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Article
2008 March
- The pressures of a competitive market can result in significant personnel and cultural changes within a company.
- The WTCA PLA was created to help manufacturers with formalized planning and leadership development.
- Take advantage of PLA offerings through seminars, web-based meetings, chapter meetings, and one-on-one professional coaching.
Article
2008 March
- Several years ago, a component manufacturer invented a fence of protection made up of WTCA programs designed to lower its risk.
- A manufacturer’s liability does not end when the product leaves the plant.
- Protecting your company against jobsite risk is possible with the use of the WTCA Jobsite Package.
Article
2008 March
- When it comes to green building standards, not all lumber is created equal.
- In the U.S. there are three main standards that define “green” buildings: USGBC’s LEED, GBI’s Green Globes and NAHB’s Green Home Buliding Guidelines.
- There are a variety of forest certification processes that regulate forest management practices and encourage conservation.
Article
2008 March
- TruLine Truss had a positive experience when they participated in a voluntary state health and safety consultative service.
- The company saved $38,671 in fees and fines by inviting NCDOL inspectors into its plant for inspections.
- Getting involved in voluntary safety inspection programs can help companies avoid costly fines.
Article
2008 March
- OSHA says occupational hearing loss causes a “progressive loss of communication, socialization and responsiveness to the environment.”
- Effective January 1, 2004, OSHA added a “hearing loss” section in the Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses (Form 300).
- If noise exposures tests in your plant exceed an 8-hour TWA of 85dB, administer a Hearing Conservation Program per OSHA regulation.
Article
2008 March
- When laying out a new plant, consider workstation activities, space requirements and production material flow.
- When designing a production line for the first time, think about the advantages and disadvantages of long lines versus short lines.
- A combination of the batch and just-in-time production systems is ideal for new start-ups.
Article
2008 March
- Members are teaching their markets about structural building components with TTWs.
- One WTCA chapter—with WTCA staff—connected with a county building department to add building component training to its curriculum.
- Many options are available for members and chapters that want to educate their markets using TTWs.
Article
2008 April
- The stories on pages 26 and 30 illustrate why SBCRI is vital to the advancement of the industry.
- Decide whether you should go green with the article on page 48.
- Turn to page 54 to get the inside scoop on ITW’s acquisitions and the new president of its Building Components Group.
Article
2008 April
- Many exhibitors choose to reveal new products at BCMC because it is the best place to reach component manufacturers.
- Over three-quarters of BCMC attendees list seeing “new equipment” as the primary reason for attending the show.
- The steady flow of attendees on the show floor gives each product maximum exposure to its target market.
Article
2008 April
- Some former component manufacturers that have joined WTCA staff now see that there are many more programs and services available than they realized.
- The engineering, technical and code assistance offered by staff for WTCA members are among the most valuable and time-saving for CMs.
Article
2008 April
- Single element component testing does not accurately portray the way components resist forces and transfer loads.
- SBCRI was built to test and analyze the flow of loads through an entire structure, not just through a single component.
Article
2008 April
- The vast resources of SBCRI have the ability to give us more answers than ever before about the nature of structural performance.
- In one case, SBCRI helped provide a timely and cost-effective solution to a structural problem that benefited everyone.
- In this situation, the analysis done at SBCRI allowed the building to remain open to the public while a structurally sound solution was executed.
Article
2008 April
- Appraising the performance of new hires is helpful in determining whether that person is a good fit for your operation.
- Your hiring process should balance securing the right amount of labor and finding the right worker for a particular job.
Article
2008 April
- There are two major green standards for commercial building, and two for residential construction are in the works.
- Before you can decide whether green is good for you, it’s important to understand the standards and the system.
- To become authorized to handle certified lumber, evaluate proper identification of certified material, segregation of certified material, processing of certified material and thorough record keeping.
Article
2008 April
- ITW formed its Building Components Group (BCG) following the 2006 acquisitions of Truswal and Alpine.
- Jim James heads the BCG, and brings a fresh perspective to the company.
- ITW believes the building components industry is poised to streamline parts of the construction process.
Article
2008 May
- This issue of SBC highlights Design & Engineering.
- The cover story on page 22 features cold-formed steel components, which contributed to LEED certification.
- Find out what you should know about the new ANSI/TPI standard on page 28.
- Automation veteran Jerry Koskovich is honored on page 34.
Article
2008 May
- Component manufacturers have the potential to have a big impact on BCMC’s success this year.
- Some exhibitors view the show floor as a huge networking roundtable.
- BCMC is a win-win situation for attendees and exhibitors.
Article
2008 May
- Shelter Systems Limited believes that SCORE certification is one way to protect the company.
- The company embraced the requirements of SCORE, even when it came to implementing WTCA programs that they wouldn’t have voluntarily chosen to use.
- Operation Safety and ORisk are programs that delivered surprising benefits to Shelter.
Article
2008 May
- Becoming certified under a green building standard is a growing national trend for public schools and other government buildings.
- Under the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED, using CFS trusses can earn one or two points for a project under credits 4.1 and 4.2.
- Verifying that CFS supplied for a job qualifies for LEED points is not tedious for CMs.
Article
2008 May
- TPI 1-2007 will be referenced in the 2009 International Building Code and International Residential Code.
- The TPI 1 Project Committee consisted of about 50 individuals representing the industry.
- The changes that have been made to TPI 1 will make for a more user-friendly document.
- The mandatory net section lumber limit on tension introduced into a wood member was replaced by a non-mandatory user note recommending a limit of 2300 pounds/inch.
Article
2008 May
- Jerry Koskovich, an inventor of automated solutions for truss plants, retired from the industry this year.
- Koskovich’s first automated component saw was installed at Villaume Industries in 1985.
- Koskovich is grateful to many people in the industry and will continue to consult for The Koskovich Company.
Article
2008 May
- TTW online presentations offer affordability and convenience for professionals in the building community.
- Architect Mike Koehl found the TTW on fire assemblies very useful.
- Engineer Tom Jank said his bracing questions for a project he was working on were answered by the online TTWs he viewed.
- Professionals can view TTWs at no charge; quizzes for CEU credit cost $25 per presentation.
Article
2008 May
- Quality assurance is process oriented while quality control is product oriented.
- Essentially, QA/QC is a proactive effort to protect and sustain your company name, your company products, and your company profit margins. Think of a QA/QC program as a firewall against defects.
- You can begin by establishing “Perfor-mance Criteria” required by each department to complete a given task.
Article
2008 June/July
- When you compare the value and the cost of attending BCMC, you find that there many reasons to make the trip.
- WTCA component manufacturer members pay $175 for their first full registration and $140 for each additional.
- With a wide variety of characters in the industry, BCMC is entertaining!