Photos by Bilaal Khan and RC staff

The 2025 International Roofing Expo kicked off with a bang, with thousands of attendees from around the world descending on Texas to learn more about the roofing industry, check out the latest products, and have some fun along the way.

Merely two years after Texas hosted the IRE in Dallas, roofing's biggest event returned, this time at the Henry B. González Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. Unlike the Dallas show, or most others for that matter, the 2025 event shifted from the beginning of the week to the end, taking place Feb. 19-21 to carry attendees into the weekend.

Also new to the show are enhanced efforts to accommodate the increasingly important Latino and Spanish-speaking community within roofing, with translation services powered by Wordly AI, bilingual signage, and sessions in Spanish.

This year's show is one of the biggest yet. It hosts more than 600 exhibiting companies, and the expanded floor plan offers even more networking, education and product innovation, including additional space for exhibitors to share products, materials and services on tabletop displays. 

"This year's IRE is our biggest ever, with over 600 exhibitors spanning seven miles ... and over 10 football fields' worth of exhibits," said Rich Russo, IRE show director, during the opening ceremony.

Educational programming is being presented on the expansive show floor alongside 47 sessions, including four building clinics, exhibitor-presented seminars and product demos, small group sessions designed to help attendees expand their technical skills and provide real-world business solutions.

New for 2025 is the Pro Contractor Pavilion, powered by SRS Distribution, a networking and presentation space hosting in-depth discussions with takeaways on how to expand beyond roofing into other verticals like siding, windows, doors and solar.

This year's show is the 138th annual National Roofing Contractor Association convention. Harkening to former days, the show invited former NRCA CEO Reid Ribble to once again be the keynote speaker, where the former congressman talked about his view of the American Dream and how it applies to the roofing industry.

The fun started well before the first official day of the event. National Women in Roofing held its annual NWIR Days off-site Feb. 17-18, while volunteers rolled up their sleeves to better the lives of San Antonio residents during the 16th annual Community Service Day.

As the official publication of the IRE, RC has been there to cover the event, including capturing all of the excitement on the show floor and beyond. Check out our photo gallery for shots from Day 1 of the show. 

Check roofingcontractor.com for more show information and breaking news announced during the IRE.