Joe Kannapell

Wall Panel Technology, Part V: Whole House Evolution

Joe Kannapell

The dream of having a single person model an entire structure was admirable, but developing the software to do that turned into a decade-long struggle. Five years ago, I chronicled the development saga in my series on Fifty Years of Truss Design, Parts XI – XV. As the story told, the...

#16301 Cover image
August 2024
Issue #16301
Page 10
Joe Kannapell

Wall Panel Technology, Part IV: Software Evolution

Joe Kannapell

The creation of wall panel software is like the creation of all software – experienced insiders do it best. That was true with Gang-Nail’s AutoPan in the 1970s, which Joe Cotton developed while building wall panels for his homebuilding business. It was also the case with Ted...

#16300 Cover image
July 2024
Issue #16300
Page 10
Geordie Secord

Design Connections: Estimating and the Cost of Quotes

Geordie Secord

One constant thorn in the side of truss fabricators is the cost of preparing quotes, often multiple times for the same job through the life of a project. I find that this is especially true for custom homes, as they often go through numerous revisions for aesthetic, budget, zoning, and other...

#16300 Cover image
July 2024
Issue #16300
Page 90
Craig Webb

Paddling Hard But Moving Slow: Increasingly, That’s LBM’s Outlook for the Rest of 2024

Craig Webb

After years in which dealers struggled from crisis to crisis, a slew of public reports and economic indicators suggest we can expect many more months of muddling along. Our surfing metaphor of two years ago has given way to the paddleboard, where the only way to speed up is to paddle...

#16300 Cover image
July 2024
Issue #16300
Page 98
Todd Drummond

Retention and Staffing of Employees

Todd Drummond

If you are a manufacturer who desires high efficiency with high-quality products and services for your customers, then you know you need good employees to deliver them. Many claim that employees are the most important part of their business. So, it should not be a shock that poor productivity...

#16299 Cover image
June 2024
Issue #16299
Page 22
Craig Webb

CS150 Reveals Biggest Revenue Drops at Dealers Since the Great Recession

Craig Webb

You have to go back to the Great Recession 15 years ago to find as many LBM dealers reporting sales declines as we had in 2023. But the reasons are far different, and so are the consequences. Three-quarters of the companies constituting the 2024 Construction Supply 150 reported revenue drops...

#16299 Cover image
June 2024
Issue #16299
Page 72
Geordie Secord

Design Connections: Profitability Metrics and Margin Dollars

Geordie Secord

In the busy world of prefabricated components, there are three conflicting metrics that owners and managers look at to determine operational performance – board feet of lumber, sales dollars, and margin dollars. I’ll start with what I believe is likely the most common but also the...

#16299 Cover image
June 2024
Issue #16299
Page 92
Todd Drummond

Increase Profits and Lower Labor Costs with an Effective Incentive Program for Every Group

Todd Drummond

Too many get caught up in believing that any additional pay to employees is inherently costing the company more and should be avoided at every turn. If you believe this is the case, there is something you are overlooking. What may be lost is that when the total volume (productivity and sales) is...

#16298 Cover image
May 2024
Issue #16298
Page 24
Steve Shrader

Revolutionizing EWP Processing: The Hundegger TURBO-Drive II All-in-One Saw Solution

Steve Shrader

In the evolving landscape of engineered wood product (EWP) processing, Hundegger is setting new standards with an innovative solution that seamlessly merges software and hardware capabilities. The Hundegger TURBO-Drive II represents more than just a piece of equipment; it is a comprehensive saw...

#16297 Cover image
April 2024
Issue #16297
Page 50
Craig Webb

Deals Report 2023: Tracking the Openings, Closings, and Acquisitions

Craig Webb

The construction supply industry saw high lending rates and a relative lack of big transactions result in 22% fewer deals involving 2.6% fewer locations in 2023 vs. 2022. There also were 10% fewer buyers, with several big players barely present. But greenfield openings, while down 5% from 2022,...

#16296 Cover image
March 2024
Issue #16296
Page 98
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