Fire Testing
Our top nerds are almost done, and the Big Red Button for final testing will soon be pushed. It’s about to go from “classified” to “OMG” very soon! Stay tuned!
Introducing the APEX beam hanger, the new benchmark for high-capacity mass timber connections. Proudly manufactured in the USA from high-grade aluminum, APEX offers your American projects a decisive advantage by solving critical supply chain challenges.
Aligning with ‘America First’ initiatives, the APEX system drastically reduces procurement lead times, as it is the first high-performance beam hanger available locally and on demand. The result is significant cost savings, unwavering supply chain reliability, and the uncompromising quality of American manufacturing.
Designed for you, by MTC Solutions teams, the North American Mass Timber Hardware Supplier.
*Complete ASD-based design literature for your US projects will be available soon.
The new standard in mass timber connections is here, and it’s proudly Canadian. The APEX beam hanger is the result of fifteen years of expertise and four years of dedicated research and development by our MTC engineering team, focused on innovation and growth.
Rigorously tested and designed to the latest CSA-O86 standards, APEX is now the new state-of-the-art post-to-beam connection for mass timber, available on demand.
This new product represents a commitment from MTC Solutions to the industry: to provide more locally manufactured products. This approach changes the game for Canadian mass timber projects by improving project costs, enhancing supply chain reliability, and reducing the environmental impact.
*Complete LSD-based design literature for your Canadian projects will be available soon.
The mass timber landscape is evolving. As architectural designs become more ambitious, the structural demands on connections are reaching unprecedented levels that conventional hardware can no longer fill. We engineered the answer.
Introducing the APEX, the North America’s strongest beam hanger, the first mass timber connector rated to support an unparalleled capacity of up to 38 kips (ASD)* / 290 kN (LSD) *
*Complete LSD- and ASD-based design literature for your Canadian and US projects will be available soon.
The APEX beam hanger provides 1/8” (3.2 mm) of axial tolerance, giving crews the flexibility needed for quick, drop-in installations. This is achieved without compromising the tight gaps essential for resistance rating nor the clean aesthetics of mass timber, while ensuring a secure and fully seated connection.
Achieve full load capacity and reduce on-site labor with a connection designed for the realities of the jobsite.
Mass timber glulam beams typically span from 13’ (4 meters) to 82’ (25 meters), and in the most extreme cases, can go up to 151′ (46 meters) long. With these lengths in mind, it’s easy to understand why it is critical that a beam hanger system allows for horizontal tolerance to accommodate minor misalignments between supporting members.
The APEX offers 1/8” (3.2 mm) of horizontal tolerance.
Following the same design principle as our horizontal tolerance, we have engineered a built-in rotational tolerance of 0.5° to accommodate potential minor misalignments between supporting members.
Faster construction starts with smarter installation.
Building with mass timber on North America’s West Coast demands more than just meeting standards—it requires a new level of resilience. Engineers facing complex connection design challenges require solutions that fit in tight spaces, provide high structural capacity, and achieve up to a 2-hour fire-resistance rating—all while sustaining loads under seismic ground movement that produce drift ratios up to 2.5%.
The APEX hangers, tested in a 2-hour FRR configuration, consistently withstood drift ratios greater than 6% without sudden failure in their load-carrying capacity. This performance makes them THE definitive mass timber hanger.
The APEX system is designed to simplify the installation of a wood cover block to provide fire-resistance ratings. Hangers are equipped with diagonal holes so that a protective block can be installed on the non-routed member in the shop or on site before the beam is lifted, eliminating the challenging and hazardous overhead work of installing it after the beam is in place.
This design feature further accelerates the mass timber installation process, saving time and improving site safety.
Born from a quest to improve beam hanger systems, the APEX was developed without compromise. From initial sketches to the final prototype, every component was refined and tested. The result is a connector that doesn’t just fill a gap—it sets a new benchmark for performance, pushes industry requirements, and simplifies site installation.
Reaching new heights in mass timber buildings creates a need for stronger connections to support larger loads. But strength isn’t the only factor. Structural engineers require optimized, cost-competitive solutions fully optimized for, and integrated with, the mass timber material.
When the APEX project was initiated, we knew that the next major requirement for exposed mass timber structural members and connections would be 2-hour fire-resistance rating. The question then became: could we minimize the wood cover depth required by CSA O86:24 and FDS 2024?
Our top nerds are almost done, and the Big Red Button for final testing will soon be pushed. It’s about to go from “classified” to “OMG” very soon! Stay tuned!
As a West Coast company, we sought to integrate extensive quasi-static interstory and component testing into the APEX development process. The goal was to manufacture and supply a connector capable of accommodating a drift ratio over 4% while fully loaded, thereby exceeding the drift limits specified in ASCE 7-22 and NBCC 2020.
The APEX beam hangers consistently withstood drift ratios greater than 6% without sudden failures in their shear-carrying capacity. The report suggests that they could likely handle even higher drift levels! Two connectors were subjected to an additional 20 cycles at 4% drift after the initial full cycles. They maintained their strength and showed no negative effects or signs of low-cycle fatigue.
Tight cuts? Long spans? Limited maneuverability? Dealing with manufacturer tolerances? In the end, it all comes down to installation—make it easy without compromising performance. How to achieve improved axial, horizontal, and rotational tolerances is easier said than done…
Faster construction starts with smarter installation. The APEX hangers provide:
We finally answered all the questions defining what the mass timber industry needs for the next generation of beam hangers. With that, the R&D team got to work compiling every detail, dimension, and section needed to manufacture our (and your!) new toy.
With the blueprints locked, the APEX is ready to hit your local factory floor. Yes, you read that right. Whether your project is in the USA or Canada, the APEX is manufactured in both countries—on-demand and closer to where you need it. This drastically reduces lead times and accelerates your access to top-notch mass timber hardware across North America.
Five years of dedicated work, built on 15 years of mass timber expertise, allowed us to develop a fully optimized connection that redefines the state of the art in pre-engineered solutions.
Ready to order, easy to specify.
To learn more, browse the FAQ below or contact our technical team, who can provide complete details.
Yes. All APEX models (S, M, L, and XL) are available right now for use in your designs. We can provide you with the technical information you need, and we can manufacture any order, starting immediately.
Yes. The APEX hangers were extensively tested in Canada and in the U.S. for capacity (both shear and axial), inter-story drift performance, and fire-resistance rating. If you’d like to learn more about what was achieved and why, connect with our technical support team.
In single configurations, the APEX XL can support loads up to 38 kips in ASD or 290 kN in LSD. Stay tuned for the next update of our Beam Hanger Design Guides for final capacities.
Absolutely! The APEX hangers are an MTC Solutions-owned product that can be manufactured in both the U.S. for your American projects and in Canada for your Canadian projects. This will optimize your project supply chain and will ease access to large-capacity mass timber beam hangers in North America. Contact us to discuss your ongoing mass timber projects.
Yes. All CAD drawings and 3D files for all APEX models will be uploaded to our website soon. If you are currently working on a mass timber project and require geometry files, connect with us.
Just 2! Two identical plates, fastened with a varying quantity of 3/8” x 7-7/8” [10 mm x 200 mm] VG CSK self-tapping screws based on the model. This makes for a quick and efficient system to install in series in your mass timber post-to-beam and beam-to-column assemblies. We also include four ¼” x 3-1/8” [6 mm x 80 mm] positioning screws to make placing the hanger easy.
We’d be glad to connect with you and your team to provide comprehensive details on the APEX beam hanger series. Connect with our technical team, and we’ll find a date and time that works.
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