Exterior Solutions Group, or ESG, is a commercial roofing contractor headquartered in Edmond, Okla., serving K-12 school districts, colleges and commercial property owners.
Private equity has brought capital, technology and new opportunities to roofing, but Ken Kelly’s decision to buy back the company he founded underscores something harder to acquire: a founder’s understanding of the people, culture and relationships that make a business work.
Kelly Roofing founder Ken Kelly discusses returning to the roofing industry after rescuing his company from a failed private equity sale, sharing advice on profitability, budgeting and preparing a roofing business for sale.
The nine-brand roofing platform is using technology to standardize data, improve visibility and share best practices without stripping local contractors of their autonomy.
Canopy Services CEO Tim Russell is betting that roofing businesses can share technology, data and successful ideas while retaining the local culture and operating practices that made them successful in the first place.
The agreement reflects the growing emphasis among multi-brand roofing platforms on standardized technology and operating systems as they acquire and integrate contractors.