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In this issue, we take a look at the Framing the American Dream (FAD) project and the value it has for component manufacturers (CMs). This FAD overview lays the foundation for future articles in which we’ll go into greater depth on specific benchmarking data. A comment from Jack Dermer, president of American Truss, sums it up: “Now that the latest study is completed, the next step is for component manufacturers to look at their own markets and find different ways to talk about the study so it’s applicable to their own unique situations.”
Key changes are taking place within the truss and wall panel manufacturing community.
Annandale Millwork is embracing the energy code.
This time-lapse video provides a side-by-side comparison of two identical homes being framed. The only difference between them is the house on the left was stick-framed on site, while the house on the right was framed using floor trusses, wall panels and roof trusses. The video provides clear proof that structural components are the better way to frame.
- SBC Magazine is starting the New Year with some fresh ideas and positive change.
- Our theme for 2005 is "Your Industry, Your Magazine, Your Ideas."
- This issue of SBC is our first ever dedicated to wall panel manufacturing.
- As you begin 2005, don’t hesitate to contact an SBC staff member with your comments, questions and article ideas.
- 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.
- Capital Structures of Fort Smith, AR was selected to provide materials, component design, fabrication and framing labor for an Extreme Makeover: Home Edition project in June.
- Ninety-two degrees, 97 percent humidity, and no breeze caused Team Capital framers to endure brutal conditions for much of the day.
- The framers set a framing record of eleven hours and 30 minutes.
- The crew encountered one set-back: the foundation slab was off almost two inches in some areas, making the wall panels difficult to get level.
- WTCA’s new Truss Technology Workshop (TTW) web site, ttw.woodtruss.com, offers a one-stop shop for continuing education (CEU) credits.
- The site is designed to serve as a year-round resource for those in professions who work with roof trusses, floor trusses, wall panels and related components.
- Users who purchase a year-long subscription also receive unlimited access to the site’s online resource library.
- The site offers component manufacturer members all the materials necessary to present their own live TTWs for free.
- R-Squared, a framing company, started a small wall panel shop in 2001 to increase efficiency on the jobsite.
- After several years of gradual growth, the company is preparing for more dramatic growth in the next few years.
- The Roods have been successful by learning about smart marketing, launching their own version of turnkey framing services, and focusing on personnel development.
- A big part of personnel management is learning how to deal with all different personalities—even the difficult ones.
- Find out how Northeast Panel & Truss teamed up with OSHA to improve their safety record.
- Learn about automated saws that are designed with your safety in mind.
- Read about a charter high school in Ohio that rehabilitates troubled teens by teaching them how to design and build components.
- In May 2004, Northeast Panel & Truss was in danger of being placed on OSHA’s Site Specific Targeting (SST) List.
- With the help of Ron Coons, the company pursued SHARP certification to clean up its safety record.
- Coons doesn’t believe there are any drawbacks to participating in SHARP.
- In May 2006, the company achieved SHARP certification and rewarded employees with a picnic.
- Cold-formed steel is gaining respect and popularity in the industry thanks to challenging design projects and diverse construction applications.
- M-Truss worked on a luxury condominium project in Las Vegas that called for steel radius trusses and radius wall panels.
- Companies like M-Truss have been successful by demonstrating the bottom line savings of cold-formed steel in the ease of installation and reduced labor costs.
- WTCA’s newest chapter is made up of Canadian manufacturers and their suppliers.
- While legislation and building code interpretations differ, trusses and wall panels are designed and manufactured similarly in both the U.S. and Canada.
- Many Canada Chapter members see the benefits of leveraging the programs and work already created by WTCA.
- The chapter’s first project is creating English/French versions of the BCSI documents, which currently exist in an English/Spanish format.
- Deltec Homes, Inc. has a strong commitment to delivering a quality energy efficient home to its customers while lessening its environmental impact.
- With almost 300 photovoltaic solar panels its roof, Deltec produces 66,000 kW-hr each year.
- The company replaced all light fixtures with energy efficient fluorescent lighting to cut down on energy costs.
- CEO David Hall said focusing on environmental stewardship has met customers’ needs and made the company more profitable.
- Brand your company as "The Solution" for all of your customers’ needs.
- If you offer wall panels, engineered wood products, steel trusses, and turnkey labor, or engineering design services in addition to wood trusses, be sure to market them.
- Work with the design and specifier community to help streamline the front end of the construction process and value-engineer structures.
- Back in the ‘80s, truss technicians had to input the lengths, bearing locations and any concentrated loads on a truss other than a standard truss.
- Today’s truss design software helps streamline truss technicians’ work, but fundamental design, engineering and building code concepts are still important.
- Design technology gives us the capability to take designs to the next level and spec in a wide range of products from wall panels to steel trusses.
- The time has come to embrace all structural building component materials.
- East met West when Chinese Jiangsu Jifco Holdings went equipment shopping for a new truss and wall panel manufacturing facility in the U.S.
- Even though there were no skilled sawyers, operators, assemblers, or truss technicians available in China, Jay Halteman (Wood Truss Systems) was amazed at the Chinese’s capability and devotion to the project.
- For the new plant in China, Halteman chose what he believed to be the most reliable automated equipment that was also the easiest to operate and had extreme durability.
Based on a panel discussion at BCMC 2017, this webinar will cover some best practices for managing a variety of design issues, from training designers and overseeing the design process, to tracking design work, errors and the associated costs. Come with questions about strategies to minimize and mitigate design mistakes, and leave with tips on how to manage mistake tracking data and recognize designers whose work is mistake free.
Join SBCA staff and SBCA marketing committee member, Jess Lohse, President of Rocky Mountain Truss, to learn more about bestwaytoframe.com and how you can use it to promote components within your market.
SBCA provides an Approved Broker Program to a select group of insurance brokers who have experience and qualification in providing property and casualty insurance to companies that manufacture structural building components (trusses, wall panels and related components). If you are a broker interested in being part of this program, please review the program requirements and submit the following application.
Learn how component manufacturers offer the most efficient structural framing solutions and how they've made a difference in communities across the country, allowing for the most effective use of time, labor and materials to frame all types of structures. Roof trusses, floor trusses and wall panels play an integral part in the structures you see every day.
Steve Stroder and Shawn Overholtzer share how California TrusFrame (CTF) is partnering with their plate supplier and a framing contractor to solve the growing challenge of shear walls in large, wood-framed buildings. Steve and Shawn explain how partnering with MiTek to incorporate their cold-formed steel picture frame product into CTF’s wall panel line has proved to be a win-win solution for field installation. They argue that component manufacturers should take greater advantage of supplier products to design and manufacture even more valuable framing solutions.
Ryan Hikel and Jason Valis know they have a good thing going. Shelter Systems is great at making roof and floor trusses. Bruce Jones Contracting is awesome at making wall panels and framing buildings. Together, their companies have learned how to leverage the expertise of the other and offer a collective solution to GCs in their market. In this episode, Hikel and Valis talk about their value proposition.
You may have noticed the emergence of a new phrase to describe the use of components in certain parts of the country. A method referred to as “offsite framing” is catching on in California, Florida, and other areas of high volume housing production. New techniques always produce mixed emotions of fear, uncertainty, opportunity, excitement, and more.
ASCE/SEI 7-16 Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures has revised Chapter 30 regarding Components & Cladding (C&C) wind loads on roofs. This report clarifies the type and scope of changes being made that will also change in the 2018 edition of the model building codes.
Training Programs
SBCA offers a variety of safety and training programs that are industry-specific to help component manufacturers train employees.
The 2018 BCMC show runs from October 23-26 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Don't miss all that this year's show has to offer in New Orleans!
Learn how one seasoned framer/CM team was primed to shine on a project like this.