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Article
2005 June/July
- Thirty states, Washington DC, the Department of Defense, the Department of State, the National Park Service and the U.S. Virgin Islands have adopted the IBC.
- Twenty-seven states, Washington DC and the U.S. Virgin Islands have adopted the IRC.
- While monitoring state, regional or local code activities may sound as fun as watching paint dry, the effect of bad code adoption can be profound.
- Our industry goal is to facilitate an effective monitoring process. The more knowledge we have, the more power we will have in shaping our industry’s future.
Article
2005 June/July
- WTCA recently became a member of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).
- ALEC is made up of over 2,400 current state lawmakers.
- ALEC’s task forces give private enterprise a voice with lawmakers through drafting model legislation.
Article
2005 June/July
- This issue of SBC Magazine focuses on Legal & Legislative issues.
- The majority of the building components industry feels they have little or no control over things like the transportation regulations.
- Can local advocacy be worth the work? One WTCA chapter believes it is. Read Adventures in Advocacy to learn how they rallied for change.
Article
2005 June/July
- WTCA has created a spreadsheet program that is essentially a comprehensive CODE CALCULATOR.
- The goal of TLG has been to provide a standardized format that can be used:
- To quickly and easily define the loads to be applied to trusses and structural building components.
- By jurisdictions that require loading summary pages to be produced as part of the construction project submittal process.
Article
2005 June/July
- How does a man with no interest in politics end up hosting a plant tour for Senator Chuck Grassley?
- The benefit of being involved is there may come a time when you will get a chance to have a direct voice and make a difference.
- There are great opportunities to get involved in local political activities and serve on committees that are looking into issues that are vital to our industry.
Article
2005 June/July
- Trussway provides a perfect industry business case study on the high energy acquisition craze of the 1990s, what can go wrong and what one can learn from it.
- Centralization, thought to be a cost savings business approach, can potentially hurt a company’s customer service.
- Listening to and serving customer needs fully is always a great business strategy.
Article
2005 August
- Do you have a handle on the costs of operating your plant? Discover some of your peers’ methods with the Ideas for Understanding Your Manufacturing Costs track at BCMC 2005.
- Make sure your manufacturing staff doesn’t miss the Quick Response Man-ufacturing session, which will explain how to push product through your plant more efficiently.
Article
2005 August
- The focus of this article is to direct component manufacturers where to find accurate regional, state and metro information sources for crucial economic data and analysis.
- Economic conditions at the national level and local/regional level may are likely to exist due to factors such as demographics and weather.
- Regional economies and their trends can differ dramatically. Component manufacturers may find it necessary to adjust their business strategies from region to region.
Article
2005 August
- The 11th Annual MSR Lumber Producers Council held a workshop in early June.
- In one session, an industry panel discussed topics on labor, grade stamps, mold, the availability of 2x3 lumber and ANSI/TPI 1’s new repetitive member factor.
- In another session, Francois Robichaud of Forintek East Canada, highlighted the results of a lumber usage survey distributed to component manufacturers.
Article
2005 August
- Telling a good story, a technique called narrative teaching, can make your safety training meeting come to life.
- Look for interesting "props" that can drive home points in both a humorous and graphic manner.
- Always ask specific questions to get training interaction started. Avoid "war stories."
Article
2005 August
- In the last several years, linear saws have become quite popular with component manufacturers by offering greater flexibility than traditional component saws.
- Servo-driven motors are the technology behind linear saws. Servo technology continues to advance at a rapid pace in the building components industry.
- While linear saws are ideal for onesie-twosie set-ups, the standard component saw is the best type of saw for producing multiple accurate parts produced very quickly.
Article
2005 August
- The primary goal of The Load Guide is to provide a design load calculator for each uniquely loaded roof and floor structural component that anyone involved in designing a building can use as the basis of their design.
- A secondary goal is to help ensure that everyone involved in a construction project agrees on the applied loads.
- It is important to have the person responsible for determining the loads to agree to and sign off on the loads to be applied to each uniquely loaded roof or floor component. TLG makes it easy.
Article
2005 August
- This plant can store 103 trucks of material indoors.
- Can cut 35,000 pieces (165,000 board-feet) of lumber each day.
- In the future, Shelter’s goal is to be able to hire 315 full time employees with annual sales topping $110 million.
Article
2005 August
- One concept fosters a progressive view of the future of component manufacturing: If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
- This industry is nowhere as close as it should be to achieving a true state of “automation.”
- Things that were previously a component manufacturing focus are being weighed against enhancements that will improve productivity or cycle time in all areas of plant operations: billing to design to manufacturing to shipping.
Article
2005 August
- In the last several years, linear saws have become quite popular with component manufacturers by offering greater flexibility than traditional component saws.
- Servo-driven motors are the technology behind linear saws. Servo technology continues to advance at a rapid pace in the building components industry.
- While linear saws are ideal for onesie-twosie set-ups, the standard component saw is the best type of saw for producing multiple accurate parts produced very quickly.
Article
2005 August
- After a long struggle to keep in compliance with covenants in their credit agreement and a failed recapitalization attempt, Trussway’s only option was to restructure the company financially.
- Their financial restructuring was completely via a five-month pre-packaged Chapter 11 filing process.
- Trussway’s financial storm dating back to 1998 has finally blown over, and the company is enjoying financial health, prosperity and growth in its core multi-family segment.
Article
2005 Sept/Oct
- The three enclosure classifications are: open, partially enclosed and enclosed.
- These classifications are common be-tween the IBC and IRC 2000/2003 and ASCE 7-98/02.
Article
2005 Sept/Oct
- This issue of SBC Magazine houses the BCMC 2005 Show Guide which includes important information for attendees.
- We’re celebrating two big anniversaries: SBC’s 20th year and BCMC’s 25th year.
- Don’t miss exciting articles about the industry’s shortage of skilled labor, a surprising announcement from WTCA’s Executive Director, and a personnel management concept called “human capital investment.”
Article
2005 Sept/Oct
- WTCA is currently experiencing a major growth spurt, the third of its kind.
- There are many reasons for the recent growth: increased membership, online training programs, new publications like BCSI 1-03, BCMC and SBC Magazine.
- Based on this surge in growth, the Board of Directors has approved the following: staff attendance at chapter meetings at least once per quarter and the development of a full-scale research and truss testing program.
Article
2005 Sept/Oct
- Inventor Cal Jureit created a prototype of the Gang-Nail metal connector plate fifty years ago.
- Jureit’s plate had metal teeth, eliminating the need for materials like nails, bolts or glue to be used in wood truss manufacturing.
- Jureit’s company Gang-Nails, Inc. be-came Automated Building Components, Inc. in 1961, and is now MiTek, Inc.
Article
2005 Sept/Oct
- Listening to the market through your employees that are closest to it may be your greatest strategic advantage.
- We are in a new age of marketing our companies and building brand loyalty.
- Utilizing your employee’s unique perspectives and qualities will make your business unique.