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Giving & Receiving Value: Who Does What to Ensure WTCA's Success

  • Many members have commented that WTCA has an excellent, responsive staff that completes a great deal of tasks to help advance our member’s interests. 
  • Neither a member-driven nor a staff-driven organization is best for the success of WTCA. It makes more sense to define the unique roles and responsibilities of the membership and the staff. 

Publisher's Message: An Industry on the Move

  • This issue acknowledges the design and engineering advancements that sculpt our ever-changing industry. 
  • Find out what component manufacturers are thinking about WHD software. 
  • Learn what you need to know about WTCA’s new testing facility in this issue. 
  • See how two companies are stretching the boundaries of component design to create works of art.

BCMC 2007: Lou Holtz - The Wise Motivator

  • Coach Lou Holtz is one of America’s most requested motivational speakers and is coming to BCMC 2007. 
  • Whether it’s coaching a team to the National Championship or motivating your company’s team, Coach Holtz knows how to motivate for success. 
  • Holtz is considered a legendary team leader and speaker on achievement.

WTCA Update: Open Quarterly Meeting Highlights: Feb. 23, Jacksonville, FL

  • WTCA’s bylaws were amended to incorporate the name change approved in 2006. 
  • Policies were approved on the topics of Participation in HBA Code Committee Meetings and WTCA Staff Participation in Chapter Board Meetings. 
  • The 2007 budget was reviewed and approved.

In Memoriam: Stan Axsmith

Builder Banter

A Unique Opportunity...A Truly Amazing Result

  • This project called for a 36' diameter round barn with a gambrel type roof with a 7' diameter hole in the center. 
  • To create the circular shape, each wall had a 5-degree change in angle, creating a total of 144 separate roof planes and 72 ceiling planes. 
  • The cathedral ceiling was accomplished using a series of four trusses that intersected all 72 ceiling planes.

"Keeping Room" Showcases Unique Truss Design

  • A custom home in a suburb of Denver was originally designed with a stick-framed Keeping Room. 
  • The builder and framer were skeptical about trussing the roof until the designer provided a full-size sample truss. 
  • The prototype convinced them that the Keeping Room should be trussed.

Component Manufacturers Weigh in on Whole House Design Software

  • Component manufacturers don’t all share the same definition of whole house design software. 
  • As we move closer to fully integrated WHD software, component manufacturers wonder if it will make them more efficient, if they will get paid for their work, and if it will increase their liability. 
  • The best economic framing solution will likely inform the evolution of the industry.

SBC Research Institute: One Step Closer to World Class

  • The SBCRI will have the capacity to hold a 30 foot x 40 foot two-story structure for testing purposes. 
  • The maximum size structure we can test is 30 feet wide x 32 feet high x 90 feet long. 
  • A survey on testing topics yielded 464 member responses that provided very important feedback. 
  • The Truss Plate Institute entered a joint venture with WTCA that will yield TPI/WTCA test plans, data and a testing budget of $500,000 for 2007.

Automated Jigging

  • When automated component saws became widely used in the ‘90s, truss tables became the new shop bottleneck. 
  • Laser projection systems and automated jigging systems offer two solutions to this bottleneck.

New Format, Fresh Topics, Successful Annual Workshop

  • The new WTCA Annual Workshop & Conference was held March 21-23, in Las Vegas. 
  • The new format included four sessions, covering fresh, new topics, with roundtable discussions and time for questions and answers. 
  • One session was entirely devoted to steel truss manufacturing, which was a first for this event. 
  • Attendees agreed that the workshop is valuable regardless of where you think you’re at with your business.

Publisher's Message: Taking Action

  • The Annual SBC Legislative Conference was a success, and is covered on page 26. 
  • Turn to page 52 to hear why the first Joint Legislative Conference was a huge accomplishment for WTCA and FBMA. 
  • Avoid falling victim to potential risks of selling turnkey by reading about the contract blunder of Perfecto Truss on page 60.

BCMC 2007: What's New in Columbus

  • Consider using BCMC as the place to make corporate strategic adjustments. 
  • A new Chapter Competition encourages chapter member attendance, camaraderie and the potential to hold a chapter meeting. 
  • Friday small-group roundtables are a new feature at BCMC 2007.

WTCA Update: Be an 'Achiever' with SCORE

  • SCORE ties all of the programs you are already taking advantage of and puts them to even more use. 
  • The marketing opportunities offer a chance for you to stand out in the industry. 
  • You may be close to becoming certified at the Achiever level.

Builder Banter

Parting Shots

2007 Legislative Conference: Building New Partnerships