People look forward to attending the Building Component Manufacturers Conference (BCMC) for many reasons, including connecting with their friends and colleagues, participating in meetings and educational sessions, and enjoying social activities and events. But undoubtedly the #1 reason to attend...

The acquisition of Square 1 Design solidifies Spida Machinery’s position at the apex of machinery suppliers for the Building Components industry. Globally positioned to supply machinery around the world, our equipment profile includes options for all component manufacturers—from...

The Inspira Oncology Center in Woodbury, Connecticut urgently needed to service cancer patients in the surrounding communities. The decision to develop a new type of facility comprised of modular technologies allowed for a faster construction to more quickly deliver medical treatments to those...

The question of how much “high tech” is really needed in a situation can be difficult to answer. As Thom mentions in his article, “new-to-you equipment” may meet your needs after it has stopped being enough for someone else’s plant. To make the right decisions, you...

Part XII: Walls Get in the Way Just because two CEOs agree to build a computer model of a house in 3 years doesn’t mean it’s feasible. And barely a year into the agreement between TrusJoist and MiTek to merge software, we realized that we couldn’t do it. Meanwhile our...

For several years, there has been a foreboding trend in the post-frame industry: the disappearance of post-frame engineers. At once a strong coalition of devoted proponents who worked diligently on both personal and professional time to promote the industry through research, education and...

Before buying a linear saw, several common questions will be asked. What is the price? Speed? Accuracy? Most potential customers enquire about support and on-going maintenance. Occasionally, the topic of spare parts and availability is broached, and sporadically someone may throw in a question...

Permanent modular buildings are considered real property, built to the same building codes and requirements as site-built structures, and can be financed, sold, and depreciated in a similar manner. As such, the markets for permanent modular construction are similar to the markets for site-built...

Brick or masonry veneer has traditionally posed a problem to homeowners and contractors seeking to attach a deck to a home without removing large portions of the veneer or siding. No longer is that the case, thanks to the innovative BVLZ brick veneer ledger connector from Simpson Strong-Tie. In...

Are we seeing the onset of a wave of CM automation or is this déjà vu all over again? Are other CMs following the startups chronicled earlier on these pages: Blueprint Robotics (May 2017) or Katerra (Feb 2018)? Big money is driving it, the big wigs are behind it, and high tech machines are...