The 2010 International Roofing Expo held Feb. 22-24 in New Orleans was a celebration of the best in the roofing industry with 380 exhibiting companies and 910 booths to accommodate the needs of attendees

The 2010 International Roofing Expo held Feb. 22-24 in New Orleans was a celebration of the best in the roofing industry with 380 exhibiting companies and 910 booths to accommodate the needs of attendees

Here’s a look at some of the highlights of IRE held at the Morial Convention Center.

• Judges of the Product Showcase‘s “Best New Product” at the 2010 IRE chose first, second and third place winners based on a selection of 22 products.   

Fresno, Calif.-based Saiz Tool Company was awarded “Best New Product” for its pneumatic powered, hand-held shingle cutting tool.

Second place was Smartman Tools, based in Rochester Hills, Mich., for its RacJack product, a roof jack system that makes starting steep roofs easy without ladder jacks or scaffolding.

Third place was awarded to Solderless, headquartered in Bloomfield, N.J., for the Solderless liquid solution that turns the color of soldered seams from a grey/silver color.

• A home renovation day was held during IRE as part of the continued recovery effort in New Orleans after the devastation left behind by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. An estimated 75 people took part in the event, which was a collaborative effort between the IRE and the New Orleans chapter of Rebuilding Together.

Volunteers included roofers, general contractors, project managers, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, painters, masons, plasterers/drywall, HVAC, and tile setters.

Among volunteers in attendance included the National Roofing Contractor’s Association’s top administration: President Rob McNamara, Senior Vice-President Allen Lancaster, and Executive Vice-President Bill Good.

A financial donation for the Community Service Day was provided by Sika Sarnafil, while product sponsors included Bradco Supply Co., CertainTeed and Mid-States Asphalt.

The scope of work provided by volunteers included repairing leaking flat roofs on two homes, attaching hurricane straps, removing old wiring and plumbing, lots of painting, repairing a brick planter box, reworking aluminum siding, lots of demolition, replacing rotten wood, and installing reflective barriers.

• The economy was a key focus of a Power Panel that kicked off day one of the 2010 IRE.

Power Panel Moderator Tom Swartz, President of J. J. Swartz Co., launched the key topic right out of the gate, asking panelists what their companies had done to cope with the recent downturn in the economy.

The Power Panel included Rob Kornahrens, Founder and CEO of Advanced Roofing; Jamie McAdam, President of F.J. Dahill, Co. Inc.; Alex Hernandez, Vice President of Clark Roofing; Lisa Sprick, President of Sprick Roofing; and Nelson Braddy, General Partner for King of Texas Roofing Company.

The panel explored cutting costs, running efficiently, diversification and green products and systems as areas to focus on, but the discussion centered first on how long the economy might take to turn around.

In addition to the Power Panel, the IRE included an educational conference featuring an array of 43 sessions addressing a myriad of up-to-date industry issues with eight tracks designed especially for contractors, owners, CEOs, and general managers.

• The 2011 International Roofing Expo will be held Feb. 16-18 in the North Halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Donna Bellantone, Director of the IRE, said organizers plan to include Las Vegas in the show rotation in the coming years.

“Las Vegas is an excellent location for the show and we plan to include Vegas in the show rotation going forward,” Bellantone said. “We will be surveying attendees and exhibitors after the 2010 show to determine how frequently we will hold the show in Las Vegas, as well as determine other potential show locations.”

For information on the International Roofing Expo, visit www.TheRoofingExpo.com.