Part XV: Busted at Bahama Breeze Finally, we would know if we won the business, when we were summoned to a Bahama Breeze restaurant outside Atlanta. Had we been busted for showing “not ready for prime time” software, defying MiTek policy? Over lunch we were told that ITW had been...

It was June 1982 and The Clash released the hit song, “Should I Stay or Should I Go,”— now it’s October 2019 and once again you find yourself asking, should I stay or should I go to the BCMC in Columbus, Ohio. As you’re humming that song for the rest of this...

October has arrived, which means BCMC 2019 is nearly here. For the week of October 21, the annual Building Component Manufacturers Conference (BCMC) will be packed full of activities for attendees. From meetings and workshops, to athletic events, to social functions, and of course the show...

People make the common mistake of thinking that if they have been doing something for a long time, occasionally have made improvements over the years, and they are working hard and consistently, then they are doing it the best way possible. But the truth is, approximately 80% of truss and wall...

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...

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...

October is right around the corner and that means cooler weather, Halloween, turning of the leaves, football, and the BCMC. As much as I would love to talk to you about all of these things, this article will stick to the most important and my favorite one….football. Okay, after a...

One of the most important effects of the Building Component Manufacturers Conference (BCMC) is that it brings people together in one place for a few days each fall. In this digital age, being in the same building with this many friends and colleagues presents countless opportunities! From...

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...

So, there is an interesting discussion by some in the CM Industry to create a universal truss software standard. In some circles, this “standard” is merely an effort to integrate and simplify.  Others worry it is an effort to monetize design software, and to some this...