Anna Stamm

Advertiser Forum: Bringing Order to Chaos

Anna Stamm

Call me smart or call me obsessive, I like to create rules for things. If we take a kinder, gentler tone, we can call them standard operating procedures, but they’re rules. Sometimes, they may seem excessive, but they accomplish the mission of bringing order to would-be chaos and making...

#17313 Cover image
August 2025
Issue #17313
Page 6
Wendy Boyd

Automation on the Factory Floor

Wendy Boyd

I’ve had many conversations with manufacturers across the structural building components industry lately, and the topic that keeps coming up is automation. And it’s no surprise – automation is no longer a futuristic concept. It’s here, and it’s delivering real...

#17313 Cover image
August 2025
Issue #17313
Page 17
Todd Drummond

Lean Manufacturing Only Works with the Best Employee Management Practices

Todd Drummond

Anyone with any training in lean practice has heard of standard terms such as the Five “S” and “Just in Time.” What is not discussed often enough is that lean principles are based on healthy management and employee relations, which is the foundation of the...

#17313 Cover image
August 2025
Issue #17313
Page 26
Edmond Lim, P.Eng.

“OBBB” and “AII” Inspiration to Feed the Beast!

Edmond Lim, P.Eng.

Both the US’ One Big Beautiful Bill Section 179 and Canada’s Accelerated Investment Incentive are designed to stimulate economic growth by encouraging businesses to invest in new equipment and technology by providing upfront tax relief. How’s that for Inspiration to Feed the...

#17313 Cover image
August 2025
Issue #17313
Page 46
Kathryn Pedde

Continuous Improvement with JAX

Kathryn Pedde

We put our JAX gantry into full operation in late 2023, but we never stopped working to enhance its effectiveness. That’s the advantage of having owner-operators who are hands-on in the plant every day. Fortunately, we began with a proven automated gantry system equipped with a proven...

#17313 Cover image
August 2025
Issue #17313
Page 70
Todd Drummond

The Time for Improvement is Always Now

Todd Drummond

The summer build season is upon us, so the familiar daily time constraint challenges are back. Yet this summer build season is not like the past few years. In many regions, sales are not as strong, so margins are dropping to keep the sales volume needed to remain profitable. During the winter...

#17312 Cover image
July 2025
Issue #17312
Page 24
Wendy Boyd

Now’s the Time to Pause So You Can Look Ahead

Wendy Boyd

For many in the structural building components industry, the past few months have been quieter than usual. This has been caused by a combination of factors including economic, regulatory, and operational. I was talking to a customer recently and he put it like this: “where we’re...

#17311 Cover image
June 2025
Issue #17311
Page 19
Todd Drummond

True Employee Motivation and Satisfaction

Todd Drummond

When discussing employee staffing issues during consultations, wages and long-term employment are inevitably part of the conversation. After decades of advisement, it is no longer a surprise to me about the disconnect between what executives think is most important to the employees versus what...

#17311 Cover image
June 2025
Issue #17311
Page 30
Kathryn Pedde

Feed 2, 3, 4, or 5 Saws with the JAX Gantry

Kathryn Pedde

For the first time, a modern machine used in many other industries has proven itself in a truss plant. In other industries where it works in hundreds of plants, the JAX gantry transports tires, crates, and cases of Jack Daniels whiskey. In a truss plant, JAX moves 1 to 13 sticks of lumber from...

#17311 Cover image
June 2025
Issue #17311
Page 60
Todd Drummond

Being Aware of Lost Productivity

Todd Drummond

Our perception forms what we think is the “true” reality, and our reality is always biased based on preconceived ideas, limited perspectives, and the big one of protecting our ego. So, how willing are you to review your area of responsibility for improvement beyond what you...

#17310 Cover image
May 2025
Issue #17310
Page 28
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