Library

For component manufacturers who rely on machine stress rated (MSR) lumber in their day-to-day operations, the annual MSR Workshop continues to distinguish itself as one of the most valuable events on the industry calendar. The 2026 Workshop, held at the end of April in Orange Beach, AL, once...

Per ANSI/TPI 1-2022 (National Design Standard for Metal Plate Connected Wood Truss Construction), Section 6.2.2.5, trusses with an overall span of 18 ft or greater must be evaluated for a 300 lb concentrated person load applied at the midpoint of any chord panel that is not sheathed with...

The 2026 Building Component Manufacturers Conference (BCMC) is just around the corner. Our team is eager to present the latest innovations at our booth this year, including cutting-edge equipment, software, and services. This year, we are proud to feature a range of advanced saws, including...

Quality is more than a requirement. It is a key driver of customer confidence, operational efficiency, workforce development, and long-term business success.  As component manufacturers continue to focus on continuous improvement, employee development, and operational excellence,...

After nearly 40 years in sales in the structural wood component industry, and with countless trusses and wall panels behind him, Jay Halteman has nevertheless summarily been shown the door – and by his own two progeny, to boot. His long, tiresome and haggled-over retirement is effective...

As discussed in The Last Word in May, “John Houlihan’s Contributions,” John Houlihan introduced a proven way to manage plant labor, applying his trade to plant systems as they were, rather than how they could be, which was reflective of his background outside our industry. When...

I don’t mind having solicitors from time to time, even though the neighborhood has a sign against it. In fact, when someone tells me they’re doing work on a neighbor’s house that interests me, I’ll have a conversation and get a quote. Why not? It’s not as if...

Technology, like we observed at last month’s Annual MSR Workshop, is the main reason Southern Pine has surpassed Douglas Fir as the predominant truss material. But, making this challenging transition has taken the work of lumber producers and their truss plant consumers. What’s more,...

Purchasing the correct grade of lumber to match your design drawing requirements is only one step in selecting the right lumber. Previously, we’ve discussed lumber quality in “Who is Responsible for Lumber Quality in Your Trusses?,” but let’s expand that discussion with...

Frame and truss machinery has always competed on mechanical engineering design, and it still does. But, when you ask a plant manager where the day-to-day pain and gains in their plant actually come from, increasingly the answer is software. Throughput, uptime, operator experience — these...