Home Building Technology, Part XIV: Truss Equipment Proliferates – Assembly Joe Kannapell, PE You could say that Carol Sanford flipped the script on machinery, like he had in so many circumstances throughout his career. In the 1950s, when he couldn’t sell his modular homes in Ohio, he shipped them to Florida. When he couldn’t sell them there, he turned to selling site-built... Read More February 2026 Issue #18319 Page 10
Team Performance Depends on Your Flow Wendy Boyd When your team is set up right, performance takes care of itself. In manufacturing, it’s easy to assume better results come from pushing harder – longer shifts, tighter schedules, more pressure on the floor. But the highest performing plants know something different: real performance... Read More February 2026 Issue #18319 Page 29
Home Building Technology, Part XIII: Truss Equipment Proliferates – Component Saws Joe Kannapell, PE As housing demand accelerated in the 1960s, builders increasingly turned to trusses. But, lacking better equipment, truss shops had trouble scaling up to fill their orders. Early shops had little more than radial arm saws to cut members and wood tables to assemble them. They had exhausted every... Read More January 2026 Issue #18318 Page 10
Questions Every Truss Manufacturer Should Ask When Preparing for 2026 Wendy Boyd As the North American truss market continues to evolve, fabricators are asking themselves how do we do more with the time, labor, and space we already have? How can we improve efficiency, reduce manual handling, and position our production lines to take advantage of the next wave of... Read More December 2025 Issue #17317 Page 31
Do You Have CapEx Room for 2026? Edmond Lim, P.Eng. As this year rapidly comes to a close, it’s time to prepare for 2026. In addition to our daily tasks, it’s important to step back and view the bigger picture too. My question for you today: Do you have CapEx room for 2026? To answer my own question, I have to say: the best... Read More December 2025 Issue #17317 Page 42
It’s a Wrap: A Year of Transformation in Off-Site Construction Dario Schmidt As we close the books on 2025, it’s the perfect time to reflect on a year defined by innovation, adaptability, and forward momentum in the world of off-site construction and component manufacturing. Throughout the past twelve months, our editorial team has explored the trends,... Read More December 2025 Issue #17317 Page 52
Refining End-of-Line Material Handling with Panel Lifts and Carts TRIAD / Merrick Machine Company Team In modular and off-site construction, productivity gains rarely come from dramatic changes in framing or sheathing techniques. Instead, the biggest improvements often occur at transition points and especially end-of-the-line material handling. Moving completed wall panels safely, efficiently,... Read More December 2025 Issue #17317 Page 64
Reflections on BCMC 2025: A Showcase of Machinery and Meaningful Connections Wendy Boyd It was wonderful to once again be an exhibitor at the annual Building Component Manufacturers Conference (BCMC). Spida Machinery has been involved in this event for many years and it’s always such an amazing event to be part of. Not only are the latest and greatest innovations on display,... Read More November 2025 Issue #17316 Page 29
MiTek’s Two-Story View of BCMC 2025 MiTek Staff Thank you to everyone who visited the MiTek booth at this fall’s Building Component Manufacturers Conference (BCMC) in Omaha, NE. For those who walked through our Design & Production Center, we hope you enjoyed the view! [For all photos, See PDF or View in Full Issue.] Our... Read More November 2025 Issue #17316 Page 38
Triad/Merrick Machine Company’s Innovative Technologies at BCMC TRIAD / Merrick Machine Company Team Triad/Merrick Machine Company proudly participated in the Building Component Manufacturers Conference (BCMC) 2025, held on October 1–2 in Omaha, Nebraska. This premier tradeshow featured the latest advancements in the building component industry, where Triad unveiled its cutting-edge... Read More November 2025 Issue #17316 Page 58