Advertiser Forum: Choosing Our Focus Anna Stamm Walking into Walmart this past weekend, I can admit – I looked at the Christmas display. Actually, I can up the ante and confess – we bought something from the Christmas display. Yes, it was about 93° outside, but I came home with a couple of Christmas gnomes. Looking Forward... Read More October 2019 Issue #11243 Page 6
Celebrating 50 Years of Truss Design Innovation, Part XV Joe Kannapell Part XV: Busted at Bahama Breeze Finally, we would know if we won the business, when we were summoned to a Bahama Breeze restaurant outside Atlanta. Had we been busted for showing “not ready for prime time” software, defying MiTek policy? Over lunch we were told that ITW had been... Read More October 2019 Issue #11243 Page 8
“Should I Stay or Should I Go” Chris Scott It was June 1982 and The Clash released the hit song, “Should I Stay or Should I Go,”— now it’s October 2019 and once again you find yourself asking, should I stay or should I go to the BCMC in Columbus, Ohio. As you’re humming that song for the rest of this... Read More October 2019 Issue #11243 Page 14
Countdown to BCMC—Activities, Exhibits, and People to See Anna Stamm October has arrived, which means BCMC 2019 is nearly here. For the week of October 21, the annual Building Component Manufacturers Conference (BCMC) will be packed full of activities for attendees. From meetings and workshops, to athletic events, to social functions, and of course the show... Read More October 2019 Issue #11243 Page 24
The Vast Majority of Component Plants Have Too Much Lost Productivity Todd Drummond People make the common mistake of thinking that if they have been doing something for a long time, occasionally have made improvements over the years, and they are working hard and consistently, then they are doing it the best way possible. But the truth is, approximately 80% of truss and wall... Read More October 2019 Issue #11243 Page 28
Do Lasers Tell the Whole Story? Glenn Traylor Lasers can be exact, but their data can be misinterpreted. Having the equipment is only part of the equation—it also must be used and understood properly. For example, the connection in the photograph [See PDF or View in Full Issue] was misallocated. The plate should have been dropped... Read More October 2019 Issue #11243 Page 38
Strategy, Culture, and BCMC Ben Hershey Two manufacturers walk into the BCMC Show. One is a seasoned manufacturer who has been attending the show for many years and will learn something new, but really just goes to shake hands and be seen. The other manufacturer is new and eager, ready to learn and network with others at the show.... Read More October 2019 Issue #11243 Page 44
Stacking Trusses and Frames Just Got a Whole Lot Easier! Ed Serrano Sometimes our industry needs a bit of a shake up! Going from strength to strength, VektaUSA has once again turned heads—this time with a new, straight forward, compact, easy to use and practical solution for stacking trusses and wall frames! The tried and proven Stakpro product line has... Read More October 2019 Issue #11243 Page 58
The Hiring Zone: Remote Offices – This is How We Do It, Part Two Last month, I wrote about the evolution of my Home Office, and I invited our readers to share details about their own. Are they efficient or extravagant? Large or small? Here’s a reply from one of our readers. “I have a Dell Alienware laptop and twin 32” dell monitors. My... Read More October 2019 Issue #11243 Page 82
Time to Step Up Your Game Gary Fleisher When you look out the window at the constantly evolving building industry, not only in the US but around the globe, you see change, innovation, and entirely new ways of marketing and selling your product which have sprouted up like freshly planted corn. Yes, there are plenty of weeds also,... Read More October 2019 Issue #11243 Page 88