SBC Industry News
CM Paves the Way for Components Through Inspectors
On April 4, Dave presented to building inspectors from the City of Greer, South Carolina on the component installation process and what to look for when inspecting component framed buildings.
Why Millennials Aren’t Demanding 1.6M New Homes
Millennials are the largest living generation, however, according to Freddie Mac’s March Insight report, they are falling short of dominating the housing market.
Efforts to Move the Code Backward Don't Help CMs
Believe it or not, officials in Louisiana and Florida, states that can have high wind loading and flooding causing buoyancy, are trying to scale back their states’ building codes in an effort to decrease the regulatory burden and help drive down home costs.
Top 10: Q1 2018 Headlines Focus on the Cutting-Edge
Below are the top ten most read articles in SBC Industry News for Q1 2018. Lumber costs and cutting-edge approaches to component manufacturing drew the greatest attention.
Major Denver Apartment Fire Unlikely to Spur Code Changes
Editor’s Note: SBCA has created a topical library webpage on Construction Fires that provides best practices for reducing the risk for fires during the construction phase of a building.
Steel Industry Focuses on Fire Performance Versus Wood
Steel has an obvious advantage in that its core ingredients are fire resistant. So, that begs the question that shouldn’t more steel structures be speced and built?
Forecast: U.S. Softwood Lumber Market Shifting to SYP
A newly released study by ForestEdge and Wood Resources International forecasts that US softwood lumber demand will grow at an annual rate of 2.3% through 2030, which will be higher than the reports projection of real GDP.
CM Offers Builders a One-Stop-Shop for Framing
Faster delivery times, quality production, greater time/cost predictability, safer working conditions, less construction waste and speedier return on investment are just some of the reasons why off-site construction is specified more and more today.
MiTek Releases 2018 Catalog App for Mobile Devices
MiTek® USA just announced that it has released an updated MiTek USP Catalog App for Apple, Android, and Windows mobile devices.
Pot and Opioid Crisis Prompt New Drug Use Policies
Thanks to the wave of marijuana laws and court precedent, employers are being forced to reconsider their drug and alcohol policies and testing procedures. At the same time, the opioid crisis continues to rout communities and is draining employers of talent and productivity dollars, prompting many into action.
Infographic: Prefabricated CFS Components Gaining Traction
Cold-formed steel (CFS) framing, for instance, is an ideal choice because it is non-combustible, lightweight, and cut to precise specifications. Learn more about the benefits of prefabrication and CFS by exploring the infographic below.
Simpson’s CG Visions Collaborates to Expand Market
?Simpson Strong-Tie today announced a new software collaboration between CG Visions, a Simpson Strong-Tie company, and Hyphen Solutions, a leading cloud-based construction management software company
GC Sues Building Designer for $5M Citing 'Errors & Omissions'
The article below from Construction Dive summarizes a major lawsuit brought by a GC against the building designer due to “substantial errors and omissions” in their building plans. This litigation should be on the minds of component manufacturers.
Canada Escalates Lumber Dispute Through WTO Request
Canada plans to ask the World Trade Organization (WTO) to set up an adjudication panel to judge its dispute with the United States over Canadian lumber exports, indicating that talks have failed to resolve the issue and Ottawa is pressing its case.
Video: Trade Rep's Answer on Lumber Should Worry All CMs
At a U.S. House Ways and Means Committee hearing on Trade last Wednesday, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer was asked by Rep. Kenny Marchant (R-TX) about the Administration’s current approach to resolving the softwood lumber dispute with Canada.
Video: Katerra’s Labor Challenge Solved by Hiring from ‘Outside’
In the video below, Craig Curtis, president of Katerra Architecture, talks about how they took an outside-the-box, or rather an outside-the-industry, approach to hiring.
OSB Mill in B.C. to Close Due to Log Shortage
Norbord Inc. says it is going to temporarily suspend production at its oriented strand board mill in 100 Mile House, B.C., due to a shortage of wood.
Huntsman Acquires Spray Foam Maker Demilec for $350M
Huntsman Corporation today announced the acquisition of Demilec, one of North America's leading manufacturers and distributors of spray polyurethane foam (SPF) insulation systems for residential and commercial applications.