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The 2022 International Builders Show (IBS) has come and gone, so that means it’s time to start making plans for the Building Component Manufacturers Conference (BCMC)! Currently, I have the privilege of serving on the BCMC Committee, so I was present for the 2021 inaugural ribbon...

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...

The economic outlook for 2022 appears to be a positive one, according to reports prepared by firms such a Deloitte, Capital Group, and Edward Jones. All agree that the 2020 market downturn was short-lived, and that the economy is continuing on the upswing that has been going on for the past...

Building a strong employer/employee relationship is probably one of the biggest challenges that leaders face in any organization. I have never met any manager or leader of any company who does not want to improve in this area. There are so many books, seminars, and other resource materials...

I am just one of many people who had the privilege of calling Richard “Dickie” Vail my friend. Working with him over the years as a recruiter at TheJobLine.com, while he was at Trussway and then at Panel Truss, I was always impressed with his exceptionally detailed questioning about...

February’s International Builders Show (IBS) in Orlando, Florida was massive in both size and content. I consider myself lucky to have gotten a press pass to the IBS. I say lucky not because the pass was obtained, any good trade show will offer that to increase exposure for the show and...

After a three-year absence, Virginia Tech is offering its popular two-day course on topics related to wood construction. On May 17–18 in Blacksburg, VA, the Structural Design Topics in Wood Construction course will address wood truss design, in-service performance, and installation...

Burton Lumber to welcome 2022 attendees to their Salt Lake City facility! “One of the main reasons I attend the MSR Workshop is because the event format always includes an opportunity to take a tour, to see or learn something new,” says Kyle Gibbons. “I think it’s what...

There are multiple Overlooked Obvious housing conditions that scream “runaway supply of shelter” is already in process. First and foremost, let us differentiate between housing and shelter. Housing demand implies one dwelling for a household. A household is not a family...

Pro-oriented, residentially focused construction supply companies acquired 671 locations and opened 154 others in 2021, capping one of the busiest years ever for lumberyards, specialty dealers, and related firms, Webb Analytics’ just-released 2021 Deals Report finds. [For charts and...