“The least number of touches,” says B. J. Louws, “equals the least cost.” That’s what he learned by careful study of his truss plant operations, and by continual experimentation to increase efficiency. B.J.’s strategy, which has enabled Louws Truss to become a leading CM in the competitive Northwest, is a great metaphor for all truss operations.
How many people touch a stick of lumber – offloading from trailer, moving inside the plant, distributing to saws, cutting, catching, merging and bringing to table, and setting in jig? B.J. is working toward a maximum of two touches.
How many designers touch a set of plans – walls, engineered wood, and trusses? How much effort is duplicated in learning the plan, inputting it, checking it, and coordinating among three individuals? At Structural, Inc. in Metro DC, Scott Austin dedicates one person to design all of the floors, roofs, and walls in a project.
How many people touch the cutting – batcher, component saw, linear saw, and pull saw? How much labor is lost in storing, retrieving, and combining their output? More plants, like John Miller’s Tri-State Components in North Carolina, are cutting everything on a single MiTek Blade saw adjacent to the truss table.
Each “touch” adds to the risk of error, and adds to the labor cost and overhead. By moving away from a “touchy feely” plant, Louws Truss leads the charge to become untouchable!