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The true story of how Alpine revolutionized saws In early 2000, sales of truss equipment began to taper off. By the end of the year, the Equipment Division had reduced its employment by more than half and had shrunk its occupied floor space by 40%. The most dramatic reduction took place in...

Discount the Most Recent Past How should we process the cumulative life experiences that determine our next course of action? We might say, “That depends on the circumstance.” If I got mugged today for the first time in my life, it is likely I am going to be more aware of...

Over the last decade — in outlets reaching from construction industry journals to the Boston Globe and the Economist; from CNN and Fast Company to Popular Mechanics; to Nautilus and TED talks — we’ve been hearing increasingly about mass timber and related phenomena:...

Do CMs have a role in Cross Laminated Timber Structures? I returned to the Apex Plaza (described on these pages in April 2021, The Last Word on CLT – Cross Laminated Timber) to find out. On my prior trip, I marveled at the beauty of the fully exposed beams, columns, and CLT floor panels....

In a meeting last month, a person in management announced a change of procedure and expected everyone to be impressed with the great idea. The problem? That person did not take the time to consider that this change had ever been discussed before, much less that there were reasons why it had been...

A David and Goliath struggle was brewing over the linear saw, and it was ready to boil over at BCMC in October 2002. It would pit Jim Urmson, a lone mechanic who was pioneering his first machine, against Alpine’s engineers, who had launched multiple winning machines. Though Urmson had...

It was great to see everyone back at the BCMC show this year in Omaha. Seeing all the familiar faces reminds us all how tight knit our industry is, especially after missing last year due to Covid. It felt like a typical annual family gathering with some relatives you talk to on a regular basis...

A sign that could have appeared in any town has caused quite a stir. The message is direct: “Stimulate your ass to work—Every business in town is hiring.” [For image, See PDF or View in Full Issue.] For business leaders, it aptly voices their frustration when trying to compete...

With the introduction of lasers, setting up a truss while accurately controlling its perimeter and profile has never been quicker or easier. But do lasers do the job by themselves? The answer is no. They cannot. Here is why. Lasers provide excellent and accurate information to truss builders...

BCMC 2021 was held last month in Omaha and we at Eagle Metal have to say — thank you to everyone who attended the show! Although we had only missed one year due to the pandemic, the gap since the last time we were able to gather with everyone seemed much longer than that. But thanks to all...