Over the past two decades, the truss industry has quietly engineered a crisis of its own making. In the pursuit of flexibility and cost efficiency, companies have embraced remote designers and offshore design firms. Although these shifts solve immediate staffing needs, they’re slowly...

Last month’s article, “What You Learn on the Floor,” talks about the benefits of having design staff spend some time in the shop. There’s a lot to learn there—and gaining a real appreciation for what the production team does can be eye-opening for designers, whether...

Generally speaking, ANSI/TPI 1 makes common sense and is very logical. However, there are several items that can be a little confusing because they seem to defy logic. When we upgrade lumber per ANSI/TPI 1 Section 3.4.2, we know that lumber strength needs to be maintained in order to meet the...

The offsite manufacturing sector stands poised for transformative growth. Innovations in automation, lean manufacturing, and prefabrication are reshaping the way we build. Yet amidst all this change, one critical element demands urgent attention: Our workforce. Across the industry, leaders...

My introduction to the world of wood trusses didn’t begin in the air-conditioned comfort of an office. Instead, I started out building trusses, spending my days walking in circles around a C-clamp press. I had taken the job as a summer student, hoping to make money for university. In...

Managing a truss with multiple pieces can affect productivity. For example, maintaining compliance with ANSI/TPI 1 Chapter 3 requirements for nearly thirty pieces can be challenging. To improve cycle time while preserving quality, using sub-components may be a practical solution. Most likely,...

You don’t wake up one day and decide to start a truss plant. This kind of business isn’t a side hustle. It’s not something you launch from a playbook. A successful truss plant is built slowly—through long hours, tight margins, and a steady stream of challenges most people...

What do you think of when you hear the word “training”? A classroom with students listening to a teacher? A truss plant with a new hire following behind a seasoned truss builder? Or, maybe your first thought was sitting in front of a computer for an online course? The truth is that...

As Triad celebrates 65 years in this great industry, we’re finalizing the plans for our 16th Annual Trade Show! The event is being held on April 9–10 at Merrick Machine Company in Alda, Nebraska. Our product showcase will feature our latest machines, including the PreStage Framing...

Any given fall Sunday, we get to watch our favorite football team and, if we understand the sport, we can see what they do well and where they are lacking. Each game is full of statistics, and the statistics tell us where our team ranks in relation to previous games, other teams, past years, and...