NEW ORLEANS — The International Roofing Expo (IRE),concluded its 67th annual event held Feb. 1-3, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. With 10,002 registered professionals, the annual event connected notable and emergent brands with thousands of buyers, while providing ample networking opportunities and a full range of education led by renowned industry experts. 

The 2022 edition of International Roofing Expo took over 142,483 NSF of the award-winning Convention Center, hosting nearly 400 industry-leading suppliers in the expo hall; thus, offering attendees access to a wide variety of products and activations from the world’s largest suppliers and manufacturers to specialized SMBs with specific services. Manufacturers and suppliers showcased the latest products, services, and technology for the roofing and exterior industries, including notable companies such as ABC Supply Co. Inc., Beacon Building Products GAF/Siplast, SRS Distribution, Beacon Building Products, Owens Corning, and more.

“The International Roofing Expo was an amazing and productive experience for both attendees and exhibitors, serving as the industry’s leading platform driving company growth and enabling collaboration within the roofing industry,” said Lauren Lamb, vice president of strategy, marketing, and conference at International Roofing Expo, organized by Informa Markets. “Every year, brands exhibit at our event to make new deals and re-establish connection with existing partners – and this year was no different. The expo floor was electric with buyers perusing new brands and products, and conference rooms were packed as professionals sought out solutions to today’s challenges. We were thrilled to be able to return to a larger format, while still holding onto the intimate feel of last year’s event.” 

In addition to an expansive expo floor, registered participants had the opportunity to engage with world-class education made available at the event. The event’s educational programs served as inclusive and productive sessions that allowed for connections in specific groups, such as the National Women in Roofing conference, as well as the SRS Para Latino Lounge on the show floor that offered custom-tailored educational and networking opportunities for Latinos in the roofing industry. 

National Women in Roofing (NWiR) hosted its 5th annual NWiR Day conference on Jan. 30 in conjunction with the IRE. Multidisciplinary women professionals in the roofing industry get together at the event to learn about the latest business tactics and strategies and to share their business secrets. They announced their new DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) education program called REAL Roofing at the event. 

The Roofing Alliance hosted its eighth Construction Management Student Competition this year at IRE. The five finalist teams presented on Wednesday, Feb. 2 at the International Roofing Expo as the final stage of the competition. The Roofing Alliance is proud to announce Texas A&M University as the winning school and Allie Stark from Clemson University as the Best Individual Presenter. Winners were announced at the Cocktail Reception and Awards Ceremony held on Wednesday, Feb. 2, including Kyler Hardison (team captain), Blake Bocchino, Kyle Cahill, Canyon Martine and Alexia Palomares (team alternate). 

In support of the local community, each year, IRE partners with Rebuilding Together to make critical home repairs for those in need. On Jan. 31, 56 volunteers gathered for the 13th Annual Community Service Day Project to rebuild the homes of those whose were severely damaged in Hurricane Ida. As a result, there were considerable donations made, including a $10,000 donation from IRE, $15,000 from Sika Sarnafil, the primary sponsor, and a running total of $2,497 from IRE attendees and exhibitors. Other sponsors of the community service day included Carlisle Construction Materials, CentiMark, Damato Enterprises, GAF, ICP Building Solutions Group, and OMG Roofing Products, along with a special additional donation from GAF of 50 roofs to Rebuilding Together New Orleans.  

Roofing & Exteriors, the official digital media brand of International Roofing Expo, launched their first annual Power Players List at the IRE expo, sponsored by SRS Distribution — which distinguishes 50 leading industry companies based on a variety of factors including annual revenue, company size, areas of expertise, community engagement, and cultural factors and provide recognition and visibility throughout the year on R&E. The Power Players list will identify the strongest roofing firms according to some of the following key business divers: 

1. Annual revenue 
2. Residential revenue 
3. Commercial revenue 
4. Community engagement 
5. Social media use 
6. Innovation and growth 
7. Diversity efforts 
8. Technology adoption 
9. Culture creation 
10. Competitive advantages 

Power Player honorees will be recognized on R&E with shareable online slides featuring company logos, staff photos, along with key company identifiers and attributes throughout 2022.