Building Success with A-Truss 2.0

Brian Nielsen has a lengthy history in the truss business. He learned the trade as a young man, working with family at his uncle’s truss company. So, when the opportunity arose to purchase A-Truss in 2020, he felt called to become a business owner.

With the SBDC’s assistance, Brian was able to plan for and obtain the necessary funding to purchase and grow the business. His SBDC counselor, Jeff Mather, gave him the confidence to work with loan officers to purchase equipment and expand the business.

“The SBDC has made a huge difference in our ability to plan, forecast, and grow the business for the past few years,” Brian says. “We have relied heavily on their professional experience, advice and help.”

Growing a business amid the COVID-19 pandemic was no easy feat. Increased lumber and labor costs and market volatility were all difficulties he had to tackle right away. However, facing these challenges created an opportunity to modernize and automate the production process.

“We wanted to bring the use of technology and production together to create a better product,” he says. “That included increasing efficiency and reducing waste in the process.”

A more efficient process helps Brian achieve his vision for the business, which is to build high-quality trusses in a fair and family-friendly work environment.

Brian and his wife Shayla credit much of their success to A-Truss’s outstanding team of employees. Hardworking and knowledgeable about the truss-building process, the team prioritizes quality and customer service, and the owners, in turn, prioritize being good employers.

“We work hard to allow our employees to have a good work/life balance,” he says. “By using upgraded methods and equipment, we can provide a great product and also create a positive work environment.”