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
Building on Better at BCMC 2025: Setting the Pace for Next-Generation Component Manufacturing Dario Schmidt “Building on Better” has been our guiding mission at Stiles Machinery, reflecting our commitment to advancing the building component industry. As the exclusive sales and service partner for the HOMAG Group in the U.S., and the representative of WEINMANN and HOMAG solutions for... Read More November 2025 Issue #17316 Page 65
Looking Toward the Future with Safe Arbor at BCMC Anna Stamm We all know that the Building Component Manufacturers Conference (BCMC) is THE place to go when you want to see the latest and greatest from suppliers to the structural building components industry. Now that BCMC has been combined with the annual Framer’s Summit, the resulting BCMC | FS... Read More November 2025 Issue #17316 Page 84
Rethinking Shear Transfer at Floor Transitions Jeff Vance Still defaulting to rim boards at every floor edge? In modern wood-framed construction, it’s worth taking a closer look at several detailing options including ribbon boards or top chord bearing detailing. These options can simplify construction and reduce blocking material while still... Read More October 2025 Issue #17315 Page 46
The Last Word: Housing and Components on the National Mall Joe Kannapell, PE Our industry has much to gain from our participation in the Innovative Housing Showcase in Washington, D.C. This year, one of our main goals was to lobby government officials to stimulate housing construction. In effect, the 27 exhibitors were saying right in front of the seat of government,... Read More October 2025 Issue #17315 Page 170
Advertiser Forum: Employment: Livelihood or Commodity? Anna Stamm Last month’s article by Thom, “The Cost of Convenience: How Offshore and Remote Design are Undermining the Future of the Truss Industry,” generated a fair amount of feedback, and that feedback was generally fair. But, let’s unpack some additional dynamics. The central... Read More July 2025 Issue #17312 Page 6
Automation is Here, and It Doesn’t Need a Supervisor to Nudge It Along Steve Shrader In an industry long defined by hard work and incremental improvement, a new chapter is being written. But not everyone seems to realize it. Some are still telling companies to squeeze more productivity out of crews by reorganizing work paths, tracking stopwatch data, and optimizing jobsite... Read More July 2025 Issue #17312 Page 48
To Precut or Not to Precut? That is the Question Casey Harless Close your eyes and imagine yourself walking through a component manufacturer’s facility. As you do this, some will see a facility with a relatively well-automated wall panel line, in which full sheets of OSB, gypsum, ZIP, etc. are being applied to the wall in line and the router on the... Read More July 2025 Issue #17312 Page 56
Precision Equipment Manufacturing Announces New Truss/Wall Panel Step Deck Trailers Bryan Shinn Precision Equipment Manufacturing now offers 46’ Non-hydraulic and 48’ Hydraulic Truss/Wall Panel Step Deck Trailers. These Step Deck Trailers complement our existing Standard, Extendable, and Gooseneck Truss Trailer offerings. From a 26’ Gooseneck to a 53’ Truss Trailer... Read More July 2025 Issue #17312 Page 68