Say Hello to AMT Robotics Garry Roehr Last fall, I had the chance to catch up with many of my peers at BCMC Omaha, and now I’m pleased to say Hello to an even wider audience. As an Industrial Engineer with 3 decades’ experience in PreFab, I am eager to share our innovative solutions to continue to help move our industry... Read More April 2026 Issue #18321 Page 70
Sales Tools: How Equipment Financing Drives Growth in Wood Component Manufacturing Carl Villella In an industry defined by efficiency, you aren’t just selling a piece of iron; you are providing a self-funding production tool. If a new linear saw reduces waste and labor costs by $15,000 a month and the finance/lease payment is only $4,000, the sale is no longer an expense —... Read More April 2026 Issue #18321 Page 79
2026 Hiring Outlook: Warning Signs or Just Delayed? Candidates and employers keep asking me the same question — what am I seeing in hiring trends for 2026? The honest answer is “it’s complicated.” The more honest answer is that I don’t think the market has made up its mind yet. It’s April and, under normal... Read More April 2026 Issue #18321 Page 88
Design Connections: When Going Beyond Scope Makes Sense (and Adds Value) Geordie Secord My March article, “Prevent Scope Creep Becoming ‘Just the Way We Do Things’,” talks about drawing clearer boundaries so extra work doesn’t quietly erode margins, burn out designers, and reset customer expectations. While all of that matters, it would be unrealistic... Read More April 2026 Issue #18321 Page 98
Dive into the 2026 MSR Workshop Learning Lineup MSR Lumber Producers Council The MSR Workshop has a solid reputation for providing practical, real world learning, and this spring’s program in Orange Beach, Alabama is shaping up to be one of the strongest yet. The 2026 agenda features two concentrated blocks of educational sessions — Thursday morning (8 am to... Read More April 2026 Issue #18321 Page 108
Turbulence at BFS Facilities? Craig Webb Like many stories, this one started with a rumor: Builders FirstSource was closing two stores in Iowa, a dealer told me. Digging into that story revealed a much bigger tale involving how actively America’s biggest full-service lumberyard has been shedding some underperforming locations... Read More April 2026 Issue #18321 Page 118
Deflection Across the Chase in a Floor Truss MiTek Staff A chase is an intentional opening in a floor truss created by omitting specific diagonal webs to provide space for HVAC ducts, plumbing lines, or electrical runs. For structural efficiency, chases should be located within the middle third of the truss span, where shear forces are lowest.... Read More April 2026 Issue #18321 Page 128
Using the Plate Monitor “Inspect” Tool Larry Messamer, P.E. The “Inspect” tool in Plate Monitor (Joint Properties) is a little known and certainly underutilized tool in the Truss Studio design software that can help you quickly deal with joint plating changes and issues. [For all images, See PDF or View in Full Issue.] We developed this tool... Read More April 2026 Issue #18321 Page 138
Fueling Innovation in Structural Building Components Christine Wagner Innovation in the structural building components industry does not always come from sweeping, disruptive change. Often, it begins with practical ideas, incremental improvements, and solutions born directly from jobsite challenges. The SBCA Innovation Grant is designed to bring those ideas... Read More April 2026 Issue #18321 Page 158
The Last Word: Celebrating and Remembering Jerry Koskovich Joe Kannapell, PE Jerry Koskovich, inventor of the first robotically controlled truss equipment, passed away March 17, 2026. Jerry was a singularly gifted entrepreneur who started from scratch in the truss industry as a TPI QC inspector in Minnesota in 1973. While doing his inspections on the shop floor in many... Read More April 2026 Issue #18321 Page 186