Nanometrics is the customer every roofing contractor hopes for. Knowledgable about the various types of roof systems available, informed about lifecycle costing, committed to the long-term performance and care of its investment. Situated in Milpitas, Calif., Nanometrics manufactures and markets advanced dimension, overlay and defect inspection metrology systems. What this means in layman's terms, according to John Berryman, vice president of operations, is that essentially, Nanometrics provides measuring equipment to the microchip industry, used for measurements critical to controlling its clients' manufacturing processes.
When interviewed for this article, Berryman was candid about the real cost over the long run of an inexpensive, low-end roof system. "Lesser roof systems with a 10-year warranty are typically OK the first five years or so, but then you start having problems. The roofing company will come out and patch it, but they certainly won't replace it. And of course when you have leaks you have damage. We can't afford to have any leaks in the clean room area where we have million-dollar machinery. These are very sensitive instruments," says Berryman. "We weighed the various systems proposed for their insulating and seal protection value, and energy savings was definitely a consideration. With the energy crisis in California, we were even looking at solar systems at the time. But the payback was too slow and we didn't have enough roof space to generate all the power we need. We would still have to supplement."