In every truss plant, there are three main arteries: the Truss Design Department, Production & Operations, and Sales. While all are vital, the design department is where everything begins—and where you need to keep your pulse.
The production floor will build what shows up on their screens. But what keeps you up at night? If the truss design department isn’t crossing your mind, it should be.
After 25+ years in this industry, I can confidently say that truss design is one of the greatest pain points—and one of the most significant opportunities to drive success or failure. It’s not just another function in your plant; it’s the backbone of your operation. If this department isn’t led by one of your A-team members and properly trained, your profits will suffer.
Why Truss Design Matters
Trusses are deceptively simple yet incredibly complex. They’re rooted in triangles—the strongest geometric shape—but those triangles often form intricate designs that can be challenging to produce.
Single-family homes, for example, are often harder to design than multi-family buildings. Multi-family blueprints tend to be detailed, giving the design team a complete plan. Single-family projects, on the other hand, often come with incomplete prints, requiring designers to rely on industry knowledge and visualize 3D systems from 2D drawings.
The Risks of Outsourcing
In recent years, many truss plants have turned to outsourcing design work, both domestically and internationally. While this can seem like a cost-effective solution, it comes with significant risks:
- Loss of Control: Outsourcing means handing over your quality standards to someone else.
- Quality Assurance: Without an experienced designer reviewing outsourced work, you can’t guarantee:
- Optimal splices for minimizing cost and waste.
- Correct lumber sizes, grades, and lengths for maximum efficiency.
- Proper layouts that meet your plant’s standards.
- Rework Costs: A single error, such as a miscut plane, can require reworking an entire batch of trusses, wasting time and materials.
Remember, no design software will automatically optimize a truss perfectly on the first try. It’s the designer’s expertise that ensures the best solution.
Building an In-House Design Team
The Solution: Train and Empower Your Design Team. Invest in growing your in-house design team, starting with the basics and advancing their skills over time. Focus on these key areas:
- Quality Standards: Establish clear guidelines to ensure consistent, high-quality designs.
- Efficiency: Optimize designs for materials like plates and lumber to reduce costs.
- Cost Awareness: Factor in inventory and plate costs—now a larger portion of total truss costs than five years ago. Overlooking plate costs alone can increase each truss’s price by 7%–10%, risking profitability and competitiveness.
A well-trained design team isn’t just technically skilled; they must also excel in communication. Changes and challenges are inevitable in this industry, and success depends on how your team anticipates and navigates these obstacles.
Why It Matters
When I started in the industry, I managed two plants, and we expanded to multiple locations across different regions in the U.S. My top priority was identifying the unique pain points and market needs of each location. Every region is distinct. What works for a truss plant in Michigan is different from Missouri and even more so from Florida. Success comes from understanding what drives the market around your plant. Even now, after working with countless builders and plant owners, challenges within the design department remain one of the most critical and pressing concerns.
If your design team isn’t where it needs to be, it will hold back your entire operation. But with the right training, leadership, and processes, your design department can become your greatest asset—delivering profitability, efficiency, and peace of mind.
Building Trust: From Design to Delivery
The solution is clear: focus on solving the problems your customers face and build strong relationships by working together toward shared goals. The same applies internally. When your design department works seamlessly with production and sales, you create a reliable, efficient operation that consistently delivers value to your customers.
Your design department isn’t just a cost center—it’s a profit driver when managed well. Invest in training, align your team, and watch as your profitability and revenue grow.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
If you’re unsure where to start, reach out for guidance. Together, we’ll evaluate your truss design department, streamline operations, and create a plan for growth. The investment in your team will always pay off in stronger profits and smoother processes.
Let’s solve the pain points together. www.LFT-Strategies.com