The roofing industry converged on Las Vegas last week for the 2026 International Roofing Expo (IRE), and roofing suppliers didn’t disappoint.

A record number of more than 700 exhibitors filled approximately 230,000 square feet of space at the Las Vegas Convention Center during the three days, showcasing a number of new products, tools, and innovations ready to make an impact in the marketplace. That included 180 companies exhibiting at IRE for the first time in the First Look Area, where several introduced groundbreaking products and solutions to meet the growing demand for roofing materials.

But it was the usual show heavyweights that drew the attention of a surging crowd throughout the show. ABC Supply Co., Inc. had two locations on the show floor and had a crowd of autograph seekers for former U.S. Men’s Soccer star Landon Donovan. Barely a year into its acquisition of Beacon, QXO focused on its contractor services and TRIBUILT brand of roofing products at its booth. And SRS Distribution had a steady stream of visitors on the show floor, and packed the Para Latino Lounge with programs scheduled throughout the event.

On the manufacturing side, GAF expanded Timberline HDZ shingles with eight new colors, including the high-definition look and the new Bold Definition line, which remixes top-selling colors with a more vibrant appearance. Product Manager Ashley Alfonso said the shingles feature the same large strike zone that roofers are accustomed to, and the strong bond between layers, resulting in an industry-leading wind speed warranty. Additionally, the shingles feature copper-infused capsules that prevent algae growth, offering a 25-year algae-resistance warranty.

The company also marked the first year of its partnership with FORTIFIED with exciting news about installing roughly a third of the new 22,000 certified resilient roofs across the country.

GAF and IBHS joined forces to expand access to FORTIFIED roof certification by training and certifying roofing contractors in any market. The alliance is helping the industry respond faster to rising homeowner demand for FORTIFIED homes—driven by factors like grant programs and insurance endorsements—and its impact is reflected in a doubling of FORTIFIED homes and increasing interest from both contractors and homeowners.

To keep momentum, the partners are working to broaden contractor availability and roll out new certifications so contractors can stay ahead of emerging requirements. To date, 100,000+ roofs have been FORTIFIED, with another 25,000 projected this year. Roughly 500 GAF Master Elite roofing contractors are involved in the training.

“GAF has helped us make real strides in answering the homeowner’s question: ‘I want to fortify—how do I find a contractor to do that?’ Now we can respond quickly, at scale, when demand shows up,” said Mike Thomas, external learning and development lead, GAF.

Carlisle SynTec Systems generated a lot of buzz on the show floor by unveiling its ThermaThin 7, giving roofing contractors a first look at a thinner, higher-performing insulation designed to cut truckloads and speed installation time.

The latest innovation is part of the company’s Vision 2030 Strategy, where the focus is on researching and developing products that deliver efficiency and enhanced long-term value for a number of demanding commercial roofing applications.

“We’ve invested significantly in research and development to continuously innovate and turn out new products that change the market,” said Aparna Jaggi, transformational innovation manager with Carlisle.

The ThermaThin 7 should be available to contractors before peak summer roofing season.

Others making news on the show floor included:

• IKO celebrated 75 years in business by returning to the IRE with innovations spanning residential, commercial, metals, and manufacturing. It also announced major plant expansions, the new Beyond sustainability program, ROOFPRO growth, and conducted live demos across the three days.
• Atlas Roofing debuted a new job-specific fastening pattern service.

“You provide us all the information on your roof project with the wind uplift, snow load, and what the requirements are, and our technical team will tell you exactly how many fasteners you need,” said Lauren Carlson, senior marketing manager. “Lots of big contractors are not having full-time engineers anymore to do calculations for them, so we can provide that service.” 

• Todd Farr, national sales manager for Everroof, discussed the company’s fluid-applied restoration systems, including silicone, acrylic, and urethane options. Contractors are increasingly interested in these economical solutions for extending appliance roof life and improving energy efficiency, he said. Everroof is also developing service repair products for emergency situations and a high-build acrylic product for the Southwest market.

• Inventors of The Catch-All, the patented landscape protection tool used to catch falling debris, nails, and shingles during roof replacements, debuted The Roof Bucket.  It features a shoulder strap for hands-free climbing and an adjustable design that adapts to any roof pitch. With a 30-pound capacity, it’s perfect for solo repair work of any size.
    
• Sam Stark, VP of sales at IPS Roofing, introduced Perma-Boot, a gasketless roof vent pipe repair designed to permanently fix failing roof boots without removing shingles—positioning it as a fast, reliable, and cost-effective option for contractors. Water-Tite (a division of IPS Corp.) acquired Perma-Boot from Manning Building Products LLC in August 2025, bringing the product to national distribution. 
  
  
• ServiceTitan reported that contractors are increasingly seeking single-platform software solutions to streamline their operations and improve efficiency.  Contractors are adapting their sales strategies, emphasizing speed and offering homeowners financing options to navigate the current economic landscape.
  “If you’re not creating efficiencies in the way you go to market and the way you run your business, you’re probably going to be left behind at some point,” said Vishal Laddha, director of strategy for exteriors at ServiceTitan. “People have realized that speed is king here—how fast can I answer that call and get that appointment scheduled?”
  
  
• Owens Corning framed technology as a core part of its contractor support strategy. At IRE, the company highlighted its tech stack built with world-class partners to help contractors run their businesses end-to-end. Two key innovations: VR-enabled OC Craft training to scale hands-on installation education beyond in-person limits, and Roof Scout—an AI-powered, 3D animated virtual sales agent that guides homeowners through system education, product selection, transparency on pricing/financing, and even contract completion at any time. The goal: modernize sales, training, and performance tracking through data-driven tools.