Countdown to BCMC—Activities, Exhibits, and People to See Anna Stamm October has arrived, which means BCMC 2019 is nearly here. For the week of October 21, the annual Building Component Manufacturers Conference (BCMC) will be packed full of activities for attendees. From meetings and workshops, to athletic events, to social functions, and of course the show... Read More October 2019 Issue #11243 Page 24
The Vast Majority of Component Plants Have Too Much Lost Productivity Todd Drummond People make the common mistake of thinking that if they have been doing something for a long time, occasionally have made improvements over the years, and they are working hard and consistently, then they are doing it the best way possible. But the truth is, approximately 80% of truss and wall... Read More October 2019 Issue #11243 Page 28
Do Lasers Tell the Whole Story? Glenn Traylor Lasers can be exact, but their data can be misinterpreted. Having the equipment is only part of the equation—it also must be used and understood properly. For example, the connection in the photograph [See PDF or View in Full Issue] was misallocated. The plate should have been dropped... Read More October 2019 Issue #11243 Page 38
Strategy, Culture, and BCMC Ben Hershey Two manufacturers walk into the BCMC Show. One is a seasoned manufacturer who has been attending the show for many years and will learn something new, but really just goes to shake hands and be seen. The other manufacturer is new and eager, ready to learn and network with others at the show.... Read More October 2019 Issue #11243 Page 44
Stacking Trusses and Frames Just Got a Whole Lot Easier! Ed Serrano Sometimes our industry needs a bit of a shake up! Going from strength to strength, VektaUSA has once again turned heads—this time with a new, straight forward, compact, easy to use and practical solution for stacking trusses and wall frames! The tried and proven Stakpro product line has... Read More October 2019 Issue #11243 Page 58
The Hiring Zone: Remote Offices – This is How We Do It, Part Two Last month, I wrote about the evolution of my Home Office, and I invited our readers to share details about their own. Are they efficient or extravagant? Large or small? Here’s a reply from one of our readers. “I have a Dell Alienware laptop and twin 32” dell monitors. My... Read More October 2019 Issue #11243 Page 82
Time to Step Up Your Game Gary Fleisher When you look out the window at the constantly evolving building industry, not only in the US but around the globe, you see change, innovation, and entirely new ways of marketing and selling your product which have sprouted up like freshly planted corn. Yes, there are plenty of weeds also,... Read More October 2019 Issue #11243 Page 88
Modular Spotlight: Hilton’s Palacio del Rio in San Antonio When I read about Hilton taking their “first” step into modular, in another publication a few weeks ago, it hit me. My dad, a commercial modular pioneer, always told me that what was once old is new again — and that was never more true than thinking about this step and... Read More October 2019 Issue #11243
National Forest Products Week Recognizes Wood Products and Proper Forest Management Robert Glowinski At the American Wood Council (AWC), we celebrate the role wood products play in our lives every day. However, once a year, the rest of the nation has the opportunity to join us and commemorate the importance of forest products during the third week of October. During National Forest Products... Read More October 2019 Issue #11243 Page 94
Why a Structural Boundary Member Between a Truss/Rafter is Not Optional Paul McEntee Blocking or boundary member? In my experience traveling across the country observing wood-framed construction, it was apparent that east of the Rocky Mountains, structural wood members in-line with supporting walls between roof framing cease to be installed. Some may call these wood members... Read More October 2019 Issue #11243 Page 106