Will You Be Ready in 2021? Carl Villella How ready are you for the uptick in business once the pandemic is behind us? In a recent survey of the National Association for Business Economics, 73% of their members said that the U.S. Economy will return to pre-pandemic levels by the 2nd half of 2021. Members include 48 professional... Read More January 2021 Issue #13258 Page 75
The CASH Dilemma Ray Fedorko One of the most frequent responses we hear from prospects when asked how they hope to pay for their equipment is simply: I’m going to pay cash. It’s a nice feeling to pay cash. Done and paid for. No payment schedule or finance charges. And surely, if interest payments hover in the... Read More August 2020 Issue #12253 Page 71
‘Factor In’ the Low Factor Rates This Summer Ray Fedorko The pandemic environment has affected many things. Perhaps surprisingly, one of the effects derives from the Fed’s desire to assist the economy in any way possible. In particular, interest rates which were already at historical lows are now even lower. As a result, monthly payment quotes... Read More July 2020 Issue #12252 Page 73
Three Conditions for Smarter Margin Application to Make Healthier Profits Todd Drummond Establishing a proper margin to maximize profits for your roof truss component sales is not as easy as most people think. Most do not have a clear understanding of how small changes make a significant impact on the company’s profitability. Making the most profits possible, no matter what... Read More June 2020 Issue #12251 Page 24
Too Many LBM-Owned CMs are Operating at a Mediocre Rate Todd Drummond An anonymous former lumberyard CEO of 17 lumberyard locations (LBM) explained to me that his two component manufacturing (CM) plants made up only 10% of his sales yet contributed 30% of his net profits. He wished he had given the CM division far more focus and resources. As a guru for process... Read More March 2020 Issue #12248 Page 51
A Case for Innovation in the Building Industry Craig Savage For years, I’ve been interested in why the residential building industry has been so slow to innovate. Other industries constantly innovate. The U.S. automobile industry, arguably pushed along by Japan and European car makers, continues to advance its products and production methods.... Read More March 2020 Issue #12248 Page 72
Maximizing Wall Panel Design Productivity and Accuracy John Croll As a wall panel designer, there are two critical performance metrics to hit: efficiency and accuracy. In a competitive component manufacturing landscape, maximizing designer productivity on both quotes and orders is paramount to running a successful business. Quickly generating an... Read More February 2020 Issue #12247 Page 68
Look Beyond Manufacturing Improvements to Deliver Better Net Profits for 2020 Todd Drummond Even though the new build season of 2020 is expected to be a good one for most, it likely will be more challenging to retain net profits than many anticipate. Most component manufacturers (CM) have been buying equipment and expanding their operations like crazy. Also, new money has flooded into... Read More January 2020 Issue #12246 Page 51
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
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