With this month’s Roofing Contractor focus on distribution and the supply chain, I thought it would be important to talk about how your local distributor can be an important partner in building a successful and sustainable roofing business. Distributors offer important business resources to help you get more involved in sustainable roofing, especially when it comes to transporting materials and providing local inventory for new products.
Recycling can be an important part of any sustainable business initiative, and in the past few years, more and more contractors are recycling an increasing number of roofing materials, including shingles, single-ply membranes and board insulations. However, recycling requires more than just collecting materials at the jobsite. After existing materials are collected and stored, they still need to be picked up, frequently stored at a central collection site, and eventually transported to a recycler. Because local distributors have extensive transport and logistics capabilities, they have the capability to fill in critical gaps in developing a consistent and reliable recycling program. And most local distributors have connections to a national network of distribution that in turn may help coordinate recycling efforts.