Bringing More Solutions to Atlanta Builders: Brand Vaughan’s Newest Facility In Lithonia

Brad Ballard

bringing more solutions to atlanta builders brand vaughans newest facility in lithonia 62c5a89d0c3fe

Brand Vaughan Lumber is proud to support builders and contractors in the Metro Atlanta area- especially with historic demand compounded by labor shortages and supply chain delays. Rather than waiting for a solution, we’re doing everything we can to help builders get the job done.

We talked with Chad Carnes, Director of Special Services, about the latest offering from Brand Vaughan and how our newest facility in Lithonia is opening doors for more business and faster projects.

There are industry reports stating some products essential to residential construction aren’t expected until 2023. “Lead times for a wide array of materials that were commonly known to be weeks pre-pandemic have turned into months,” reports Construction Dive.

Brand Vaughan’s newest facility in Lithonia opened in 2022 as a response to the growing need for supplies and more efficiency in building projects today. “The timing is great,” explains Chad. “The truss plants can’t keep up, so this has been in the works now for well over a year.”

wo Brand Vaughan team members in black baseball caps, orange shirts and black shorts load wood products onto a dolly.

The Lithonia facility houses Brand Vaughan’s floor and roof truss manufacturing equipment. “All the equipment is brand new, and it’s all automated,” says Chad. “There are two saws out back, and then the press itself is automated.”

Leadership at Brand Vaughan took over the building in Lithonia to support customer demand and lay the groundwork for the future . “This was originally a truss plant before the recession, so it was set up in an old environment and an old way of doing things,” explains Chad.

Brand Vaughan updated the facility with some input from our company leadership and direction from Carnes, whose background is in engineering and design. “We’ve had to basically start over when we set-up the facility,” he said. The result is a shiny new (to us) building that houses some of the most up-to-date truss manufacturing equipment available today.”

This image shows the inside of a truss manufacturing facility, where a computer screen depicts the design of a truss and its components.

We talked a little more with Chad about what working with our Lithonia team is like. “It really all starts with the plans,” says Chad. Brand Vaughan customers bring their home designs to our team, and we take it from there.”

“We have the most practical equipment, and the saws are all computer-controlled. This kind of smart technology doesn’t just ensure you get the right materials and sizes for your project. “It fully optimizes the lengths, so there’s minimal waste,” explains Chad. “It’s very fast. Productivity is high, and waste is minimal.”

The machines also make truss installation move along more quickly, and each piece of wood is labeled for efficiency. “Our inkjets include the part number on it,” Chad explains.

Manufacturing trusses for residential projects helps to speed up the process for customers, and Brand Vaughan’s smart truss system makes production even faster. “The automation helps with our repeat customers, and we can do batches of orders,” he says.

Roof and flooring trusses offer builders a stronger product, as well, and the design team at Brand Vaughan will ensure that the design offers the most durable solution for your roof and floor installation. “Stick building is such a challenge,” says Chad. “Trusses just make it go so much faster, and with trusses, you know the load paths are right.”

A Brand Vaughan team member in an orange shirt and black baseball cap loads wood for trusses onto a black Toyota forklift.

“There are less callbacks,” continues Chad. “With stick framing, you get a lot of issues — trusses are just a more consistent product. With lumber being harder to get in longer lengths and the waste that happens with stick building, trusses just offer more solutions.”

A truss is pictured in the loading area in front of the Brand Vaughan manufacturing plant.

The Lithonia facility was opened to help support not just builders in the area, but our other Brand Vaughan locations. “Everything is built to order,” says Chad. “And we share the load between Lithonia and Tucker from the standpoint of drivers.”

Delivering trusses can take some planning, and Brand Vaughan is glad to have the Lithonia space and our trucks set up for more efficient takeoffs. “The trailers are 48 feet, but they’ll extend to 72 feet. It’s all wide loads, and we can’t run at night,” explains Chad. “There are a lot of requirements for trusses because these things can be up to 70 feet long!”

Despite the challenges with delivery, adding truss manufacturing to Brand Vaughan’s list of services will help us expand in some big ways. “We’ve been selling trusses but not manufacturing them like we are now,” explains Chad. “We have more control now, so we’re cheaper and faster from a productivity standpoint.”

A large piece of machinery is pictured inside of the Brand Vaughan manufacturing plant.

Atlanta is the fifth-most active U.S. real estate development market in the last decade, and it’s the only Southeast metroplex to rank in the top 10 cities for this kind of growth.

Brand Vaughan is excited to be part of that future — one that’s more efficient and streamlined when it comes to construction. “We do have an expansion opportunity and could double our capacity at this stage,” says Chad. “I’ve been here for Brand Vaughan for nine years now, and it’s very exciting.”

Come visit the Lithonia facility to see what we can do to support and streamline your next building project!