Library

We put our JAX gantry into full operation in late 2023, but we never stopped working to enhance its effectiveness. That’s the advantage of having owner-operators who are hands-on in the plant every day. Fortunately, we began with a proven automated gantry system equipped with a proven...

Element Equipment is one component of GOW Group, an end-to-end metal fabrication company that serves several industries. In July, we were thrilled to celebrate the grand opening of our new GOW office! [For all photos, See PDF or View in Full Issue.] This was a far cry from our humble start in...

The recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law on July 4, 2025, marks a transformative moment for U.S. tax policy, particularly for capital-intensive sectors like building component manufacturing. This comprehensive legislation significantly expands Section 179...

The first half of this year ended with the U.S. economy showing a resilience that forecasters weren’t expecting. Solid growth in earnings and jobs, plus a rebound after the chaos of early tariff announcements, powered past the pessimism and steep market declines of April and helped the...

It’s August. The heat is relentless, the humidity unforgiving, and your design team is running as hot as a NASCAR pit crew in Alabama. Project timelines are tight, customer expectations are high, and every minute counts. So when someone suggests bringing in a new designer, it can feel like...

When a new designer comes on board—especially one with experience—there’s a good chance the onboarding process involves setting up their computer, pointing them to the right network folders, handing them a relatively simple job, and giving them a vague suggestion to “jump...

The ANSI/TPI 1 standard is a critical document that governs the design and quality criteria for metal plate-connected (MPC) wood trusses. It serves as a guideline for truss manufacturers and engineers alike, providing the technical framework to design and construct reliable and code-compliant...

Today’s construction industry is governed by a complex network of building codes and standards. In the U.S., the development cycle for new building codes spans three years, while the creation of new standards may take even longer. As a result, adoption and acceptance of innovative,...

We often get questions about using fasteners different from those listed in a connector’s catalog load tables. A question came up recently, and I said, “I did a blog post about that not too long ago.” Turns out that blog post is over 10 years old, which no longer qualifies as...

Touring two plants in July, I couldn’t help wondering which would be a better place to work in the current slowdown. Both are privately owned businesses that are being managed by second-generation owners. Plant “A” is in a stable, rust belt market, and plant “B” is...