From Blade to Data: Can Cutting Become a Measurable, Optimized System? Wendy Boyd Walk into most structural component manufacturing facilities across North America and you’ll see a familiar contrast: highly sophisticated design software upstream, increasingly automated assembly downstream — and somewhere in the middle, cutting processes that still rely heavily on... Read More May 2026 Issue #18322 Page 29
Drag Trusses: The Hidden Component of Lateral Systems Jeff Vance I had a chance not long ago to grab coffee with an old college roommate. We’re both engineers by trade, but our careers took different paths — he went into structural consulting, while I went into component design, working with wood trusses. As often happens, the conversation quickly... Read More May 2026 Issue #18322 Page 38
Find Good People and Grow Old With Them Alpine Team Six decades of partnership, practical innovation, and growth: That is the legacy Alpine® celebrates as it marks its 60th anniversary. Turning the big 6-0 is something that hits some people hard, while others consider themselves lucky to reach that milestone. But a business in a competitive... Read More May 2026 Issue #18322 Page 48
Dump and Chase is Just-in-Time Edmond Lim, P.Eng. In hockey, “Dump and Chase” is highly effective depending on how deep the puck is dumped into the opposing team’s defensive zone, and how hard the dumping team will chase and fight to get back possession of the puck. The strategy is to physically punish the defending team and... Read More May 2026 Issue #18322 Page 58
Come Meet the ROGworx Badger ROGworx Team We know how great the Badger EWP Processing Center is, and now you can come see it in action too. We’re pleased to offer LIVE demos in Emporia, VA, Lavonia, GA, and Columbia, MO. Just contact us to schedule a tour. Here are a few reasons why you should check it out: The Badger... Read More May 2026 Issue #18322 Page 67
Profit Leaks Where Work Is Not Visible Enough to Control Todd Drummond When business gets tougher, hidden weaknesses stop being minor frustrations and start becoming profit leaks. Leaders cannot afford recurring quality issues, unclear job status, missed follow-up, or managers spending hours chasing information that should already be visible. Most companies do... Read More May 2026 Issue #18322 Page 75
Aligning Paragon’s Leadership for Growth Zach Hubbs Stepping into the CEO role at Paragon comes at an interesting moment, both for our company and for the building components industry as a whole. Paragon recently turned ten years old. In software, especially software aimed at a domain as technically demanding as structural components, most of... Read More May 2026 Issue #18322 Page 88
Take a HyperLeap with AMT Robotics Garry Roehr Last month, in “Say Hello to AMT Robotics,” I introduced our Datum Squaring Table. This month, I’d like to focus on our HyperLeap Sheathing Bridge. You’ll find that our modular approach allows you to install the machine that best suits your current needs while giving... Read More May 2026 Issue #18322 Page 99
Building Future Builders and Truss Designers Jeff Haider Many of us have sought ways to help grow the next generation of builders, and I’m fortunate to work with a local program doing just that. The Bakken Area Skills Center (BASC) in Watford City, ND is committed to empowering individuals through career and technical education, fostering a... Read More May 2026 Issue #18322 Page 107
Who’s Ghosting Who? Ghosting has become a common occurrence, but in the hiring world, it carries real consequences. At its core, ghosting happens when one party simply stops responding, even though a level of engagement had been established. In the building components manufacturing industry, and in my role as a... Read More May 2026 Issue #18322 Page 114