Modular Industry in Best Position to Take Over Mid-Rise Housing Gary Fleisher Since 2010, the number of households that rent has grown from 32% to 36% with the addition of 4,000,000 new renters. Mid and high-income renters saw the biggest increase. With construction slowing down due to COVID-19 and lawmakers debating the pros and cons of rent forgiveness for those who... Read More June 2020 Issue #12251 Page 94
Protection Needed for ‘Good Faith’ Business Operations Robert Glowinski As elected officials discuss potential policies to support the nation’s economic recovery, the American Wood Council (AWC) is supporting a number of policy efforts to stimulate housing, and construction in general. In addition, we have engaged on a related issue that has the potential to... Read More June 2020 Issue #12251 Page 100
Lumber Briefs: Become a Lumber ‘Trader’ Not Just a Buyer or Seller Matt Layman Seems like every week I get more contacts regarding urgent buying strategies. I want to share two of them with you today. One was a contractor yard, preparing to requote a $3 million multi-family framing package. The member was advised by the contractor that his price was roughly 10% high,... Read More June 2020 Issue #12251 Page 102
Teamwork and Friendship Benefit the Whole Mike Wisnefski The average American works 8.8 hours a day, 44 hours per week. The average entrepreneur works 63% more than that. So, when I had the idea for a tech start-up designed to transact raw materials, specifically lumber and wood products right now, you better believe I wanted to like the people that I... Read More June 2020 Issue #12251 Page 104
Career Moves and Relocation In the past, relocation was an acceptable means to advance, find a better place to live, better benefits, or better compensation. Myself, I found relocation helped me advance from a mid-level manager to a multiplant GM at a young age. The downside is I had to move several times, uprooting my... Read More June 2020 Issue #12251 Page 107
New Materials Require New Hardware — Three Fasteners Engineered Specifically for Mass Timber Construction Neelima Tapata Simpson Strong-Tie has always been a leader in designing innovative products for various construction markets. As an R&D engineer, I enjoy the opportunities for continuous exploring, experimenting and learning that come with my role. There’s never a dull moment working in research and... Read More June 2020 Issue #12251 Page 114
Returning to Columbus with BCMC 2020 Anna Stamm If you missed BCMC Columbus last year, you’ll have your chance to attend BCMC Columbus this year! An excellent conference destination, it seems a great choice during these uncertain times. A walkable, visitor-friendly downtown with ample hotels, restaurants, and other attractions,... Read More June 2020 Issue #12251 Page 136
The Last Word: Fast Walking Through the Corona Crisis Joe Kannapell, PE While many Americans are stuck at home without work, most of us have been blessed to keep working, at home or in component plants. Remarkably, most CMs have operated continuously with very few incidents. One large manufacturer with 1500 associates has not had a single Covid case. Then, why such... Read More June 2020 Issue #12251 Page 137
Advertiser Forum: Celebrating Milestones Anna Stamm In these uncertain times, it’s nice to seize all opportunities to celebrate, especially milestones. They can lift us up and make us smile. They can remind us of a destination we’re striving to reach, and they can applaud our journey to date. The Advertiser Reaches 250 Drumroll,... Read More May 2020 Issue #12250 Page 6
Sixty Years of Machines, Part VI: Roller Gantries Enhanced Joe Kannapell, PE As housing boomed in the mid-1980s, truss plants needed better equipment. Among those was Heart Truss and Engineering in Michigan. Heart was also benefitting from booming auto plants nearby. Their production head, Bob LePoire, pondered how to keep up. Bob’s boss and Heart’s... Read More May 2020 Issue #12250 Page 10