Lumber Specialties | The Midwest’s Leading Roof and Floor Truss Manufacturer. | Wood Trusses, Roof Trusses, Floor Trusses

Lumber Specialties/Component Industry Timeline

1960	The Truss Plate Institute (TPI) was formed. Co-founder, J. Calvin Jurett, served as president for the first two terms. Ed Callahan, P.E. of gang-Nail was the first full-time managing director of TPI, and then located in Washington, D.C. Lumber Specialties is third party inspected by TPI. After formulation began in 1959, TPI-60, “Design Specification for Light Metal Plate Connected Timber Trusses,” was published by TPI.
1961	Jack Schmitt founded Truswal Systems Corporation.
1964	The roller gantry was invented by Jim Pool, an engineer who worked for Carrol Sanford. With the help of dick Stoddard, a Canadian fabricator, they perfected this roller gantry in 1964. Lumber Specialties uses similar roller gantries for its roof truss lines.
1966	Alpine Engineered Products was founded by William McAlpine and Charles Hamden in October of this year.
1970	Jack Schmitt invented the 4x2 parallel chord truss, most commonly used as a floor truss. Lumber Specialties manufactures 4x2 and 3x2 floor trusses for its customers American Lumber Standards Committee voted to change lumber sizes. 2x4 changed from 1 5/8” x 3 5/8” to 1 ½” x 3 ½” . These changes required all trusses to be re-engineered.
1983	Lumber Specialties was founded by original owner, Jerry Koch, located off of old Hwy 20 in Dyersville, Iowa, and the business opened with a workforce of approximately 10 employees. Currently, Lumber Specialties has almost 300 employees in two locations.
1984	A new shop and office facility was built in the current location, approximately one mile southwest of the original building.
1985	Jerry Koskovich introduced the first automated component saw to the component industry. Lumber Specialties currently uses three of Koskovich's most modern computer operated saws.
1988	On February 1, 1988, Carl Schoenhard, Jr. purchased Lumber Specialties from Jerry and Jeanine Koch; and, later sold a part of Lumber Specialties so the present owners; Carl Schoenhard, Jr., Bob Lex, and Terry Bahl would have equal shares.
1994	Lumber Specialties expanded its saw capacity by adding computer operated saws.
1996	Lumber Specialties installed laser projection systems in the Dyersville facility to increase quality and reduce set up times.
1997	Lumber Specialties added a new roof truss line. A total of six roof truss lines run three shifts.
1998	Lumber Specialties remodeled an existing structure on their property to house Accounts Receivable, Payroll, and Human Resources. Lumber Specialties opened a plant in Story City, Iowa. Laser projection systems were installed in this facility to increase quality and reduce set up times. A total of nine roof lines run company-wide.
2000	A new two story office building was added in Dyersville to make room for the Drafting/Design Department.
2001	Because of the complex buildings today, additional equipment was purchased by Lumber Specialties to handle the smaller pieces in the complex jobs.
2003	Lumber Specialties purchased another automated saw and reworked the saw room. Another computer operated saw was added to help handle the new, more complex, jobs.
2004	Adding 1,582 sq. foot building to house an additional roof line and floor line in the Dyersville location to help reduce lead times during the summer. The company is also expanding their maintenance building to handle forklift and semi maintenance.