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It’s worth recounting the 25 productive years that culminated in the establishment of WTCA/SBCA. Thanks to the leadership of some outstanding men, and their early embrace of technology, the component industry came together to claim its rightful place in the building industry, but it...

We’ve all watched someone be dismissive of another person’s actions when they chalk them up to habit or reflex. In fact, there’s even a series of TV commercials that encourage people to not become like their parents. But, sometimes, it’s important to remember that actions...

Four distinctly different types of truss plates came onto the market in the 1950s, but only two made it into the 1960s: the short toothed and the long toothed, neither requiring nails. These two types continued to evolve over the next decade, although along distinctly different paths, and under...

Last month’s article, Spida Machinery’s Automated Apollo Saw—Evolution, talks about the development of Spida saws from the CSS to the Apollo. For decades, Spida has been known for cutting-edge technology in our cutting equipment. This month, I’d like to take a closer look...

Building history facts: Before the 2008 financial crash, there were about 2,100 wood truss and wall panel component manufacturing (CM) companies across North America. The vast majority of the locations were independently owned and operated. When the worst of the effects of the recession finally...

Recently, while conducting an ANSI/TPI audit, a splice caught my eye. When I investigated further, I realized that the bottom chord of the truss I was investigating had a very short, 2” chord segment. I immediately assumed the truss builders had cut a short block to make up for a miss-cut...

May 1st means that early-bird registration has opened, so it’s time to start planning your trip to join us in Indianapolis for this year’s Building Component Manufacturers Conference (BCMC)! As a member of SBCA’s BCMC Committee, I always have a personal stake in the success...

Dealing with the industry’s long machinery lead times actually has given everyone an opportunity to get creative, to stop procrastinating, and to complete those naggingly important process improvement projects — even though that’s easier said than done! This month, I am...

Skills shortages, increased costs, margin pressures, and continued demand for new builds across the housing market have in recent years accelerated the focus on automating the prefabrication of lumber wall frames, roof trusses, and lumber floors. Today, the prefabrication of lumber wall frames...

If there is a lesson to be learned from the recent collapse of Silicon Valley Bank in March, and the ripple effect that caused a run on Signature Bank, along with the staggering declines in the share prices of First Republic Bank and PacWest Bancorp, it is this: it’s unwise to depend...