How Do We Ensure an Installation of Spida Machinery Goes Well? Wendy Boyd Let’s talk about the most recent installation of a full frame line for Spida Machinery in Pennsylvania. After working alongside the management of the Truss and Panel plant in PA for quite some time – initially talking about their wish list, moving through to budgets and capex,... Read More March 2024 Issue #16296 Page 17
Focusing on Safety with Vekta and Dahlsens Ed Serrano One of the central goals of the frame and truss sector is that everyone goes home safely every day. And while the Razer has been designed from the initial engineering stage with safety at the forefront, some customers, like Dahlsens, require more stringent safety aspects, so we customize... Read More March 2024 Issue #16296 Page 50
All Things Wood: Substantial Wood Truss Content at Virginia Tech Course Frank Woeste Sponsored by the Virginia Tech Continuing and Professional Education program, a three-day program on light-frame and mass timber construction design topics will be offered on May 14–16, 2024 in Blacksburg, VA. Joining me as instructors this year are Scott D. Coffman, PE, John Holland, MBA,... Read More March 2024 Issue #16296 Page 64
Opportunities Abound at 2024 MSR Workshop in Charlotte MSR Lumber Producers Council Spring is in the air and that means it’s time to register for MSRLPC’s annual MSR Workshop! Join attendees from across North America as they convene on April 17 in beautiful downtown Charlotte, NC, for three days of valuable learning and networking opportunities with an incredible... Read More March 2024 Issue #16296 Page 74
On-Site Homebuilding with an Off-Site View Reflecting on the journey of building my on-site home versus years of off-site manufacturing, several insights have surfaced. While many may hesitate to do it again, I remain optimistic. Why the enthusiasm? Because every challenge I faced was met with a manufacturing mindset honed by the... Read More March 2024 Issue #16296 Page 84
Navigating Employee Consolidation After an Acquisition: A Blueprint for Success In the dynamic landscape of corporate growth, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) have become a common strategy for companies aiming to expand their market presence and enhance their capabilities. While these endeavors hold promises of increased efficiency and amplified market share, the process... Read More February 2024 Issue #16295 Page 72
Advertiser Forum: Leaping Into the New Year Anna Stamm Are you ready for the Leap Year? That’s right, 2024 will bring us one extra day! Instead of 24/7/365, it will be 24/7/366. Have you considered what you will do with your extra day? Imagining a Free Day Granted, our ordinary lives will not be suspended so that we can claim February 29... Read More January 2024 Issue #16294 Page 6
Mistake-Proof Your Process with Must-Have Communication Features Todd Drummond Last month’s article, Continuous Improvement (Kaizen) for Enhancing Performance to Ensure ROI Retention, is a natural lead-in to Poka-Yoke. In lean terminology, roughly translated from Japanese, Poka-Yoke means to mistake-proof the process. A more accurate translation could be... Read More January 2024 Issue #16294 Page 24
Design Connections: Where Does the Responsibility Lie? Geordie Secord In “Cost-Saving Measures and Memorable Debacles,” I discussed the problems encountered on a site where the owner was acting as general contractor for his new house build and problems that ensued when an inexperienced framer was tasked with installing a complex truss roof. In that... Read More January 2024 Issue #16294 Page 80
Advertiser Forum: What Holds Us Back Anna Stamm When I was little, being a fireman was never something I considered (see When I Grow Up from last month), but as a little girl there was the option to become a beauty queen. Watching the pageants on TV, I knew I had the self-confidence and talent to compete with anyone. But there was one... Read More December 2023 Issue #15293 Page 6