U.S. businesses are feeling optimistic, with nearly half expecting economic improvement in the next 12 months. This four-year high in confidence, despite inflation and tariff concerns, is translating into a strong desire for growth. A remarkable 66% of middle-market companies and 36% of small...

In late May, I was fortunate to travel to Germany on a quest to discover processes that could advance the state of the art of component manufacturing. Driving 90 miles from Munich’s 6 million people, I passed several quaint villages with businesses bordering the Autobahn, each separated by...

Although last month’s article in this series, “Home Building Technology, Part V: Early Truss Connection Innovators,” brought our story up to the post-war time period, we would be remiss without acknowledging the original truss manufacturers in greater detail. A small group of...

For many in the structural building components industry, the past few months have been quieter than usual. This has been caused by a combination of factors including economic, regulatory, and operational. I was talking to a customer recently and he put it like this: “where we’re...

Too often, systems that claim to be “automated” still rely on people to direct the flow. That reliance on people rather than true automation means you’re still solving problems downstream that were created by things happening upstream. A picker is still compensating for a...

In today’s rapidly evolving housing market, the demand for diverse housing types—affordable, low-income, modular, multi-family, and general residential construction—is greater than ever. This growing demand highlights the need for scalable, efficient building solutions. Enter...

For the first time, a modern machine used in many other industries has proven itself in a truss plant. In other industries where it works in hundreds of plants, the JAX gantry transports tires, crates, and cases of Jack Daniels whiskey. In a truss plant, JAX moves 1 to 13 sticks of lumber from...

Consultative financing for wood component manufacturers goes beyond simple loans. It’s about understanding the industry’s unique challenges—like high equipment costs, raw material volatility, and market sensitivity—to offer tailored financial solutions. A consultative...

I’ve had the privilege of working with frame and truss manufacturers for many years now, and I’ve seen firsthand how the right equipment can transform a business. If you’re thinking about investing in an automated linear saw, I can honestly say, you can reap many benefits...

When you’ve got five or six 20” to 32” blades chewing through lumber simultaneously at even just 18 pieces a minute, you’re not just making a lot of truss parts—you’re creating a full-blown localized dust storm. So what do you do when you’ve got to...