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If you’ve been in the truss industry for any length of time, there’s one phone call you absolutely dread receiving: “We have a problem; your trusses collapsed!”
For this general manager, other start-ups were more of a model than other CMs.
Quality marks are not substitutes for grade marks—FRTW will include both!
Your company does it every day: load components and deliver them to jobsites. Ben Vadnais, assistant plant manager at Windsor Building Systems, has a few tips for keeping your loading and delivery operations running as smoothly and safely as possible.
In May 2007, SBC Magazine highlighted the uniquely curved trusses used for the “keeping room” of a custom home in Cherry Hills Village, Colorado.
The concrete podium of the mixed-used Mercer building sat out the recession. Now, the redesigned building is one of a handful of developments creating a new high-rent suburb of Las Vegas.
On February 7, 2017, the structural building components industry lost one of its leading advocates and innovators, Dwight Hikel. His contributions to the industry can be found today not only in the success of his company, Shelter Systems Limited, but also in the words and actions of many of the industry’s leaders who were his peers and fellow members of the Structural Building Components Association (SBCA).
In an industry that requires competition and innovation, one man separated himself from all the others for over forty years: Dwight Hikel. Many in the industry know his story but some may not. Shelter Systems Limited started out as a small, 14,000-square-foot plant in 1976 and has grown into a cutting edge, 120,000-square-foot truss manufacturing facility. That kind of growth doesn’t happen by accident.
Contrary to the popular marketing slogan, not everything that happens in Vegas should stay in Vegas, like the “youth movement” that unexpectedly sprang up during those two days of discussion. What started as a frank observation that industry leadership needs greater participation and buy-in from the younger generations led to several productive ideas on how to begin achieving that goal.
A best practice for building designers: find a friend to check your load paths.
Meet SBCA board member Gene Frogale, President of Annandale Millwork and Allied Systems in Chantilly, Virginia.
What’s the secret to great IT support in the component industry? Find a process that’s simple enough that you’ll actually do it, and detailed enough that it’s useful.
When Mandere Construction couldn’t get the trusses it needed to frame its projects, owner John Mandere went looking for the best truss folks he could find—and hired them
One of the biggest changes to OSHA regulations in 2017 might be injury and illness reporting.
When PDJ Components opened its doors for a plant tour, it was an education for everyone.
It is important for our industry to have a voice and to shine a light on the issues we face. Going to DC lets us take part in shaping the future.
SBCA members gathered in Las Vegas for the most recent Open Quarterly Meeting (OQM), a regular member event that combines an open-door board meeting with a variety of opportunities for networking, discussion and, of course, fun!
One strategy for employee retention might be training your recruiters.
High temperatures and humidity combined with heavy physical labor can lead to serious illness and even death. Without proper hydration and rest in the shade, your body temperature can rise to unsafe levels and cause heat exhaustion or even heat stroke. Prevent heat illness by keeping four simple things in mind: Water. Rest. Shade. Watch.
Do all the builders, contractors, framers, fire officials, building inspectors and lawmakers in your market understand what makes your products so great? Do they know why using components is the best way to frame? If you’re answering “no” (which is very likely), it’s time for a tour.
Ready access to expertise is the biggest value you get out of being a member of SBCA. You’re just a click, call or meeting away from a lot of knowledge on the majority of topics your business addresses on a daily basis.
Corrosion resistance is critical to ensuring connector plates hold up in adverse environments.
Remembering Abner Yoder, the founder of Stark Truss
Innovative thinking and careful construction allowed Truss Craft to give a condemned structure new life.
The BC beetle kill means changes are on the horizon for lumber harvesting, processing and pricing.
Meet SBCA Emerging Leader Jared Dix of Apex Truss in Warsaw, Virginia.
In 2007, SBC Magazine highlighted the projects of M-Truss & Components in Las Vegas, Nevada, including the steel framed house above. A decade later, companies like Cascade Mfg Co in Cascade, Iowa continue to find design professionals with great interest in steel components.
In June, Managing Editor Sean Shields met with career civil servants in the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) offices. The group was led by the director of the General Industry and Agricultural Enforcement Department, Art Buchanan, who has now served under five administrations. He had a very important message for the component manufacturing (CM) industry: OSHA is looking very closely at machine safeguards and employees’ personal protective equipment (PPE). Why? Buchanan shared three main reasons behind OSHA’s current level of scrutiny.
2017 SBCA President Jack Dermer continues to broaden his perspective on how to tackle issues in his business through continued engagement with SBCA members.
CMs need to understand the basics of digital security and know how cyberattacks could affect their operations.