Todd Drummond

Lean Manufacturing Only Works with the Best Employee Management Practices

Todd Drummond

Anyone with any training in lean practice has heard of standard terms such as the Five “S” and “Just in Time.” What is not discussed often enough is that lean principles are based on healthy management and employee relations, which is the foundation of the...

#17313 Cover image
August 2025
Issue #17313
Page 26
Ben Hershey

What a Flight on Japan Airlines Taught Me About Visual Safety Culture

Ben Hershey

On a recent trip from Seattle to Vietnam via Tokyo, I flew on Japan Airlines and was struck by more than just the exceptional hospitality. What stood out most was their disciplined safety culture, specifically how their flight attendants conducted safety checks. As they walked the cabin before...

#17313 Cover image
August 2025
Issue #17313
Page 52
Thom McAnally

Designer Hiring Blues in the Summer

It’s August. The heat is relentless, the humidity unforgiving, and your design team is running as hot as a NASCAR pit crew in Alabama. Project timelines are tight, customer expectations are high, and every minute counts. So when someone suggests bringing in a new designer, it can feel like...

#17313 Cover image
August 2025
Issue #17313
Page 98
Geordie Secord

Design Connections: Onboarding Designers: What They Really Need to Know

Geordie Secord

When a new designer comes on board—especially one with experience—there’s a good chance the onboarding process involves setting up their computer, pointing them to the right network folders, handing them a relatively simple job, and giving them a vague suggestion to “jump...

#17313 Cover image
August 2025
Issue #17313
Page 104
Joe Kannapell, PE

The Last Word: Finding Your Place in a Great Industry

Joe Kannapell, PE

Touring two plants in July, I couldn’t help wondering which would be a better place to work in the current slowdown. Both are privately owned businesses that are being managed by second-generation owners. Plant “A” is in a stable, rust belt market, and plant “B” is...

#17313 Cover image
August 2025
Issue #17313
Page 176
Todd Drummond

The Time for Improvement is Always Now

Todd Drummond

The summer build season is upon us, so the familiar daily time constraint challenges are back. Yet this summer build season is not like the past few years. In many regions, sales are not as strong, so margins are dropping to keep the sales volume needed to remain profitable. During the winter...

#17312 Cover image
July 2025
Issue #17312
Page 24
Thom McAnally

The New Hiring-Zone: A Smart Way to Hire in a Tight Industry

Let’s face it—finding the right people in the offsite construction industry isn’t getting easier. Whether you’re searching for a seasoned truss designer, a sharp estimator, or a dependable production manager, the usual massive job boards don’t cut it. That’s...

#17312 Cover image
July 2025
Issue #17312
Page 82
Geordie Secord

Design Connections: Beating the Big Job Board Blues

Geordie Secord

When you’re job hunting or looking to hire, you’ve got choices. Lots of them. You can go with the big-name job boards that everyone knows about, or you can try something different—something more personal. The experience you get depends entirely on which path you choose, and the...

#17312 Cover image
July 2025
Issue #17312
Page 88
Simpson Strong-Tie Staff

Utilizing Stack List and Release Groups

Simpson Strong-Tie Staff

Often, software users will not realize the full extent of features available to them in a program. Our CS Director™ and CS Truss Studio™ both offer extensive options, including the ones discussed here. You can create stack lists in both CS Director™ and CS Truss...

#17312 Cover image
July 2025
Issue #17312
Page 114
Todd Drummond

True Employee Motivation and Satisfaction

Todd Drummond

When discussing employee staffing issues during consultations, wages and long-term employment are inevitably part of the conversation. After decades of advisement, it is no longer a surprise to me about the disconnect between what executives think is most important to the employees versus what...

#17311 Cover image
June 2025
Issue #17311
Page 30
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