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Designers are under tight deadlines; they are constantly being pulled from one project to another, and are routinely being asked to make changes to a project. All of this can create an environment that burns them out and pushes them out the door.
Quality control (QC) is often thought of as an effort to catch mistakes made by production. However, many times problems and solutions extend beyond just the manufacturing process.
There were a lot of opportunities beyond the show floor and educational sessions to build relationships, have a bit of fun, and make some lasting memories.
Global markets, technical expansion and industry growth all contribute to making SBCA a leading force in further development of the structural building component industry—now and in the future!
About SBCA
Established in 1983, the Structural Building Components Association (SBCA) is the only international trade association representing manufacturers of structural building components. SBCA is the information conduit for our membership to stay abreast of leading-edge marketplace issues.
Advocacy
With a mission to protect and advance the interests of our members, SBCA is the voice of the structural building components industry to legislative, regulatory and standards-generating agencies. SBCA formulates policies concerning the operations of component manufacturers.
Why lean concepts apply just as well to a company’s culture
Look at marketing your brand through your online presence
In late 2019, SBCA’s Executive Committee launched a strategic planning process that began with a survey of component manufacturers (CMs) that garnered a significant response.
If you do a web search for current trends in U.S. urban planning, article after article will discuss similar issues. Urban planners face new challenges as a result of the recent economic downturn, and subsequent sluggish growth. A few examples include: a higher percentage of renters over owners due to foreclosures and defaults; delayed housing purchases by Generation Y; a growing desire for alternative transportation choices and shorter commutes; all coupled with a decreasing availability of urban land.
Shelter Systems Limited • Westminster, Maryland
Core values live at the heart of Littfin Lumber’s ongoing success.
- SBCA is not your typical trade association. At its foundation is a focus on developing, sharing and promoting industry best practices.
- SBCA has refrained from participating in a “pay-to-play,” direct-lobbying approach.
- However, on issues ranging from tax reform to housing finance, there are proposals floated by lawmakers that could put many of us out of business very quickly. We have a duty to warn.
A CM in Pennsylvania is taking a proactive approach to dealing with exception four of IRC provision R501.3.
Few issues have demanded the attention of the SBCA Board of Directors more over the past five years than the variability of lumber design values. SBCA Legal Counsel Kent Pagel provided guidance to component manufacturers (CMs) on ways to mitigate the potential risk and liability that have arisen in the market as a result of how the lumber industry has chosen to deal with the issue of variable design properties.
- It takes a creative approach to using material to meet customer’s needs, while still providing good quality structures.
- Once innovative framing methods are learned, and framers experience the ease of installation, and discover how all the parts of the framing fit together well, they quickly become comfortable with the techniques.
- Framers must be involved in creating industry standard details, because we are the ones most familiar with actual building construction.
The purpose of changing the dues policy is to ensure everyone contributes on a more even footing to the organization.
The SBCA chapter presidents recently discussed the state of SBCA chapters. We have many strong, active chapters with a great deal of participation. We also have chapters that lack consistent participation, which makes chapter leadership a challenge.
- The SBC Research Institute (SBCRI) acts as our industry’s “flux capacitor” and will transport us to a brave new world of construction we haven’t seen before.
- The future is now and our industry only has two choices—we can each grasp at it individually, or we can hold onto it firmly through a collective effort.
- One of the best places to get active in SBCA is by attending a component manufacturer’s-only roundtable discussion at a SBCA Open Quarterly Meeting (OQM).
- When a stick of lumber's dressed size is less than the minimum required dressed size, the grading agency includes the size in the grade stamp as required by PS 20.
- Reduced dimensions can result in actual design overstress, unless the actual size is put into the lumber inventory of your software provider’s program.
- It is incumbent on the purchaser to decide whether or not to use specially marked lumber; buyer beware if there is a downstream design issue and the grade stamp was not accounted for in the design.
- SBCA President Scott Ward grew up in the business and credits industry pioneers for laying the foundation CMs can continue to build upon today.
- As the housing market improves, CMs need to focus on bringing new and skilled labor back into the industry.
- Technical schools, community colleges, high schools and wfd.sbcindustry.com are excellent resources for finding employees.
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Joe Hikel’s main focus for this year was to establish better connections with the supply chain. The foundation has been set.
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Collaborative work on the lumber design value issue and forging relationships at all levels of the supply chain goes a long way toward helping the industry survive today and thrive in the future.
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Hikel’s personal return on investment on time working within SBCA has been invaluable, both in business opportunities and the personal reward from the relationships formed.
- The Occupancy Category designates the nature of occupancy for a building, which affects the required design loads for the structure.
- There is a direct relationship between the Occupancy Category and the Importance Factor—a low category will result in lower loads and a high category will call for an increase in loads
This issue is full of some of the most valuable nuggets of advice presenters and attendees discussed at BCMC.
SBCA Marketing Chair Jess Lohse considers "innovative framing" and the potential it holds for the future of component manufacturing.
As valuable as time is, SBCextra contributor Jess Lohse can’t figure out why our industry gives so much of it away.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is continuing efforts to strictly enforce regulations pertaining to Form I-9. USCIS states the I-9 “is used for verifying the identity and employment authorization of individuals hired for employment in the United States. All U.S. employers must ensure proper completion of Form I-9 for each individual they hire for employment in the United States.”