First, wane occurs often when lumber is manufactured and cut close to the outside of the timber, resulting in missing material or a bark area. This is done to increase the yield of the timber, which increases lumber manufacturer profits but creates some issues for lumber users. Prime grades...

WARNING: the following text is not intended for consumption by old-school fabricators and plant managers – especially those without a desire to evolve alongside new and developing technologies However, if you are showing any of the following symptoms, you are advised to read on...

The flow of lumber through the plant is the lifeblood of a component manufacturing business, so taking steps to protect and improve that flow is essential for keeping your business healthy. This is an objective we took to heart when creating our JAX system. With JAX, The Wood Retriever, a...

The National Lumber Grading Authority (NLGA) is the grading agency having authority over establishing lumber design values for Hem-Fir (North) lumber and conducting on-going testing to verify the design values. The NLGA follows inspection and grading rules approved by the American Lumber...

Thank you to everyone who visited with us at BCMC this year – what a great show! We are so pleased that we could be a part of this industry celebration and display some of the great products we have to offer. [For all photos, See PDF or View in Full Issue.] First up, you’ll need...

For seven consecutive decades, Triad wall panel and component nailing machines have led the industry in meeting the demands and needs of builders in the United States, Canada, and around the world. Today, Triad continues to meet the ever-growing needs of today’s builders by providing...

Coming in 2025 – Alpine is excited to announce the evolution of the Alpine Linear Saw (ALS) with the introduction of ALS 5.0. Building on over two decades of reliability, durability, and accuracy, this latest version continues Alpine’s proud tradition of innovation. [For all photos,...

When I acquired the former Ryland Homes component plant, I bought automated saws but couldn’t find an automated way to feed all three of them. Like most component manufacturers, I needed to pick small numbers of boards for my linear saws’ orders and large numbers of boards for my...

In today’s fast-paced frame and truss manufacturing environments, efficiency and waste reduction are paramount. Traditional production methods often fall short in meeting the demands of modern businesses, paving the way for Real-Time Optimization (RTO) and Just-In-Time (JIT) delivery to...

Lumber is mission-critical to every component manufacturer (CM). On average, it represents two-thirds of your cost-of-goods (CoG), roughly half of the value of your product (Revenue – Pretax Profit). So, what are the market dynamics that surround the purchase of lumber? And how can your...