WASHINGTON, D.C. — Shipments of asphalt shingles and modified bitumen in the U.S. rose in the second quarter compared with the same year-ago period.

The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA) said 41,541,196 asphalt shingles were shipped in the U.S. during the second quarter compared with 39,529,574 for the same year-ago period, representing a 5.1 percent increase.

For the first half of the year, ARMA reports 81,492,799 asphalt shingles shipped, up slightly from 81,195,399 from the comparable period last year.

Concurrently, modified bitumen shipments increased from 9,333,652 in the second quarter of 2017 to 10,217,918 this year – a 9.5 percent increase.

Through the first two quarters of the year, modified bitumen shipments where at 18,577,490 compared with 16,963,047 for the first half of 2017. That means modified bitumen shipments are up about 9.5 percent.

However, built-up roofing shipments are down for the year.

For the second quarter, built-up roofing shipments dropped to 2,201,358 from 2,715,957 year-over-year — and representing a drop of about 19 percent. Year-to-date shipments of 4,238,017 are down about 11 percent.

Statistics were culled from participating manufacturers by an independent third party and aggregated to create the quarterly report.

ARMA's second quarter report is consistent with one issued about a year ago by The Freedonia Group, a Cleveland-based industry research firm. That report projects anticipated annual growth of 5.6 through 2021.

In releasing the data, ARMA officials said they plan to issue a quarterly report going forward.

“We’re aware that asphalt roofing data is relevant to several industries; that is why ARMA has decided to make this information accessible to the public,” said ARMA’s Executive Vice President Reed Hitchcock. “We see this report and future reports as a way of providing meaningful industry shipment information.”

ARMA is a trade association representing North America’s asphalt roofing manufacturing companies and their raw material suppliers. The association includes the majority of North American manufacturers of asphalt shingles and asphalt low slope roof membrane systems. Information that ARMA gathers on modern asphalt roofing materials and practices is provided to building and code officials, as well as to regulatory agencies and allied trade groups, according to the organization.