It’s been the time of year for reflection and forecasting, thinking about what can be learned from last year and what should be expected from the new year to come. The most successful of us are the best at applying those lessons learned and having the ability to anticipate upcoming changes...

Forty years ago, a frenetic fray raged over the World Record for truss production. While CMs across the country competed, the two main players, Littfin in Minnesota and Dickie Vail in Louisiana, produced numbers that may never be equaled. The massive trophy, displayed today in the lobby of...

Why reflect on the oft-derided C-Clamp as it fades into truss industry oblivion? Because it holds the world record for truss production, unmatched yet, even by robots. And although it debuted half a century ago, its design has never been equaled. And remarkably, this deceptively simple machine...

Bringing in a new cutting saw – even a high-tech version – is a surprisingly straightforward experience, but it succeeds or fails based on the quality of service and know-how. From purchase through installation to on-going support, Spida will help you automate successfully. One...

Do you vertically stack your trusses or horizontally stack them? How does the method impact quality? How does it impact safety? Do you know the arguments for either preference? Almost as if it was a regional inclination, some areas of the US vertically stack their finished trusses and some areas...

Not so long ago, the concept of “lean manufacturing” was embraced and implemented worldwide for manufacturing. But these days, lean manufacturing is old news. Today, you need to be on the “Industry 4.0” bandwagon if you want to survive into the next decade. Governments,...

Just in case you haven’t looked out your window lately, new home construction is happening everywhere, especially on the East and West Coast. Traditional new home site builders are facing labor shortages in not only skilled trades but also in basic framing. This shortage is having a...

When do CMs go after new technology? Primarily when they’ve had several good years under their belt. But once new equipment has proven to be much better than what it replaces, it continues to sell even in slower economies. This is illustrated by the apparent inflection point midway through...

As we head towards Christmas and a well-earned break for everyone, we take the opportunity to reflect on all of the hard work that everyone has done in 2019 and thank our Spida customers and staff for all of their wonderful support in the last year. Square 1 Transition to Spida USA While...

Last month’s article, “Investment in Employee Training, Not Just Equipment,” produced a lot of good responses from many readers. Now it is time to offer real solutions to help your company improve productivity and reduce costly errors for your sales team and also all of the...