August, 2004

Big Buck Lumber Cuts the Cord

Racine, Wis.-based Big Buck Lumber, has long been on a leader in its use of technology.

By Staff Report

Forget the Internet. "Where tech has really created value is where it can be built into our everyday back-office tasks," says Valerie Hansen, president of Racine, Wis.-based Big Buck Lumber. "In a day-to-day way, the Web site is the sizzle and not the steak."

Big Buck has long been on a leader in its use of technology. The company was one of the first in the industry to convert to a Windows network, and one of the first to provide email and Internet access for front-line employees. Hansen's ongoing commitment to steak versus sizzle is evident in her move to a new facility this summer. Built from scratch, it was designed with long-term productivity enhancements in mind, and one of the most important was a wireless network.

Jackie Johnson, vice president of finance, oversaw design, construction, and the relocation. Going wireless not only saved the cost of the CAT-5 cabling, says Johnson, "it saved a lot of time getting the new building set up because it doesn't require all the wiring time."

But more important in the long run, a wireless network also allows unlimited latitude in where you locate your servers, workstations, and printers. Going wireless allowed Big Buck to make efficient workflow the only consideration in the layout of its facility. Moreover, wireless makes it easy to change that layout as the company grows and its needs evolve.

Like everything else tech-related, wireless networking has come a long way in the past two years. The technology is based on "protocols" that enable wireless devices to understand each other. A protocol like 802.11b or 802.11g is, in effect, a translator: The sending device uses it to convert data to a format that can be broadcast, and then the receiving device uses it to convert the data back to its original format.

The protocol also determines the frequency of the signal, which in turn determines the network's speed and vulnerability to interference. Ideally, you want a frequency that isn't used by other devices so signals aren't degraded by electronic "noise."

Early on, that was possible but it wasn't cost-effective for most purchasers; the hardware was too expensive. The 802.11b protocol became standard primarily because 802.11b devices were affordable. Today, the most common protocol is 802.11g, which is five times faster and backward compatible with 802.11b devices.

The technology is obviously still evolving, but today, there's little danger that a wireless network will be obsolete in the near future. Backward compatibility is also a component of next-generation multiband networking devices. Older hardware will connect at its original, slower speed, but it will connect.

Security has also improved with each new protocol. A wireless network can be configured to encrypt the data it sends; the issue is how easy or difficult it is for a hacker to crack the code. Wireless routers that operate on 802.11g are more secure, and most are "Wi-Fi certified," which makes them compatible with the next-generation protocol (802.11i) currently under development.

In other words, wireless networking is finally ready for prime time, with adequate if not perfect security, plus devices that won't be obsolete as soon as you get them installed.

The bottom line? You can design your facility for efficient workflow without sacrificing the efficiencies a fully-networked facility offers. - Greg Brooks with Mary Shafer

For more information, contact Valerie Hansen or Jackie Johnson at Big Buck Lumber, 262 632 2773.