Efficiency Rules at Panels Plus Tim Grahn Last fall, Panels Plus moved to a different location with more space, and I’m pleased to report that our staff was able to pull off this move with no interruption in business. Our customers continued to place orders at a record pace and our suppliers were able to send us the parts we... Read More June 2023 Issue #15287 Page 60
The End of Interest Rate Hikes? Carl Villella For those concerned that interest rate hikes will continue, the Fixed Income team at the Capital Group believe the last hike of 0.25% in early May will most likely be its last of the cycle. Many economists share that perception. After 10 consecutive hikes by the Fed, inflation is cooling at... Read More June 2023 Issue #15287 Page 64
MSRLPC Streamlines Design Values Comparison with New Online Tool MSR Lumber Producers Council The MSR Lumber Producer Council’s new Design Values Comparison Tool makes it possible for component manufacturers and other lumber buyers to easily build a comparison table based on species, size, and grade that includes design values for both visually graded and machine-graded dimensional... Read More June 2023 Issue #15287 Page 68
Building Your Own Home – Part IV: Project Management Prior to JobLine, I was a General Manager, and before that a Project Manager. That was more than 30 years ago, but hopefully I can shake off the dust and continue the process of building our forever home without too many problems. Project Management is a catch-all name used by people who may... Read More June 2023 Issue #15287 Page 74
Design Connections: Preventing Truss Collapses Geordie Secord Over the many years I’ve worked in the truss business, I’ve had the unfortunate experience of visiting numerous job sites where the trusses have collapsed. Without fail, every one of those collapses has been the direct result of improper bracing, improper hoisting, or a combination... Read More June 2023 Issue #15287
CS150 Shows Revenue Gains Dropped, Big Differences Persisted Between Lumberyards, Home Centers, Specialty Dealers Craig Webb Dramatic falls in lumber prices caused America’s biggest sellers of building materials to record in 2022 less than half the revenue gain they achieved the year before, Webb Analytics’ latest Construction Supply 150 (CS150) reveals. The group, which arguably accounts for two-thirds... Read More June 2023 Issue #15287 Page 86
Load Duration Factor MiTek Staff Lumber has ability to handle higher stresses under shorter periods of time. This characteristic is known as Load Duration Factor. Load Duration Factor typically ranges from 0.9 to 1.6 and is based on the amount of cumulative time the load is applied to the structure. Per the National Design... Read More June 2023 Issue #15287 Page 92
Collect, Analyze, and Take Action with IntelliSheets By Alpine Antoniya Evans Alpine’s iCommand® IntelliSheets takes business management to the next level, saving time with tools created for designers and managers. Originally introduced with IntelliVIEW® 22.02 software release, IntelliSheets creates custom job lists, tracks progress, and shares live reports... Read More June 2023 Issue #15287 Page 96
Contributing to a New Youth Scout Den in New Zealand Simpson Strong-Tie Staff Our Simpson Strong-Tie New Zealand branch was established in 2010 and helps provide Simpson Strong-Tie products to our friends in New Zealand. Recently, the branch had the opportunity to help a local scouts club build a new den to accommodate their growing club. [For all photos, See PDF or... Read More June 2023 Issue #15287 Page 102
The Last Word: The Component Industry Comes of Age Joe Kannapell 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... Read More June 2023 Issue #15287 Page 128