Over the past two decades, the truss industry has quietly engineered a crisis of its own making. In the pursuit of flexibility and cost efficiency, companies have embraced remote designers and offshore design firms. Although these shifts solve immediate staffing needs, they’re slowly...

Last month’s article, “What You Learn on the Floor,” talks about the benefits of having design staff spend some time in the shop. There’s a lot to learn there—and gaining a real appreciation for what the production team does can be eye-opening for designers, whether...

Manufacturing operations rely on efficiency and accuracy. But is that limited to the literal manufacturing process only, or can companies take the same logical approach to evaluating all aspects of employee performance?  A well-defined set of Standards of Performance ensures employees...

Truss manufacturers looking to attract younger truss designers might want to think outside of the box. We have found one key issue affecting many Gen-Z truss designers and have a solution that may help entice them to your company—offering a Gen-Z-preferred workweek. Consider this: Gen-Z...

For many years, there has been a great deal of discussion at industry events, in component industry board rooms, and even in this publication about a looming shortage of design technicians. So, what is behind the wood truss designer shortage and why is it such a pressing issue? And, how can we...

In every truss plant, there are three main arteries: the Truss Design Department, Production & Operations, and Sales. While all are vital, the design department is where everything begins—and where you need to keep your pulse. The production floor will build what shows up on their...

Truss manufacturers rely heavily on skilled and experienced professionals, especially truss designers. Yet, retaining these technical workers is a common challenge. Here’s what we have learned over the past few years on why truss designers often leave their jobs, focusing on the most...

This month I’d like to discuss something that’s causing quite a stir in the component industry: how software suppliers are handling the explosion of remote work, and the sometimes blurry line between different types of designers – including their own design centers. The...

People often ask what makes The JobLine unique compared to other industry recruiters. It’s a straightforward question, but the answer is far from simple. While most recruiters rely heavily on resumes to gauge a candidate’s fit, The JobLine takes a completely different approach....

Past articles by Thom and myself have discussed some of the things that make The JobLine stand out from other recruiters. In fact, Thom’s article in this issue also focuses on what makes us different. But, I’d like to shed a more personal light on this difference by sharing my own...