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For years, component manufacturers have faced a classic operational dilemma: choose the high-volume speed of traditional batch cutting on component saws or opt for the simplified material flow of cut-by-truss on linear saws. Because linear saws could “stretch”/optimize lumber, this...

When The Truss Company purchased its first RetroC component saw in 2014, the company was understandably skeptical. At the time, the RetroC was still a relatively new product, and some questioned whether it could hold up in a high-volume production environment. The saw would be expected to...

Most component manufacturers (CMs) do not choose a plate vendor based only on connector plate pricing. The decision also affects engineering, technical support, training, production planning, software, reporting, and other parts of the business. Over time, those systems can become so connected...

In the mid-20th century, Toyota revolutionized manufacturing with a clear idea: eliminate waste, optimize the flow of value, and improve continuously. Lean manufacturing changed how physical goods are built by putting the worker’s time and effort at the center of every decision. At...

We often measure productivity and capacity using units that are readily available. Sometimes this can be described as looking for lost car keys under a streetlamp not because that’s where they were lost but because that’s where the light is better. Examples of readily available units...

The U.S. began the second half of 2026 with optimism: celebrating the 250th anniversary of its founding, amid the exhilaration of hosting the Word Cup, fresh from the largest IPO in history, and marking a record high stock market after a strong earnings season. Adding to the hopeful...

For more than 20 years, we’ve referred to The JobLine as “Your Recruiter Down the Hall.” It isn’t just a slogan. It’s the philosophy that has guided how we’ve partnered with employers throughout the structural building components industry. Think about it....

There is a strange double standard in how component manufacturing plants allocate capital. Owners and general managers often view sales and production as the ultimate profit centers, treating the design department as a necessary evil: a cost center eating overhead without generating tangible...

The principle of limiting deflection in proportion to span was first established by Thomas Tredgold, a prominent British engineer born in 1788. He recognized that for a floor to be functional, its bending (deflection) needed to be restricted based on its length. Tredgold originally recommended a...

Real-world performance may not always match tested values. In light-frame construction, structural connectors are often treated as commodity hardware — selected from a catalog, installed in the field, and assumed to perform as designed. In reality, structural connectors are highly...