Strategy, Culture, and BCMC Ben Hershey Two manufacturers walk into the BCMC Show. One is a seasoned manufacturer who has been attending the show for many years and will learn something new, but really just goes to shake hands and be seen. The other manufacturer is new and eager, ready to learn and network with others at the show.... Read More October 2019 Issue #11243 Page 44
Stacking Trusses and Frames Just Got a Whole Lot Easier! Ed Serrano Sometimes our industry needs a bit of a shake up! Going from strength to strength, VektaUSA has once again turned heads—this time with a new, straight forward, compact, easy to use and practical solution for stacking trusses and wall frames! The tried and proven Stakpro product line has... Read More October 2019 Issue #11243 Page 58
Celebrating 50 Years of Truss Design Innovation, Part XIV Joe Kannapell Part XIV: Whole House Launched Pacing nervously outside the truss office, our best software “brain” was physically sick. Another failed demo could end his career. He worried because, after 6 frustrating years, our $50 Million OptiFrame program may not be ready for primetime. And... Read More September 2019 Issue #11242 Page 8
What Tools Are You Using Ben Hershey I really enjoy local county fairs and local attractions, because they give us an opportunity to see cool things from the past or something related to the area (and our fair has fresh roasted corn!). Recently at our local fair, the Stanwood Fair, I walked into a building showcasing tools used by... Read More September 2019 Issue #11242 Page 28
Vendor Loyalty and Sales Pitch Can Lead You Astray Todd Drummond The BCMC trade show is fast approaching. This trade show, which is held each year, is a great opportunity for you and your team to step outside of your comfort zone to challenge and expand your current beliefs of both equipment investments and vendor services. Just be mindful that sometimes it... Read More September 2019 Issue #11242 Page 47
Sorry to Burst the Bubble! Shelena and Ed Serrano Congratulations! You’ve just purchased a new, state of the art machine to add technology and automation to your factory processes. Concerns about safety, inefficiency, and your bottom line are now in the past. Your staff will be happier, work will be easier, and your customers will be... Read More September 2019 Issue #11242 Page 58
Celebrating 50 Years of Truss Design Innovation, Part XIII Joe Kannapell Part XIII: The Unfinished Whole House By purchasing Alpine, ITW/Truswal strengthened their chances of outflanking MiTek/TrusJoist in building the whole house. At the time of this acquisition in early 2006, we at MiTek had poured many millions into our efforts and had little to show for it.... Read More August 2019 Issue #11241 Page 8
Celebrating 50 Years of Truss Design Innovation, Part XII Joe Kannapell 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... Read More July 2019 Issue #11240 Page 8
You’re Only As Strong As Your Weakest Link Chris Scott Being only as strong as your weakest link is not only true in sports but also on the production line, whether we are talking about people or equipment. Diagnosing the slowest and least efficient point in any production line is key to having a successful and profitable manufacturing... Read More July 2019 Issue #11240 Page 14
Measure the Tempo of Your Operation Ben Hershey My wife Dianne and I were recently going through some of our old family photos and I came across this photo of Dianne’s Dad, Jack Hendershot, as a teenager on his bike delivering ice in the early ’50s. For those who may not know, before the advent of refrigeration and freezing... Read More July 2019 Issue #11240 Page 22