We asked leaders in the roofing and insulation industries – manufacturers, contractors and suppliers – what contractors could expect in 2001.
Talking heads and political pundits spent months predicting the outcome of Election Day 2000, and we all know how accurate they were. Nonetheless, we felt compelled to ask leaders in the roofing and insulation industries – manufacturers, contractors and suppliers – what contractors could expect in Y2K+1. And we feel comfortable predicting that these successful businessmen will have something useful to say to help you plan for the year ahead.
Bill Collins, president and chief executive officer of BMCA (Building Materials Corp. of America, which operates under the name of GAF Materials Corp, Wayne, N.J.), expects the U.S. economy to grow at a rate of 3 percent in 2001, with new home starts off “only slightly” from 2000 levels. He joins with others in the homebuilding industry in tracking employment levels as opposed to interest rates as a better indicator of future growth in this sector. Specifically for the industry, in addition to asphalt and petroleum-based polymer costs, Collins believes that steep-slope roofing demand should grow at a nominal rate, while the shift to laminates will continue, driving them to nearly 50 percent of all shingle sales by year end. In addition to this, the upper end of the laminate shingle product line is expected to grow at the strongest pace.