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Weather-related damage helped Malarkey Roofing stay on top of its game during 2008, according to President Greg Malarkey. “Without that infusion of business, I have no doubt that our industry would truly have suffered greatly in 2008,” he said.

Last year was a solid year in terms of volume, but Bob Delaney, Chief Operating Officer for Firestone Building Products, predicted there would be numerous obstacles to overcome in 2009. “Last year proved to be quite a ride for many people in the roofing industry,” Delaney said. “Overall, it was a solid year in terms of volume, while price and cost movements were very dynamic.

Commercial roofing had a strong year in 2008, according to Rob Reale, Manager of Marketing Communications for Carlisle Construction Materials.

“2008 was an unprecedented year with material cost increases, led by asphalt and petroleum price increases,” said Jay Butch, Director of Contractor Programs for CertainTeed. “The big wild card in ’08 was Mother Nature, and in several states, storms generated a lot of roofing business.”

From supply and demand to storm activity, last year had some surprises for the entire roofing industry, according to Keith Lowe, Vice President of Sales for IKO.

Bill Good, Executive Vice President of the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), looks back on 2008 with mixed feelings. “I think we were pleasantly surprised we did as well as we did - especially in the nonresidential sector,” he said.

Chuck Chapman, Vice President of Central Roofing Co. of Arizona in Glendale, Ariz., and President of the Western States Roofing Contractors Association, noted that geography was a big factor in the performance of roofing contractors in 2008, as some states saw the housing market decline more than others while others saw a high level of storm activity.

“Duct tape yourself to the saddle - it’s going to be a rodeo ride,” said Chip Macdonald when asked about the economic outlook in 2009. Macdonald owns Best Safety, a Cambridge, N.Y.-based company that offers safety program implementation and management to companies of all sizes.

Mitch Reaves, President and CEO of N.B. Handy, is hopeful that business will pick up in the last half of 2009, but he doesn’t expect activity to be as high as it was in the first half of 2008, and he notes there are no guarantees it will improve from current levels. “A lot of investors and individuals are sitting on the sidelines waiting for the dust to settle,” he said.

In a tight economy, diversification can be a good idea, and Mike Schwarz, Manager of Pricing and Merchandise Analysis for ABC Supply, said distributors can help contractors expand their range of offerings as they keep them apprised of pricing issues.