This past October, the BCMC show celebrated its 35th anniversary in Milwaukee, WI. It lasts only two days, and yet those 48 hours are filled to the brim with opportunities for attendees to learn something new to improve some aspect of what they do back home.
Based on feedback over numerous years, it’s evident that holding the show in October is a double-edged sword. On one side, it’s the perfect time to think about, plan and make strategic purchases in preparation for the following year. On the other side, the show occurs during some of the busiest weeks for many component manufacturers across the country, making it difficult to get away and to bring all the people who would benefit from attending the show.
Even for those who attend the show, it can be difficult to fit in all the educational sessions, show floor visits and one-on-one conversations. In some ways, BCMC is designed that way on purpose. It strives to offer something for everyone who comes, which is like shoving 50 pounds into a 10 pound bag. Something has to give and attendees almost always find themselves having to choose between two or more great opportunities to learn.
At SBC Magazine, we make every effort to lessen the sting of that choice just a little bit. This year, we sent writers to many of the educational sessions, asked them to interview the presenters, and then give everyone a healthy taste of what they would have learned had they attended those sessions themselves.
As a result, in the pages of the December issue you will find useful information on everything from the advantages of turnkey framing and lean manufacturing to effectively evaluating the way you purchase inventory and seek to automate. December and January are great months to ponder and put these things into practice and get even better at what you do. We hope you enjoy the following articles as much as BCMC attendees enjoyed the sessions:
- Efficiency: Getting to the Buzz Behind the Buzzwords
- Automation: Fundamentally, Automation Is About People
- Optimization: Re-evaluating the Role of Your Inventory
- Lumber Design Values: Why Lumber Variability Is a Problem for CMs
- MSR Lumber: Machine Rated Lumber Makes a Lot of Cents
- Turnkey Framing: Diversify Your Sales Revenue: Try Turnkey!
- Disaster Recovery: Backing Up Your Data Isn’t Enough
On behalf of SBC Magazine staff, best wishes for a safe and joyful holiday season! We look forward to being your one-stop shop for news, education and other valuable resources in 2016!