Plate markers, single tool bridges, and automated saws were just a few of the enhancements that filtered into wall panel shops at the Millennium. Their adoption was quickened by the consolidation of component manufacturers (CMs) and by the increasing pressure on all CMs by busy builders....

The following is a summary of the seminar I gave at this year’s BCMC show on October 8th, 2024. If your mind is open, I am handing you pure gold to help your company meet the challenges negatively affecting everyone now and in the coming years. Case Study —Building Material Supply...

The Fed lowered its benchmark interest rate by half a percent in September, and our funding banks have also lowered their rates in response. This is great news for the economy as a whole, as interest rates are now lower for all forms of credit, including mortgages. From a macroeconomic...

Heading into the last quarter of the year, the US economy sent out several strong signals that is remains resilient and robust. Third quarter inflation continued a downward trend, with annualized numbers beginning to approach the Central Bank’s target. But softening of the job market over...

One of the strangest twists of fate in the truss business was initiated by Larry Rogers, and fortunately it boosted his career and that of his replacement, Dickie Vail. Out of this occurrence, both men launched successful startup companies. However, there was also a flood and more than one...

Toll Brothers imported an automated panel line commensurate with their luxurious homes, or so they expected. Perhaps because the European economy was ailing in the early 1990s, Randek from Sweden, like the Makron company from Finland before them, offered Toll an excellent deal. But Randek was an...

On September 18th, the Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate by half a percent, the first cut in four years. It was a welcome development, and one that should have a positive outcome for the economy. Lower interest rates stimulate economic growth, and make lending of all types less...

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...

As automation and robotics are increasingly embraced, it makes sense to review examples of successful implementations from the pioneers of past systems. Interestingly, the first successful fully automated component assembly in the U.S. involved wall panels rather than trusses. However, in many...

Many companies took advantage of the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) in 2021 by bidding on projects to rebuild the nation’s roads, bridges, ports, and broadband networks. But the economic climate of 2021 when the bids were placed was much different than the...