Mass timber, including cross-laminated timber (CLT), has been in use worldwide for over 15 years, but most notably in Europe. However, North American designers and engineers are increasingly showing interest in picking up the trend. Building with mass timber for taller buildings has...

For most of us, the majority of our time we do things in the way we’ve done them before, for the reasons we’ve had before, and expecting the typical results. For many projects, that’s exactly how to operate! When we follow our habits and procedures, we’re able to capture...

Each and every machine, employee, and environment has unique limitations. It’s knowing how to exploit the strengths of each that will contribute to the success of the company and the success of each product line. We recognize the strengths of unconventional wall framing for the North...

German invaders have landed on our shores intent on leapfrogging our component industry. Their huge investment and their unconventional processes are now being tested on a jobsite not far from their high-tech, 200,000 sq. ft. Baltimore plant. Their name, Blueprint Robotics, invokes a...

Part 2 in our TIMWOODS Series When we last left off in our series, I introduced you to my friend, TIM WOODS. TIM WOODS is actually an acronym for the eight deadly wastes (Transportation, Inventory, Motion, Waiting, Over-Processing, Over-Production, Defects, and Skills). While the acronym...

On a trip abroad in 2004, I was first introduced to an alternate method of wall panel construction. I was in awe at the cleanliness, the organization, the material flow, ergonomics, and simplicity of the concept. Not a single staff member raced up and down the wall. No one was carrying or...

If you are like me, you spend the later part of the year setting goals for the coming year and planning how to accomplish them. For those who work for me, I always set goals, metrics, and participate in a conference on how we are going to achieve what we want together. Over the last few months,...

Our new online store is up and running! Purchasing Equipment and parts is now even easier! We are adding parts and equipment daily. Providing an efficient way to quickly decipher and order parts for specific manufacturers. The system allows you see all of the products available or sort by...

It has taken many years, but the component industry has finally caught onto the practices of lean manufacturing and applied them to truss and wall manufacturing. An example is the huge turnout at the sponsored seminars by Todd Drummond Consulting at the 2016 BCMC show of “The Path of Least...

I remember the introduction of early cruise control in cars. It was fantastic. It allowed the driver to set their speed without having to hold the accelerator pedal down with their foot. The only problem was, when you went up a hill, the car slowed down. When you went down a hill, the car...