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As the fourth quarter gets underway, component manufacturers and truss builders are assessing annual balance sheets and planning strategic investments for the coming year. In an industry driven by continuous innovation — from automated truss assembly tables and automated saws to advanced...

There is a quiet transformation happening in the management offices of North American truss plants. When owners and general managers audit their design rooms, they usually look through a single tactical lens: Today. On paper, the immediate challenge seems straightforward. You scan the queue, see...

In the span of less than two weeks, the Structural Building Components Association (SBCA) went from a packed trade show floor in Columbus, Ohio to a 3,000-square-foot, two-story duplex standing on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Those are two very different settings. But together, BCMC...

I recently talked with Lenny Sylk and Dick Rotto, two of the most consequential figures in component manufacturing. They are men whose legacies are worth knowing, even a half century distant from their industry-founding work.  Both were consummate entrepreneurs, with the guts to start...

Traditional, rigid commercial loans often fail component manufacturers because loan payments begin immediately and remain constant, regardless of the realities of a new equipment rollout. The initial ramp-up period involves critical, non-revenue-generating phases: installation, personnel...

There is a classic business parable about a man who ran a highly successful roadside hot dog stand. He was hard of hearing and had poor eyesight, so he never read the newspapers, listened to the radio, or watched the evening news. Instead, he focused entirely on what he did best: making...

There is a persistent bottleneck in North American truss plants. As operations expand, the need for a dedicated Design Manager becomes critical. Owners and general managers naturally turn to their top-producing Senior Designer, offering them a promotion to lead the department. Yet, increasingly,...

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...

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act marks a pivotal shift in the U.S. housing landscape. Aimed at addressing the national supply crisis, this bipartisan legislation introduces sweeping changes to federal housing standards and permitting. For building component manufacturers — particularly...

For component manufacturers who rely on machine stress rated (MSR) lumber in their day-to-day operations, the annual MSR Workshop continues to distinguish itself as one of the most valuable events on the industry calendar. The 2026 Workshop, held at the end of April in Orange Beach, AL, once...