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Working for Your Workers: Connecting the Dots: Truss Manufacturer to Family Home

  • Most youth are unaware of careers in the truss manufacturing industry.
  • Raising awareness about your company locally can bolster market share and promote employment opportunities.
  • Consider becoming involved in builder trade shows and career expos to showcase products and employment opportunities.

WTCA Update: BCSI Updates for 2006

  • BCSI 1-03 booklet will soon be revised. Individual B-Series summary sheets will then undergo updates based on booklet changes.
  • The new version will be reformatted into an 8.5x11-inch spiral-bound three hole-punched booklet. q The most significant changes will occur in BCSI’s two bracing sections, B2 on temporary bracing and B3 on permanent bracing.
  • A change in permanent bracing perspective was developed when WTCA worked with the National Council of Structural Engineers Association on a code change proposal for the IBC 2006.

Automation Straight Talk: Where to Start

  • Studies conducted on manual component saws, once the standard of the industry, found that operators were spending more time doing the manual set-ups than they were cutting wood.
  • Almost anything you can automate will likely be an improvement over the manual production method you are currently using. The average saw operator will do three to four hundred set-ups per shift with an automated saw.
  • It doesn’t do any good to have a saw that sets up in seven seconds if it takes much longer than that to get the wood moving through the saw.

WCMA, BMC West Host Tour for Fire Service Leadership

  • This event is one example of WTCA’s work to provide solid technical education on the fire performance of trusses.
  • The goal of the tour was to listen to the concerns of the fire service about structural building components in modern building construction.
  • The fire service was very impressed with the level of sophistication programmed into the truss design software, asking questions about how it could be integrated into the pre-fire planning process.

John Meeks: Bracing Activist

  • John Meeks began his post-military car-eer in the commercial concrete industry.
  • Meeks met Gang-Nail’s Cal Jureit in Florida, and joined Automated Building Components, Inc. as the Engineering Manager in charge of building franchise chains.
  • He became involved in truss design engineering at ABC, and also took an interest in bracing and installation while inspecting a truss collapse.
  • Throughout his career and still today, Meeks has made his mark on the wood truss industry as a respected forensic engineer.

Tricky Design Job Showcases Pioneer Truss Company's Creativity

  • Imagine taking a horizontal slice of a hard-boiled egg and looking at it from the top. Now imagine designing roof trusses to fit on top of that shape and completing the job within budget.
  • Pioneer came up with the idea of drawing the trusses first in CAD to represent the roof in true 3D.
  • Paul Lenauer credited technology with making this project possible, while the project’s architect credits structural building components with helping make his vision a reality.

Publisher's Message: Getting Back to Basics

  • This issue of SBC Magazine features articles about legal and legislative topics. 
  • The Sixth Annual WTCA Legislative Conference took place in Washington, DC on May 10-12. 
  • Some of this issue’s other features include: how to prepare yourself and your company for a buy-out, why you should think twice about selling product through a truss broker and a victory surrounding a building labeling issue.

Economic Environment: Shifting Markets Create Opportunities for Diversified Building Material Suppliers

  • NAHB expects residential fixed investment (RFI) to contract over the next two years. 
  • Perhaps it is time to diversify: less focus on new residential construction and more focus on remodeling, industrial markets, and non-residential construction. 
  • To do this, consider getting closer to the end user.

BCMC 2006: Show Provides Resources for Developing a Maintenance Program

  • Attending BCMC allows attendees to see the latest technology that could be incorporated into their equipment replacement programs. 
  • Manufacturers indicated that BCMC was the best place for an exclusive look at how they can gain the benefit of having all exhibitors in one place as a resource when creating a maintenance program or weekly, monthly or quarterly checks.

WTCA Update: TTT Recertification Moves Online

  • Technicians whose TTT certification has lapsed have less than six months to recertify under a special grace period. 
  • Starting January 1, 2007, the new recertification system will send a reminder email to the student and training manager 45 days prior to the expiration date on the technician’s original certificate. 
  • Technicians can choose from a number of industry-related activities to create their own customized recertification program. 

WTCA Update: Open Quarterly Meeting Highlights - May 12, 2006 and Call for Nominations

Code Connection: The Phased Approval (Deferred Submittal) Process in the IRC

  • Deferred submittals are permitted by the model IRC code.
  • The building official, at his or her discretion, may or may not require the submission of TDDs at the time the permit for the structure is requested.

Working for Your Workers: Tricks of the Trade

  • Relationships with high schools are great because they can bring in new blood into a company. 
  • Bruce Bain of Richco Structures gives presentations at the local technical college that he graduated from. 
  • Keith Azlin has been working with WTCA-Arizona to set up an internship program between the two ITT Technical Institutes and component manufacturers.

Adventures In Advocacy: I'll Show You Mine

Builder Banter

2006 SBC Legislative Conference: Building Relationships

Mergers & Acquisitions Part 1: How to Prepare for Sale

  • Think ahead so you are prepared before you get a phone call or visitor interested in purchasing your business. 
  • Thinking about your role after the business is sold is one of the first decisions you should consider. 
  • Because the buyer will want to understand the operations and financial aspects of your business, be prepared for a lengthy timeline and some disruption. 
  • Consider a confidentiality agreement in order to keep the control of the process in your court.

Component Manufacturer Liability Increases with Truss Broker Involvement

  • Builders, contractors and lumberyards who buy components are not best served when the component design and manufacturing is undertaken by more than one company. 
  • "Truss brokers" sell components to build-ers, contractors, and/or lumberyards but maintain no manufacturing facility. They either carry out component design and placement or hire it out to third parties. 
  • Component manufacturers’ liability risk grows exponentially if they manufacture to designs created by others.