Decisions, decisions – how do you decide between a retrofit for your plant or upgrading to a new truss line? It’s all about the options. Let’s Start with the Retrofit Retrofitting an existing table is not for the faint hearted, so it’s important to know you have...

One of my clients’ most often asked questions is, “How exactly do we track and implement an incentive program?” Most companies are willing to pay their manufacturing employees more wages (incentives) based on greater output. Yet, the vast majority of wood truss component...

Can you spot the Lumber PickLine in the satellite image? Contrary to the myth that it will “take up too much space,” a lumber PickLine can actually save space by utilizing existing truck lanes and by following existing forklift flow. For example, this outside PickLine has ample 35 ft...

When a candidate interviews with a company, they expect tough questions to determine their fit for the position. Employers want to know if the candidate has the skills, experience, and desire to fulfill their needs, both short and long term. The candidate should be frank about their abilities as...

If you’ve ever spent a few hours working on your hands and knees to drill holes and drive screws, you know how time consuming and tedious it can be. Now, imagine spending consecutive weeks, months or even years fastening wood planks to steel on a manufacturing production line. For...

Starting in the maintenance field in the mid-1980s was an eye opener for me, to say the least I was very green. The manager of the truss plant could see I had mechanical aptitude and was driven to learn – but he also saw that I had no practical experience about troubleshooting machinery....

What a ride it has been for the vast majority of the component manufacturing (CM) for wood trusses and wall panels in North America the past few years. The demand for new homes outpaced the supply capacity of most homebuilders and those who suppy them. This record-breaking rate of building...

Our industry is experiencing unprecedented times. Never before has production capacity been at such a premium. We have seen different markets get active in the past but nothing like this. Right now in the United States, manufacturers can’t keep up with the demand for metal plate connected...

In business today, it is necessary to be agile and responsive to change. But, to have that real edge – the ability to truly set yourself apart – you need to be unique. Your solutions need to define I-N-N-O-V-A-T-I-O-N. As a company, Vekta defines innovation. By reviewing how the...

In 2002, our company was responsible for outfitting a complete component plant in Asia where we learned the true value of the statement, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” The visual nature of lasers bridged an absolute language barrier between our team and the local folks who...