Growing The Building Center in the Carolinas The Building Center Team Not every company can say they’ve been providing quality building products to their market for nearly 50 years, but The Building Center, Inc. can! We were founded in the Charlotte metro market in 1977, and since then, we’ve grown into one of the largest privately owned lumber and... Read More June 2026 Issue #18323 Page 126
The Hidden Assets Revealed in the 2026 CS150 Craig Webb Each year, the 2026 Construction Supply 150, powered by Webb Analytics, reveals and analyzes the size and scope of America’s key lumber and building material dealers. It tells what they did in the previous year, updates their activities in current year, and uses past trends to forecast... Read More June 2026 Issue #18323 Page 132
Long Span Trusses Alpine Team Designing long-span trusses starts with a clear definition. Establishing what constitutes a long-span truss sets expectations early, helping to drive smarter design, manufacturing, and logistics decisions from the outset. [For all figures, See PDF or View in Full Issue.] Defining Long-Span... Read More June 2026 Issue #18323 Page 138
Mansard-type Truss Design MiTek Staff Mansard-type trusses are a type of roof truss that extend outward and are supported only on top and bottom of the tall end, allowing it to cantilever out without additional support. [For all images, See PDF or View in Full Issue.] They are commonly designed with a pin and vertical roller... Read More June 2026 Issue #18323 Page 148
Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Component Manufacturing Simpson Strong-Tie Staff Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology is everywhere we look lately. From health care to education to manufacturing operations, AI leaders claim their applications will improve productivity and streamline business processes in every way imaginable. Some say it will replace jobs, while others... Read More June 2026 Issue #18323 Page 157
Incredible Value Awaits You in Columbus at BCMC 2026 Sean Shields We all know how fast this industry moves, and how hard it can be to stay ahead. That’s exactly why you need to begin planning to attend BCMC 2026 in Columbus, Ohio, September 14–18. If you’re serious about improving your operation, strengthening your team, and finding better... Read More June 2026 Issue #18323 Page 164
Labor Measurement After Houlihan Joe Kannapell, PE Two highly consequential labor-saving innovations were hatched at the 1993 National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Show at the Astrodome complex in Houston, Texas. Outside the Astrodome, two identical model homes were being framed side-by-side, proving the labor savings of components.... Read More June 2026 Issue #18323 Page 192
Advertiser Forum: Watching Artemis II Anna Stamm I shouldn’t admit I wasn’t excited by the Artemis II mission, even though the TV was telling me I should be. I was unable to escape the coverage though, and I ended up with a few takeaways I hadn’t expected. Bridging Entertainment and Inspiration Even though I... Read More May 2026 Issue #18322 Page 6
Home Building Technology, Part XVI: Roller Equipment Alternatives Joe Kannapell, PE It’s about time that a serious contender challenges the dominance of the roller gantry. Its life has been extended with lasers and auto-puck systems, but no upgrade so far has taken the hammer out of the hands of assemblers, its greatest drawback. The only alternative, the vertical press,... Read More May 2026 Issue #18322 Page 10
Do You Understand Deflection and Deflection Differential? Glenn Traylor Do you understand deflection and deflection differential — and how your truss systems and, more importantly, your clients’ perceptions will be affected? Deflection has been around for an exceptionally long time and always needs to be considered and addressed. To do so, however, we... Read More May 2026 Issue #18322 Page 19