When $20 Billion behemoth Builders First Source (BFS) launched a robotic truss line in April, CMs were surprised that they would select House of Design (HoD)’s first truss machine, and the industry’s first robotic floor truss line. Remarkably, after just over 3 months, they’ve...

The article I published in April, Record CM Building Industry Net Profits are Coming to an End Sooner Than Most Believe, predicted that the construction industry would start seeing negative market changes around August of this year. Wow, was I right about calling that one? The continued...

With high lumber costs and volatile pricing, it is very reasonable to look for options to normal resources. Many fabricators and lumber manufacturers have been experimenting with using non-regular channels for lumber, including some choices that have created problems and issues with their...

With component lead times being extremely long in our industry today, every manufacturer is scrambling to increase capacity. Some need more space, some need additional equipment, some simply need a labor force that is willing to work all day every day. Mostly, these needs can be met with capital...

Although devices have become far more intelligent over the last decade, during which microprocessors have penetrated deeply into the world of manufacturing and provided a wealth of diagnostic and operations information, the real value of this information only materializes once a customer is able...

In today’s volatile economy, there is comfort in knowing the significant housing backlog will rely on the components industry to keep on supplying. Trusses are the original off-site construction industry begun more than 60 years ago, and the number of truss plants and capital investments...

In the year 2000, a transformation, like none other, gripped our industry. Jim Urmson’s TCT started it by breaking our component-saw-centric paradigm. Then in 2002, Dave McAdoo’s ALS quickened its pace by adding the capability to cut every conceivable truss part. But even before his...

One of the most common questions I hear from my customers is: How do we solve our employee shortfalls, while increasing production and safety, so we can increase our market share? How efficiently a company can leverage its assets to generate a profit is what keeps a business successful and...

Is your company having problems finding good employees to fill all the needed positions within your company? Are you thinking wage inflation is getting out of hand? Perhaps you should look at it from a different perspective. Multiple case studies have shown that companies with low employee...

To answer the question of which is the better method, we should start with a little background. A critical plate is a plate with a Joint Stress Index of 80% or greater. The ANSI/TPI 1–2014 Standard stipulates that critical plate inspections must be conducted when completing the three...