The 2022 International Builders Show (IBS) has come and gone, so that means it’s time to start making plans for the Building Component Manufacturers Conference (BCMC)! Currently, I have the privilege of serving on the BCMC Committee, so I was present for the 2021 inaugural ribbon...

At each BCMC, we’re able to see the evolution of our industry in real time. Right now, we’re seeing how to integrate machines that used to operate independently. These machines, the saws and the tables, have had sixty years of improvements, and a billion dollars of CM investments....

In our everyday lives, we habitually take many things for granted. It can be little things, like a store always having your favorite brand, or bigger expectations, such as your favorite store always being in business. We expect things to be where we expect them to be, and we anticipate that...

In our May issue, I began this series From the Road, inviting everyone along the course of our cross-country adventure to connect with me for an in-person visit. Recently, I was pleased to tour Merrick Machine Co. in Alda, Nebraska, the home of Triad Machinery. Arriving at the industrial park...

Some have complained that our magazine articles include advertorial content—but that simply means that they have misunderstood the purpose of our forum. Unlike an association that is supposed to speak with a united voice, our forum encourages everyone to speak with their own voice. We are...

Every month, I encourage our advertisers, industry professionals, and others to write what they would like to say to you. That, plain and simple, is the purpose of the open forum program we began 5 years ago when I started at The Advertiser. And, you are invited to say what you would like to...

Last month, Joe Kannapell took us on a terrific tour of BCMCs past in his column, The Last Word on 2020 BCMC – Virtually! Because we cannot attend an in-person BCMC show this fall, I’ve been thinking about ways to capture some of the spirit of BCMC. Step 1. See Products Without...

In place of this year’s BCMC, why not travel virtually to several Shows, beginning in Louisville in 1972… Arriving at the sprawling Fairgrounds from the Colonel Sanders Inn, I walked through a maze of modular home sections and finally found our 8x10 booth. All the...

If you missed BCMC Columbus last year, you’ll have your chance to attend BCMC Columbus this year! An excellent conference destination, it seems a great choice during these uncertain times. A walkable, visitor-friendly downtown with ample hotels, restaurants, and other attractions,...

In these uncertain times, it’s nice to seize all opportunities to celebrate, especially milestones. They can lift us up and make us smile. They can remind us of a destination we’re striving to reach, and they can applaud our journey to date. The Advertiser Reaches 250 Drumroll,...