search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube instagram Spotify Podcasts Apple Podcasts Spotify Podcasts Apple Podcasts
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
  • TOPICS
    • Cool Roofing
    • Event News
    • Latinos in Roofing
    • Low Slope
    • Legal
    • Metal
    • Project Profiles
    • Roofing Supply Pro
    • Roofing Safety
    • Steep Slope
    • Sustainable Roofing
    • Technology
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Best of Success
    • Contractor Profile
    • IRE Show
    • Roofing Contractor of the Year
      • Enter Roofing Contractor of the Year
    • Top 100
      • Enter the Top 100
    • Young Guns
    • State of the Industry
    • Century Club
  • MULTIMEDIA
    • Videos
    • Podcasts
    • Interactive Spotlights
    • Roofing Quizzes
    • IRE Videos
    • Webinars
    • Photo Galleries
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Products
    • Featured Products
  • COLUMNS
    • Editor's Note
    • Exit Planning
    • Legally Speaking
    • Safety Advice
    • Technical Details
    • Guest Column
  • EVENTS
    • International Roofing Expo
    • Webinars
    • Best of Success Conference
    • Industry Events
  • DIRECTORY
    • Associations
    • Distributors
    • Manufacturer/Supplier
    • Business Services
    • Get Listed
  • MORE
    • Roofing Contractor eNews
    • RC Store
    • Roofing Supply Pro
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • Market Research
    • Sponsor Insights
    • Company Spotlights
    • Classifieds
      • Auctions
      • Business For Sale
      • Business Opportunities
      • Equipment For Sale
      • Positions Available
      • Products
      • Safety
      • Software
      • Services
      • Training
    • Contact Us
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Advertise
      • Media Kit
      • Editorial Calendar
      • Contact
    • Archive Issues
  • SIGN UP!
Metal RoofingRoofing News

S-5! Celebrates 30th Anniversary Serving Roofing Contractors

Metal Roofing Pioneers Share Origin Story That Spurred Three Decades of Innovation, Success

S-5!®ManufacturingPlant
July 15, 2022

The beginnings of S-5! is a tale steeped in history. It all began in 1991. Rob Haddock had been a long-time contractor and consultant in the metal roofing and metal construction industry — having learned ground-up, straight from the trenches, all about erecting metal buildings and metal roofing. Throughout his contracting career, he was always innovating and discovering different and better ways to do things. He realized the attachment of anything to standing seam roofing without violating the integrity of the roof seemed impossible. 

“People needed to put things on their roofs, but there just wasn’t a good way to do it,” said Haddock, S-5! CEO and founder. “I began tinkering with ideas to solve this age-old problem. I got the idea to pinch and grip the seam in a clamping kind of way; using a block with a slot that would straddle the seam, like a saddle on a horse — I know something about that stuff.

“I whittled my first prototype from a small block of wood. Then I had a local shop make one from aluminum and tested it for holding strength. That baby hung on like country music.”

S-5!® Prototype Wooden ClampsS-5! Prototype Wooden Clamps

 

Rejection Spurs Determination

After taking his prototype to four major metal construction companies most suited to take his invention to market successfully, every one of them turned him down, saying things like "There is no market for this kind of thing.” Haddock also took it to machine shops and was told production was impossible at an affordable price.

“I never thought about giving up,” said Haddock. “I just had to do it myself. I learned more about metals than I ever wanted to know; I learned more about manufacturing than I ever wanted to know; I learned more about marketing than I ever wanted to know.”

He then took it to the big building and roofing OEMs in the industry, only to receive more rejection, hearing a common response of “We don’t want anything mounted on our roofs."

“Having worked in the industry for many years, I made some good friends — Kenny Buchinger, MBCI; Dick Bus, ATAS International; Mike Peterson, Peterson Aluminum; John Griffith, Mizel Brothers Insulation; and Angelo Borzillo (co-inventor of Galvalume®),” said Haddock. “They were good friends to have because they all had their feet in the trenches and had been on a lot of roofs. They all encouraged me.

“I remember John Griffith sitting by my fireplace. He said, 'You know what Haddock, I think you’ve got a game-changer here.' Kenny had the same reaction, and matter of fact he said, 'I need some of these for a job right now!'"

HarryCarner and Rob HaddockFROM LEFT: Harry Carner and Rob Haddock.

 

Innovation Meets Manufacturing

In 1993, Haddock met Harry Carner, who had a decades-long tenure in the aluminum extrusion industry and manufacturer of all things aluminum. He was sold on the concept of adding value to extruded goods and a master of process manufacturing and fabrication.

He had been in management, frontline supervision in manufacturing, plant engineering, plant maintenance, and performing tool and die type work. Additionally, he had worked in aluminum smelters and in the production of raw aluminum — as well as everything else that has to do with aluminum production, be it anodizing, powder-coating, fixturing or machining-work. He always ended up in a position working for companies unable or unwilling to give him the equipment he needed to streamline manufacturing in a meaningful way.

The Twain Shall Meet

To manufacture his invention, Haddock took it to a company where Carner was the plant manager. For the next 18 years, Haddock kept innovating new things and teaching Carner more about how and why they are used within the metal roofing industry. Carner figured out how to manufacture them, and in turn, taught Haddock all about aluminum extruding and manufacturing processes.

Over time, the two innovators developed a relationship of mutual respect. They both had plenty of experience with their feet in the trenches — Haddock in construction and Carner in manufacturing. They were both pragmatic renegades — rule-breakers who challenged convention and status quo — outside-the-box thinkers always looking for better ways to do things.

Innovation and Entrepreneurial Spirit Applied to Mass-Manufacturing for Economy

In 2011, the two innovators joined forces, bringing production of all S-5! products under one roof — to serve the metal roofing industry and to further spread their unparalleled expertise in developing clamps and brackets unequaled in holding strength, enhanced by innovative manufacturing techniques and unmatched in certified quality, performance, cost efficiency and real value.


Fast Forward 30 years

“Thirty years ago, it was taboo to attach anything to a metal roof,” said Haddock.  “Standing seam metal roofing had been around for 1,200 years, and no one had ever come up with a good way to attach things like snow guards without compromising the roof’s integrity. S-5! precipitated a total paradigm shift.“

Fast forward to 2022. Standing seam has become one of the most user-friendly roof types because it's much easier to attach things without penetrating the roof, said Haddock.

Haddock's “small idea” of using a block with a slot that would “straddle the seam — like a saddle on a horse” has snowballed into a wide array of clamps and other innovations, ultimately becoming the S-5! family of products.

With all three of his adult children now in the family business, along with a team of professionals, a testing lab and its own ISO-certified manufacturing facility, S-5! continues to innovate new and better solutions in a constant product improvement and invention/reinvention mode within the product category it originally created.

Iowa Park, Texas (northwest of Wichita Falls) is the home of the S-5! manufacturing plant. Under the supervision of Carner, vice president of manufacturing, the 74,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility is where millions of clamps and brackets start as simple extrusions and eventually get cut, deburred, machined, punched, packed and sent on their way to metal roofs in 70 countries worldwide from A to Z (Australia to Zimbabwe).

S-5! metal roof attachments can be found on more than 2 million roofs, including 5.4 gigawatts of solar arrays on some of the world’s notable buildings such as Costco, FedEx and the corporate headquarters for Apple, Google, IBM, NATO and NREL, not to mention 15,000 affordable residential solar installations.

KEYWORDS: anniversary clamp manufacturing metal roofing S-5! Texas

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Roofing Contractor Group Publisher Jill Bloom

    Physics, the Power of Authenticity and You

    In February's Publisher's Note, Jill Bloom describes a...
    Editor's Note
    By: Jill Bloom
  • The Family Food Fare supermarket in Midland, Mich.

    ‘Rooftop Ninja’ Discovered Living on Roof, Inside Grocery Sign

    A bizarre tale out of Midland, Mich.: a woman dubbed the...
    Roofing News
    By: Bryan Gottlieb
  • A before and after heat measurement comparison

    How Hot is Too Hot in the Attic?

    If the ventilation is working, how hot should the attic...
    Sustainable Roofing
    By: Paul Scelsi
You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Subscribe For Free!
  • eMagazine Subscription
  • Sign Up for the eNewsletter
  • Online Registration
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Roofing Contractor audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Roofing Contractor or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • Snow Guard Solutions for Metal Roofs by S-5!
    Sponsored byS-5!

    Safeguard Your Building: How Snow Guards Prevent Costly Roof & Property Damage

  • A hand holding a wooden block that reads 'EVOLVE'
    Sponsored byWatercress Financial

    Embracing Change: A New Era for the Roofing Industry

Popular Stories

QXO closed its acquisition of Beacon Building Supply on April 29, 2025.

QXO Closes Beacon Acquisition, Rebrands Immediately; Jacobs to Ring NYSE Bell

Dear Anna Podcast Lead Generation Optimization featuring Anna Anderson

Dear Anna: How Can I Optimize Lead Generation?

hourglass-with-blue-sand-black-background

QXO Extends Offer to Acquire Beacon Once More Before Closing Deal

Roofing Contractor Webinar

Events

May 22, 2025

Remote Teams 101: The New Way to Hire

Our industry experts will guide you through what remote hiring and outsourcing should look like, how it can help you grow, and why it’s easier (and less scary) than you might think. If you want to save time, find great talent, and grow your business, this is one session you don’t want to miss!

December 3, 2025

The Premier Roofing Conference: Best of Success

Join roofing professionals from across the nation at the 2025 Best of Success conference, the ultimate destination for roofing professionals seeking the latest industry insights and networking opportunities. Pick up strategies for critical challenges like workforce shortage with innovative solutions, explore the latest advancements in roofing technology and sustainable practices, and gain valuable insights from industry leaders on navigating the evolving roofing landscape.

View All Submit An Event

Related Articles

  • Polyglass-30th

    Polyglass Celebrates 30th Anniversary in the U.S. Roofing Industry

    See More
  • sheet-metal-supply-30th

    Sheet Metal Supply Celebrates 30th Anniversary

    See More
  • Quality Roofing_Heidi.png

    Quality Roofing Inc.’s Heidi Krohne Celebrates 10th Anniversary with Firm

    See More

Events

View AllSubmit An Event
  • May 22, 2025

    Remote Teams 101: The New Way to Hire

    Our industry experts will guide you through what remote hiring and outsourcing should look like, how it can help you grow, and why it’s easier (and less scary) than you might think. If you want to save time, find great talent, and grow your business, this is one session you don’t want to miss!
  • April 17, 2025

    Homeowners Survey: A Roofing Customer’s Journey

    On-Demand Roofing contractors can use this information to better understand what factors influence a homeowner's contractor selection process. At the same time, they'll explore ideas to improve customer communication and operational efficiency that grow profits.
View AllSubmit An Event

Related Directories

  • SRS Distribution Inc.

    SRS Distribution Inc. consists of a family of industry-leading, independent roofing distributors with a common goal and purpose: to focus all of our efforts on serving the professional roofing contractor. SRS also aims to become the most attractive partner to our many valued customers and suppliers by forming collaborative relationships built on trust and friendships that date back many decades. SRS has a very narrow product focus, which allows you enjoy a broader and deeper inventory of roofing products at each location. We have the capabilities and equipment to deliver any product you need, where you want it, when you need it.
×

Be in the forefront of the roofing industry!

Join thousands of professionals today. Shouldn’t you know what they know?

JOIN NOW!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • X
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing