Innovation in Action at Vekta Ed Serrano In business today, it is necessary to be agile and responsive to change. But, to have that real edge – the ability to truly set yourself apart – you need to be unique. Your solutions need to define I-N-N-O-V-A-T-I-O-N. As a company, Vekta defines innovation. By reviewing how the... Read More April 2022 Issue #14273 Page 54
Sixty Years of Machines, Part XXVIII: Perfecting the Concept Joe Kannapell After an impressive debut and ten sales on the BCMC Show floor, the fate of the Alpine Linear Saw (ALS) was still up in the air. Few knew that the ALS was the product of a 105-day crash effort (see “One Hundred Five Days in 2002,” by Dave McAdoo in the December 2021 issue), and that... Read More March 2022 Issue #14272 Page 10
Millions of Dollars for New Equipment and Building Investments are Being Wasted Todd Drummond Expanding the manufacturing capacity within the component manufacturing (CM) industry for wood trusses and wall panels is at a fever pitch. The overwhelming majority of CMs have the same limited capacity issue trying to keep up with sales, which led to excellent record-breaking sales volumes and... Read More March 2022 Issue #14272 Page 35
Increasing Efficiency Gains From Plant Optimization Edmond Lim, P.Eng. My January article, Optimize Your Saw with a Lumber PickLine, focused on “Feeding the Beast!” and replacing inefficient, expensive, and labor-intensive “forklift lumber picking” with our improved material handling system. Then, my February article, Threading the Needle... Read More March 2022 Issue #14272 Page 54
Threading the Needle with a High Rise Lumber PickLine Edmond Lim, P.Eng. February means different things to different people – Valentine’s Day, the Super Bowl, Family Day (in Canada) – but to me, February is also the anniversary of my most complicated and challenging installation. What’s more, the installation was completed in the middle of... Read More February 2022 Issue #14271 Page 54
Sixty Years of Machines, Part XXVI: Competing in Columbus Joe Kannapell Two linear saws were set to battle one other at BCMC: Alpine’s, never having operated in a truss plant, vs. TCT’s, running in 10 truss plants. But few expected the competition at the 2002 Show. Alpine’s entry was the result of a crash effort, largely behind the scenes, to... Read More January 2022 Issue #14270 Page 10
Record-Breaking EBITA Exceeded Mid-Twenties for Many CMs for 2021 Todd Drummond Last year should have been a record profit year for wood truss and wall panel component manufacturers (CM). Many of my clients have mid to upper-twenties EBITA. A few made it to the mid-thirties of their total sales. Yet, so many find this hard to believe. Too many believe mid to high teens for... Read More January 2022 Issue #14270 Page 35
Optimize Your Saw with a Lumber Pick Line Edmond Lim, P.Eng. Feed the Beast! That’s what I call it — and that’s what I suggest to every component manufacturer striving to optimize their plant. A Lumber PickLine will ensure that your saw never goes hungry for lumber. Using inefficient, expensive, and labor-intensive “forklift... Read More January 2022 Issue #14270 Page 52
Sixty Years of Machines, Part XXV: A Hail Mary Pass Joe Kannapell Alpine Engineered Products’ new owners greenlighted both a new linear saw and a major upgrade to their component saw, but they gave Dave McAdoo a nearly impossible deadline. He would have to deliver both by BCMC 2002, just 3½ months away. And the most difficult of these, the linear... Read More December 2021 Issue #13269 Page 10
How to Lose Millions of Profits with Linear Saws and Two-Person Crews Todd Drummond There has been a big push to reduce labor. In response, more than one equipment vendor has suggested that component manufacturers (CM) should purchase linear saws directly tied to roof gantry tables. The idea is simple: fewer crew members and more automation to increase efficiencies and reduce... Read More December 2021 Issue #13269 Page 35