News

Jeff Walton, P.E. is welcomed back at TRA after a one year leave of absence.  Jeff is graduate of Akron University and licensed P.E. in over thirty states. He is an ICC Unlimited Plan Reviewer and Inspector and has many years experience in the prebuilt housing industry.  Welcome back Jeff!

TRA has decided to drop development of a web based submittal services for many reasons.  Web based submission feels impersonal, requires more input from the client to submit plans and makes the client wait while uploading their attachments.  TRA enjoys communicating with its clients and email is almost free.  Web based submission would require a little more input (username, password, description of work to be done, etc.) With today's operating systems, you can simply click on a file and send to an email recipient and type a quick note on what work you want done.  With modern mail servers it frees up the client workstation quicker, allows for delivery and read receipts for proof of delivery and with certificates, can be as secure as web based submission.  Most of our clients prefer the email method, and unless there is major demand in the future, we won't be pursuing a web based submission process. - JCH

Lorenzo (Larry) Dimalanta joined TRA in October 2003.  Larry is a graduate of the University of Illinois with a B.S. in Engineering.  Currently he is an E.I.T. and plans on sitting for his P.E. exams in Spring of 2005.  Larry has experience with another third party and design firm.  He has completed all of his IEC exams required for:

• Residential Combination Inspector

• Commercial Combination Inspector

• Combination Plan Examiner

• And is working towards his Master Code Professional Certification.

Jim Hollar joined TRA in August 2003.  Jim has several years of experience as a Design Engineer with a modular home manufacturer and other premanufactured building manufacturers. Jim has passed several ICC Residential exams and will continue taking exams to gain more credentials.

Brian Weigold joined TRA in May 2003. Brian has experience as a state inspector, and inspection supervisor with an independent inspection agency and a corporate quality control manager for a manufactured housing manufacturer.  Brian is a licensed One and Two Family Dwelling Inspector and Plan Reviewer.

Garry Puffer joined the staff of TRA today as a new Account Manager.  In this capacity, he will manage specific customer accounts and serve as the primary interface for ensuring that his client companies meet applicable building code standards.

Previously, Gary worked as Quality Manager for Schult Homes, one of TRA's premiere customers.  With Gary's help, Schult became the first manufactured housing company to earn ISO 9000 registration.  Gary also worked for many years as a product engineer for Utilimaster Corporation.

"I look forward to getting better acquainted with my clients," Garry said.  I believe we'll do some great work together."

At it's annual meeting held in Tampa, Florida this week, the Modular Building Institute (MBI) bestowed special honors on TRA's Chairman, Tom Arnold.  Tom received the 2001 Outstanding Achievement Award from Judy Smith, MBI's Executive Director.  This award is the highest recognition offered by MBI for categories not related to products.

In part, the award recognizes Tom's "untiring efforts" in advancing the cause of the modular building industry. 

In presenting the award, Judy read from the inscription on the plaque: "His desire for quality achievement has built his company into a successful and peer-recognized leader in the modular industry."

Tom appeared both humbled and gracious during his acceptance remarks: "In the last 30 years, my company has earned, and I have personally received, numerous awards.  But I will count this as one of the most cherished recognitions we've ever been awarded."

"But it would be selfish and unfair of me to accept this award for myself.  Like many of you, my efforts have been in advancing the growth and success of this industry.  I have benefited from your work as much or more than you have benefited from mine.  It is this united effort that is good for all of us.  So, I accept this award on behalf of everyone here who has as their goal the welfare of the entire industry."

The 2001 Outstanding Achievement Award plaque is joining other notable plaques in the main lobby of the TRA offices.

Tanger’s recipe for TRA success: (1) knowledgeable, experienced employees; (2) aggressive pursuit of new business opportunities; and (3) technological investment.

In a recent interview, TRA’s President, Bob Tanger, outlined the staying power of TRA.  Like many industries, the industries served by TRA have suffered a general decline over the last several months.  Yet, TRA’s earnings for calendar year 2001 remained on par with year 2000 financial performance.  This, despite the much rosier economic picture of 2000 versus 2001. 

When asked to explain the stability of TRA in uncertain economic times, Bob Tanger offered a model for success.

“First, we have a sound understanding of who we are.  We are a service-oriented organization.  Therefore, our only assets are our employees.  This attitude is reflected in all that we do.  We provide good working conditions.  We have a stable employment environment.  In over 30 years, we’ve never laid off employees.  So it’s very likely that if you come to work here and do a good job, you could work here until you retire.  Now, what does that mean for our customers?  Well, our clients always know who they have to deal with.  And that’s important for loyal working relationships.”

“Second,” explains Tanger, “we make intelligent business decisions.  As manufactured housing declined, we aggressively began to pursue other business.  We maintained our market share in general commercial structures and grew significantly in specialty modular units and special-use vehicles.”  

In these specialty markets, TRA excels by aggressively responding to inquiries and by partnering with the clients.  “They typically require lots of information and we know their intended application.  We talk the talk.  But then, we have to follow up.  We hold their hand through the design and approval processes.  We provide them with the names of others who have done something similar to what they are doing,” says Tanger.

Interestingly, the specialty markets have challenged the personnel resources of TRA and illustrate the firms agility.  For example, their traditional businesses typically require more inspection services than up-front engineering services.  Meanwhile, the specialty markets require more engineering services and less inspection services. 

Noting a final reason for TRA’s continued success, Tanger continues: “Third, we’ve made a fairly significant investment in our technological infrastructure.  And we’ll continue to do so for 2002.” 

As an example, Mr. Tanger noted TRA’s work in the forefront of  electronic (web) plan approval.  “But there’s more to do here,” he said.  “The next big step is creating a web space for the volumes of state-related information.  We’re prototyping our solution as we speak.”  Here, TRA intends to supplement (and perhaps, eventually eliminate) the mailing program which updates manufacturers of changes in state regulations affecting their business.

This three-pronged approach appears to have helped TRA weather many storms and strive through it’s history of 30+ years.  “I’m fully confident,” Tanger concludes, “that we have all the ingredients we need to continue our recipe for success.”

TRA Under the Microscope

Our clients often feel the scrutiny that is required for design approval and inspection processes.  However, we at TRA are also subject to this kind of scrutiny.  In order for us to be qualified by the accrediting bodies of national, regional, and local jurisdictions, we must meet tough standards.  Recently, TRA was under the microscope of two important organizations: BOCA Evaluation Services, Inc. and ICBO Evaluation Service, Inc.  Check out these and other TRA credentials on Our Credentials page.

BOCA

On an annual basis, BOCA issues an International Evaluation Report or Research Report to qualifying organizations.  TRA's current Research Report is valid through August 2002.  We have been found to be compliant with BOCA National Building Code/1999, under section 1704.3.2.  Accordingly, we are recognized as a Compliance, Assurance, and Inspection Agency in terms of structural, plumbing, electrical, and mechanical systems of prefabricated construction.

ICBO

ICBO Evaluation Service, Inc. also issues a yearly report and certificate for qualifying companies.  Through July of 2002, T. R. Arnold and Associates has received accreditation as a Quality Control Agency for manufactured homes, panelized housing, modular housing, and pre-built commercial structures.

Why We Do It

The process by which we obtain these accreditations is both rigorous and time-consuming.  Why do we do it?  Simply because it ensures that our customer's needs are met.  Our customers move ahead in design and construction with the assurance that we have given them all the information and services they require for a trouble-free home or commercial building.

Pop-up notes on the electronic file provide details of deviations

TRA's digital stamp of approval enables the manufacturer to move ahead with full assurance of compliance.

T.R. ARNOLD & ASSOCIATES (TRA), a long-established and premier supplier of design approval and inspection services to the manufactured housing industry, has announced the successful implementation of its electronic processing of submitted plans.

The acronym “eDAPIA” has been adopted by the industry to refer to this concept.  As a leading Design Approval Primary Inspection Agency (DAPIA), TRA has urged the industry to adopt electronic processing.  TRA’s system has been functional since early 2000.

The process works like this: Manufacturers create an electronic version of their plan and email this version to their assigned reviewer at TRA.  Should any deficiencies be found, the plan reviewer attaches electronic “sticky” notes on the plan and returns it to the manufacturer.  When the manufacturer double-clicks on the note graphic, a full explanatory note pops up.  In addition, the electronic file contains a complete deviation report on a separate page.  The manufacturer then addresses the deviations and submits a revised plan to TRA.  With all deviations corrected, TRA places its electronic approval stamp on the file (like a digital signature), locks the file electronically, and returns it to the manufacturer.

Manufacturers have found this approach extremely easy to use.  According to Bob Walters of Oakwood Homes in Greenboro, North Carolina: “Overall this a far better system.  It’s faster than the old mailing system we used in the past and we even get quicker decisions than we did with the fax approach that many still use.  And it’s better quality than any fax.”  Improved efficiency, improved quality, ease-of-use, these distinguishing factors offer manufacturers a tool to improve their entire operations

Following approval, TRA files the documents electronically with the various authorities having jurisdiction and updates the customers’ electronic manuals which are maintained on TRA’s secure web site.  Here, manufacturers can access all of their proprietary plans and documentation in a timely fashion from a single location.  In addition, this provides immediate justification of models in production in response to queries from in-plant inspectors and auditors.

Jeff Hardy, who heads Information Services at TRA, says his company will offer even better services in the future: “We are working with state agencies as we speak, assisting them in implementing the electronic approval process.  In addition, we’re exploring digital certificates and other advanced mechanisms to make the process more flexible for our customers.  Already they see great advantages over competing systems from companies who are attempting to replicate what we’re doing.  Our goal is to continue to lead the field.”

Gary Wiggins, of the South Carolina Building Code Council which administers the state’s modular program, is leading the charge for electronic processing in his state.  “The folks at TRA assisted us a fair amount in our state program.  As a result, we’ve been online with electronic submissions since September 1, 2000.  Electronic processing saves the manufacturers a lot of time and money and I enjoy telling them about a new state program that actually saves them money!  In terms of time savings, we can cut a minimum of 4 days and usually 10–14 days in the plan review process alone.  This improves the major advantage modular has over site construction—time.  In turn, that time savings means lower interest on construction loans.  Then there’s salary savings from all those people who typically handle hard copy plans.  But the savings don’t end with the review process.  Consider the reduction in paper and storage space used previously.  Now, we can place 35-50 sets of a manufacturer’s plans and their entire Quality Control Document on a single CD.”

Manufacturers have been somewhat slow to adopt electronic plan review.  Wiggins, Hardy, and others remain hopeful however:  “Those who have experienced it, like it.  It will take off just as the implementation of AutoCAD did 10 years ago.  We just need to show them the competitive advantages,” says Wiggins.

Company Information:

Since 1969, TRA (http://www.trarnold.com) has been a leading provider of third-party plan review, engineering approval, and inspection services to industries producing manufactured shelters.  Such shelters can include manufactured and modular homes, some commercial buildings and recreational vehicles, and other innovative building systems.  TRA is recognized by HUD as a Design Approval Primary Inspection Agency (DAPIA) and as an In-Plant Primary Inspection Agency (IPIA).  Numerous state and local authorities recognize TRA as an independent third party.  TRA also holds BOCA and ICBO accreditation. 

New Site to Better Serve Customers

In its continual mission to serve the needs of the manufactured shelter industry, T.R. Arnold & Associates, Inc. have created a new presence on the world wide web.  The new site,  http://www.trarnold.com, offers a streamlined description of the company and its services.

Jeff Hardy, who leads TRA's information service department explains: "Our intent was two-fold: first, create a presence that could provide all necessary information in user-friendly format and second, introduce a new level of service in keeping with our customers changing demands."

TRA's Chairman, Tom Arnold, offered this additional insight: "We've been both serving and leading this industry for a long time.  But resting on our laurels has never been the TRA way.  We intend to offer our existing and potential customers the tried and true services along with leading-edge technology to help them achieve success.  For example, soon the site will offer completely dynamic, web-based capabilities for plan submissions and the associated approval process."  

In Search of Customer Success Stories

Over the years, TRA's success has been measured by the success of its customers.  Now TRA wants to share some of the stories of success on its new web site.  In the "TRA Advantage" section of the site, TRA will profile customers (perhaps as many as one each week) who have accomplished their design and manufacturing goals as a result of the services provided by TRA.  To be considered for the section, customers can call the main TRA phone (574.264.0745) or email the TRA Webmaster at webmaster@trarnold.com. 

The Boilerplate

Since 1969, T.R. Arnold & Associates, Inc. has offered consultation, plan review & approval, testing & listing, and inspection services to the industrialized housing and manufactured shelter industries.  

For further corporate  information, contact Ted Huff at 574.264.0745 or by email (thuff@trarnold.com).