Back from BCMC, Our Welcome Friend Cullen Ellis It was great to see everyone back at the BCMC show this year in Omaha. Seeing all the familiar faces reminds us all how tight knit our industry is, especially after missing last year due to Covid. It felt like a typical annual family gathering with some relatives you talk to on a regular basis... Read More November 2021 Issue #13268 Page 19
The Great Employee Wage Debate Todd Drummond A sign that could have appeared in any town has caused quite a stir. The message is direct: “Stimulate your ass to work—Every business in town is hiring.” [For image, See PDF or View in Full Issue.] For business leaders, it aptly voices their frustration when trying to compete... Read More November 2021 Issue #13268 Page 36
Can Lasers Do It All? Glenn Traylor With the introduction of lasers, setting up a truss while accurately controlling its perimeter and profile has never been quicker or easier. But do lasers do the job by themselves? The answer is no. They cannot. Here is why. Lasers provide excellent and accurate information to truss builders... Read More November 2021 Issue #13268 Page 51
Connecting and Learning in Omaha Tracy Roe BCMC 2021 was held last month in Omaha and we at Eagle Metal have to say — thank you to everyone who attended the show! Although we had only missed one year due to the pandemic, the gap since the last time we were able to gather with everyone seemed much longer than that. But thanks to all... Read More November 2021 Issue #13268 Page 58
Manufacturing Insights to Power Your Team Douglas Krauss Making performance visible and easily tracked powers your team members with the knowledge of achievements and areas for improvement. I’ve spent my career working in a variety of manufacturing roles. Here’s what I’ve learned: Knowledge is key. I believe it’s crucial... Read More November 2021 Issue #13268 Page 64
Thanks from Triad for an Outstanding Show TRIAD / Merrick Machine Company Team BCMC 2021 in Omaha, NE gave customers the opportunity to see first-hand the new Triad ProFusion sheathing bridge—Triad’s latest programmable bridge with many new features to provide increased speed and increased flexibility while reducing labor. [For photos, see See PDF or View in... Read More November 2021 Issue #13268 Page 72
Driving Modeling and Marking Advancements with EstiFrame Coby Gifford Although EstiFrame Technologies is mostly known for our EasyFrame Automated Marking System, we have provided estimating and framing design services since we were founded in 2017. We can handle anything from commercial buildings to multi-family housing and have done thousands of single-family... Read More November 2021 Issue #13268 Page 79
Economic Outlook and Planning in the Third Quarter Carl Villella Economic studies prepared by the multinational professional services company, KPMG, show that the pace of job gains has slowed due to the Delta variant and is leading to a reduction of economic activity in the 3rd Quarter of 2021. KPMG lowered its 3rd Quarter GDP growth numbers from 6.4% to... Read More November 2021 Issue #13268 Page 83
What’s Next in the Ever-Changing Designer Hiring Saga? When the Great Recession took away a generation of new designers between 2007 and 2012, hiring basic and intermediate level designers became an issue. The average years of experience for designers rose from 8 to 12. Designers who held on through the downturn were mostly re-hired in... Read More November 2021 Issue #13268 Page 86
15 Things to Do (and Prepare for) in Coming Weeks to Finish 2021 Strong Craig Webb At least two months of hard work remain before you can finally ease up and enjoy the Holiday season. Between now and then lie numerous tasks, some ordinary (next year’s budget) and some unusual (COVID vaccination rules). Here are four vital challenges you’ll confront in coming weeks,... Read More November 2021 Issue #13268 Page 92