As we start a new year, many frame and truss manufacturers are focusing on a familiar challenge – how to support their teams, maintain output, and continue delivering a quality product in a labor market that’s tighter and more competitive than ever. While technology and automation...

As you’re building your 2026 calendar, be sure to block in time for our next wood construction course sponsored by the Virginia Tech Continuing and Professional Education program. Co-sponsored by the International Code Council, this spring we’re offering “Wood Design, Loads,...

For the first time in U.S. model building code history, tornado design provisions for Risk Category III and IV buildings are given in the 2024 IBC. In fact, John ‘Buddy’ Showalter and Sandra Hyde have an excellent article on this, “2024 IBC Significant Structural Changes...

A test lab is a building product manufacturer’s one-stop shop for engineering, manufacturing quality, and performance verification. Whether supporting new product development, regulatory submissions, or customer assurance testing, a test lab must have the right tools to get the job done....

We enjoyed a productive week at BCMC in Omaha, strengthening relationships and renewing our commitment to the truss industry, and we hope you can say the same! Timber Products Inspection (TP) returned with our popular ANSI/TPI 1 Chapter 3 challenge truss, designed to test participants’...

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...

Panels Plus is helping companies do more with less — safely, consistently, and efficiently. The Construction Labor Crisis: Fewer Hands on Deck The construction industry is in the middle of a critical workforce challenge. According to the Associated Builders and Contractors...

Let’s face it, nobody loves sheathing walls panels. Sheathing is heavy, awkward to handle, slows down your production line, generates a lot of waste, and depending on how you cut it, it can create a lot of air-born dust that can make your working environment unpleasant. However, it does...

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...

Building safety is an essential part of our daily lives, influencing everything from the homes we live in to the businesses we visit and the public spaces we use. Safe buildings don’t just happen by accident, they are the result of careful planning and the adoption and enforcement of...