The best news for 2022 will be on the job front, and I plan on keeping mine, working these pages. Please stayed tuned as we uncover much more about our unique niche in the off-site construction industry, including developments on the following, evolving topics:
- Robotics: How will the two new robotic assembly systems fare: one coming from the Carolinas and another going into Wisconsin? How will they compare with Auto-Eye by Randek, which first was marketed in the U.S. in 2014, and later installed at True House in Crescent City, Florida? And what’s new at the Blueprint Robotics plant which started up in 2016 on the Baltimore Harbor (see articles in February 2017, May 2017, and August 2021) and has recently restarted after a long hiatus?
- Multi-Family Housing: Will Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) become an affordable alternative for apartment structures taller than 5 stories (see April 2021 and December 2021)? If so, will this lessen the number of five story wood trussed buildings?
- Truss Design: How prevalent are “green roofs” and how do they impact truss design?
- Truss Machinery: Next month, we’ll continue the march of linear saw innovations and competitive forces.
- Truss Plates: Later in 2022, we’ll tackle how the evolution caused a near revolution in construction.
As backup for these stories, the following series are available:
And as preparation for 2022’s articles, here is a synopsis of 2021’s saw chronicles. They tell the remarkable tale of the three upstart entrepreneurs who rocked the saw world. Prior to their arrival, Clary and Idaco were the long-time incumbents. However, they were late to respond to the increasing sophistication of component manufacturers in the prosperous late 1970s. CMs had begun to carefully track productivity, especially those operating multi-plant operations. And they were anxious to embrace any machine that would improve their throughput, even if it came from a heretofore unknown source.
- When Art DePauw offered a more fully powered saw, he had more orders than he could fill. All four of the largest truss plant chains – Shoffner Industries, Shelter Systems, Blue Ox, and Trussway – were among his first customers. By 1979, Art’s sales had outgrown his capacity to build saws, and he sold to MiTek’s founding company, Hydro-Air Engineering. In 1982, Gang Nail, soon to be acquired by MiTek, bought Idaco.
- Jerry Koskovich, an independent engineer, created the first computerized saw in 1985 and had an incredibly profound effect on the truss industry, sparking a wave of innovation. Alpine acquired Clary in 1991 and SpeedCut in 1995, and the race was on for the leadership in saw automation.
- Jim Urmson changed the direction of cutting technology with his linear saw in 1999, and its impact has resonated ever since. Alpine was the first to recognize its potential, and they responded in wholly unbelievable fashion at the 2002 BCMC (see page 10 in this issue for the tale of that incredible feat).
While my industry chronology continues, I will also write about contemporary issues in these Last Words. Please send your comments, suggestions, and great stories for inclusion to joekannapell@outlook.com.
Happiest New Year to all!