Number of search results: 110
Simple Truths for the New Year
Todd Drummond
Lean manufacturing principles help people break through their mindset by helping people challenge what they perceive is an absolute. Beside equipment upgrades, how long has your group been doing what they are doing without any changes or refinements to the methods in other areas besides the...
January 2017
Issue #10210
Page 24
A Critical Part Missing from Six Sigma and Lean Practices for Most Companies
Todd Drummond
It has taken many years, but the component industry has finally caught onto the practices of lean manufacturing and applied them to truss and wall manufacturing. An example is the huge turnout at the sponsored seminars by Todd Drummond Consulting at the 2016 BCMC show of “The Path of Least...
December 2016
Issue #09209
Page 22
Stop Wasting So Much Time Trying to Find Up to Date Project or Department Information
Todd Drummond
It is an all too common problem for too many managers and sales staff; hours are spent wasting so much time trying to find up-to-date information for any given project being processed by the company. Ask yourself one simple question. How much time each day do you spend looking for information...
November 2016
Issue #09208
Page 24
Finding the Time to Make Improvements in Any Area of a Company
Todd Drummond
An often repeated statement made by many managers this year has been that they do not have enough time or people to accomplish their stated goals, so in other words, they face time constraints. These time constraints are causing delayed improvements in processes, which negatively affect every...
October 2016
Issue #09207
Page 20
Bidding Practices that are Just Good Enough Can Cost Tens of Thousands in Additional Net Profit
Todd Drummond
Two very distinct aspects of the bidding calculation could be costing your company tens of thousands of dollars. If you were shown a better bidding method, would you allow your pride to prevent you from testing it and, if it works, taking the time to embrace it to improve your company’s...
September 2016
Issue #09206
Page 18
Incentive Report Payout Options
Todd Drummond
The actual payment to employees for increased performance is truly one aspect that many managers may not understand, especially regarding how to get the most bang for their buck. For example, why give equal dollars to personnel with varying degrees of skills and responsibilities?
This payout...
August 2016
Issue #09205
Page 18
Truss Labor Time Standards for MiTek MVP™ and Other Programs
Todd Drummond
I have heard the same thing many times over and over. People want a better method of understanding truss manufacturing labor efficiencies, but they use the same flawed units of measurement they have always used.
“Todd, I’ve been in this industry for decades as a ‘fill in the...
July 2016
Issue #09204
Page 20
Killing the Messenger – Self-Proclaimed Industry Expert Consultant
Todd Drummond
On behalf of all the self-proclaimed industry expert consultants (SPIEC) in the component manufacturing (CM) industry, I would like to state a rebuttal to a published article “Confusion is Starting to Confuse Me” written by Carl Schoening in the May 2016 issue of The Advertiser....
June 2016
Issue #09203
Page 18
Three Million Plus per Build Table
Todd Drummond
Did you know that it is possible to achieve greater than $3 million in sales on one build table, even with severe seasonal fluctuations causing winter sales to be nonexistent? I define a build table as one build group of three to four assemblers building roof trusses. Did you know an automated...
May 2016
Issue #09202
Page 16
Effective Incentive Programs for Every Group
Todd Drummond
Many would agree that it is wise to implement an effective incentive program (IP) that actually increases productivity and lowers costs. However, very few companies actually have implemented such an effective IP, especially one that affects every group within an organization (including...
April 2016
Issue #09201
Page 16
Production Scheduling Problems?
Todd Drummond
There is nothing like the scheduling of orders to bring out the worst in people. Timely delivery of orders naturally creates a division between salespeople on one side of the issue and production on the other. Management normally plays the role of referee, with a tendency to favor the...
July 2017
Issue #10216
Page 24
Three Practical Ideas for Better Margins and Net Profits
Todd Drummond
Too often a repeated mantra within our industry is that everyone sells components at too-low margins. The blame is always on the other guy, meaning the competitor, for selling at a lower margin than what should be market pricing. Well, what can your company do to raise margin pricing?
During...
June 2017
Issue #10215
Page 24
Willful Blindness Culture
Todd Drummond
Willful blindness is the common practice of knowing that something is wrong, but either pretending that the problem does not exist, or being unwilling to make a change or even discuss the issue. I was inspired by a TED talk video about the willful blindness of the town residents of Libby,...
May 2017
Issue #10214
Page 24
Design, Sales, and Admin Labor Shortages? – Give Them More Time by Automating Your Communications!
Todd Drummond
The call for more designers, salespeople and just about every other admin personnel is getting louder by the day. There are not enough hours in the week to meet sales demands. What if you could provide your team with tools that would give them more time? This way, you could save money by having...
April 2017
Issue #10213
Page 26
Component Manufacturing a Cash Cow Division
Todd Drummond
In the wood truss component industry, we have the independents, who are not associated with lumberyards, and then we have those who are owned by lumberyards. What I found striking is that the lumberyard owned and operated component manufacturers (CMs) consistently make far less money than the...
March 2017
Issue #10212
Page 26
Off–site Designing and Sales: The Three Biggest Obstacles
Todd Drummond
What once was frowned upon has now become very common. Off-site designing and off-site sales individuals or teams can be a very good way to expand your company’s capabilities. The biggest driver of its emerging acceptability is the fact that the pool of talent is larger when looking...
February 2017
Issue #10211
Page 24