inflatable goes out the door. “And after that,” says Meacham, “we’re off to the races.”