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The Road to Re-entry: Walk a Mile (Part 2 of 3)

  • There are a number of factors that contribute to the recidivism rate in the U.S.
  • Stark and Bluegrass Truss battle the recidivism rate by providing felons with the support they need after leaving prison.
  • Read the personal accounts of a number of former inmates who have found success on the outside.

The Adult Learning Model: Think Like a Child

  • If you look at your business through the eyes of a child, will you see things differently?
  • Become an idea guy, here’s how.

Truss Plant Tours - A New Perspective

  • Truss plant tours give those outside our industry a chance to experience our component manufacturing industry and change their perceptions.
  • A truss plant tour is easy to give a group presentation about. Just use your passion, your profession and your expertise!

Across the Board - WTCA Open Quarterly Meeting: February 25, 2005, Atlanta, GA

  • Two new chapters were welcomed to the WTCA family: MTMA & WCMA.
  • Bob Becht was nominated as the 2005/ 2006 Secretary and five other individuals assumed new posts on the board.
  • At the August OQM in Denver, members will provide video testimonials, with a focus on WTCA publications. 
  • New tools are in the works to help members sell the benefits of membership.

Adventures in Advocacy - Taking on your Lawmaker Mano a Mano

Talking Points: • WTCA staff is very interested in assisting our membership with developing relationship with both state and federal lawmakers. • It is very important to establish these relationships in the lawmaker’s district as well as in DC. • When meeting with your lawmakers it is important to be yourself and talk about what you know and avoid the three Ts.

BCMC 2005 - QRM to the Rescue

  • The goal of Quick Response Manufactur-ing (QRM) is to allow for efficient manufacturing while producing customized products.
  • The key to remaining competitive is reaction time and speed.

Builder Banter

Code Connection - Design Limitations

  • The IRC and IBC codes allow for buildings to be built based on specific rules.
  • The use of trusses fit right into these prescriptive requirements.
  • It is important to have an understanding of the prescriptive requirements so that one knows when the load paths become complex enough that a more detailed look at the flow of loads to the foundation is needed.

Economic Environment - A Comparison of Global Lumber Manufacturing Cost

  • The U.S. lumber producers are in general the high cost producers when compared to their foreign counterparts.
  • The softwood lumber tariff creates a two-tiered lumber market that allows Canadian component manufacturers to buy lumber cheaper than their U.S. counterparts, creating a competitive advantage when shipping to the U.S.

In Memoriam: Robert Ennis & Daniel C. McCarthy

  • Robert Ennis
  • Daniel C. McCarthy

Publisher's Message - Design Advancments Are Largely Market-Driven

  • The editorial focus of this issue is Design & Engineering Advancements.
  • The market continues to drive component manufacturers to take on more building design functions.
  • The truss manufacturing business is very challenging, yet has the ability to also be very rewarding through helping people and seeing the fruit of one’s labor.

WTCA Update - Proper Construction of Wood Framed Gable End Walls with Wood Roof Trusses

  • Positions in the Stark program at Marion Correctional Institute (MCI) are coveted among inmates.
  • Inmates that participate in the program are promised the opportunity of a fresh start after they get out of prison.
  • Stark leadership believes that the program addresses a chronic shortage of truss technicians in the industry while providing felons a chance to learn a valuable skill to apply as they reintegrate into society after their release.

Component Manufacturers Divided on Whole House Design

  • Whole house design continues to be the talk of our industry. What does it mean to your business?
  • Today’s builders are actually land developers; the sooner they are done developing the sooner they get a return on their investment.
  • Builders are increasingly asking for turnkey solutions to their primary land development problem: housing.

Industry Veteran Remembered for His Colorful Character & Contributions to the Industry

  • Ronnie Wright was a bigger-than-life presence in the industry.
  • Wright’s equipment was innovative and built to last. His commitment to quality and durability remain a lasting legacy.
  • Friends, customers and family remember Wright’s humor, compassion and his one-of-a-kind personality.

2005 National Design Specification (NDS) for Wood Construction

  • Wood allowable stress design, used extensively by the truss industry, does note change significantly in the 2005 NDS.
  • One of the key features of the 2005 NDS is the work done to make the NDS more consistent in terminology and clarify sections that have been known to be confusing in the past. 
  • The 2005 NDS has very minimal impact on allowable stress design and has the added benefit of having a transparent approach to learning and using load and resistance factor design.

Surviving Idaho

  • Four acres and a cloud of dust is an apt description of Idaho Truss.
  • Some component manufacturers choose to embrace and not resist the whole building design concept.
  • One major key to success with respect to whole building design is being compensated for building design and engineering work.

The Road to Re-entry: Walk a Mile (Part 3 of 3)

  • Positions in the Stark program at Marion Correctional Institute (MCI) are coveted among inmates.
  • Inmates that participate in the program are promised the opportunity of a fresh start after they get out of prison.
  • Stark leadership believes that the program addresses a chronic shortage of truss technicians in the industry while providing felons a chance to learn a valuable skill to apply as they reintegrate into society after their release.

The TTT Level I Experience: New & Improved

  • 2375 students have enrolled in the TTT Level I online course since August 2002. 
  • Version 2.0 is faster, easier to navigate, includes all dialogue text, and holds the user’s attention better with twelve different narrators.
  • Version 2.0 breaks sections into smaller bite-size pieces followed by quizzes to reiterate and review material.