Little did Robert Andrews know that earning a history
degree as an undergraduate and then going back to college to study urban
regional planning would be a catalyst to becoming a successful roofing
contractor.
BAMCO, Inc., a manufacturer of metal wall panel systems headquartered in Middlesex, N. J., has seen its business grow by 91.7 percent in the past four years, earning the company a spot on the Inc. 5,000 as one of the fastest-growing privately owned companies in the nation.
The solar market is a bright spot in a shaky economy. It’s expected to grow, and as it does, longtime roofing contractor DRI Companies is poised to meet the needs of builders and building owners with a powerful combination of proven roofing experience and innovative solar products, designed for both the commercial and residential sectors.
Residential reroofing remains a viable profession despite the turbulent economy and the sudden dip in demand for new home construction in many parts of the country.
Our industry has been blessed with multiple years of prosperity. The stars have been aligned. The number of properties has been growing, which supports continued reroofing, repair and maintenance growth.
After 30 years in the roll-forming industry with 27 of those years in the development and maintenance of gutter and roofing machines, I can tell you the maintenance of these machines is just like taking care of any piece of fine equipment - if you service and maintain it properly, you’re inclined to get many good years of performance from it.
There is one thing manufacturers and industry leaders agree
on as 2009 gets under way - it won’t be “business as usual” for the roofing
industry this year. The economic environment is unprecedented and the
uncertainty created will likely force the residential and commercial roofing
sectors to become more efficient and innovative.
The fourth quarter of 2008 was a tumultuous
time. A presidential election was taking place. Commodity prices were volatile.
As the economy was in turmoil and bailouts and loans seemed the only ways to
salvage the financial and automotive sectors of the economy, Roofing Contractor
turned to contractors to take the pulse of the roofing industry in an exclusive
survey sponsored by GAF Materials Corporation.
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.
Perhaps no segment of an industry has its finger
on the pulse of the market quite like its distributors. With strong connections
to both their manufacturing partners and the contractors they serve,
distributors have a firsthand look at both the local and national level.
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.
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.
A slowing economy impacted the commercial roofing industry
in 2008, but Chris Salazar, Vice President Sales & Marketing for Karnak
Corp., expects coatings and maintenance products to show an increase in sales
in 2009.
Allen Bradley is the CEO and President of Amerisafe Inc., a
provider of high hazard workers compensation insurance. With approximately 40
percent of its business in the construction industry, including more than 8 percentage
points of premium from roofing contractors, the economic downturn is taking its
toll on Amerisafe’s clients.
“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.”
Brad Segal, President of Bradco Supply, saw some bright
spots in 2008, but noted the weak economy is likely to impact revenues in 2009.
“While many sectors and markets within the industry were down significantly in
2008, the roofing industry overall fared better than most people expected,”
said Segal.
Looking back over the last decade, 2008 was an overall
average demand year, according to Sheree Bargabos, President of the Asphalt
Roofing Manufacturers Association and President of Roofing and Asphalt for
Owens Corning.
“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.
“I think 2008 was a better year than was planned for by many,”
said Rob Therrien, President of the National Roofing Contractors Association.
“New construction on the residential side stayed down but both low slope and
steep slope reroofing was steady from what I experienced and heard quite often.
Many regions of the country reported that they had a good year - nowhere near
as abysmal as our media portrayed.
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.
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.
Looking back at 2008, Kate Baumann, Marketing Director for
Mule-Hide Products Co. Inc., said her company had “a very good year.” While
Baumann said experts predict that, when the final numbers are in for 2008, new
non-residential construction starts will be up just 5 percent in dollars - and
down 10 percent in square footage - she believes commercial new construction
and retrofit combined should be up.
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.
Illinois Roofing, a division of the Tecta America Corporation, the country’s largest roofing contractor with more than 53 locations and 3,200 qualified roofing professionals nationwide, was tasked with reroofing the 63,450-square-foot reservation center building for one of the largest international airline carriers based in the United States.
When you consider all the good things that can
come from a down cycle in the economy, it is hard to be depressed about it. I
am not referring to silver linings, but golden
opportunities.
There is an old saying, “You can’t draw blood from a
stone.” The significance of the adage is that you must accept the limitations
of the world around you. Right now your business is suffering like every other
business in the world, and, like every businessperson, you are probably trying
to figure out ways in which you can outsmart your competition in the short
term.
As human beings, we generally know what is good
or bad for us, but temptation may win out. I know that piece of holiday pie or
that extra helping of bread is not good for me, but what the heck. As the
market slows and job opportunities shrink, contractors tend to chase risky jobs
like a junkyard dog going after a bone.
Being the boss is a pretty good feeling for most
people. Those of you who own your business or have management authority draw a
certain comfort from calling the shots and being able to tell subordinates what
to do.
Ben Franklin conducted the first reflectivity
test in the 1760s. He took different colored swatches of fabric - from dark
colored to light colored - and placed them in the Philadelphia snow. As the sun
beat down, Franklin
noted that the snow melted around the dark colored fabric prior to the snow
melting around lighter colors.
Cor-A-Vent Inc. has introduced a “green” ridge
vent - NEW Revolution Rolled Ridge Vent. Revolution is an 11-inch wide by
20-foot long roll vent made from 100 percent pre-consumer recycled plastic.
Trimline’s VariaVent Ridge Vent is a variable
ridge vent solution for tile and metal roof applications. VariaVent combines
ventilation and weather blocking into one product.
Benjamin Obdyke offers three ridge vent
products: Roll Vent, Rapid Ridge, and Xtractor Vent. Roll Vent installs
easily, rolling quickly onto the roof over a cut slot.
For houses with insufficient soffit ventilation,
the Green Machine Solar Powered Intake Booster Vent from GAF-Elk requires no
extra wiring or expensive electricians.
Working at optimum performance within varied
roof pitches from 2:12 to 20:12, Ventco Inc.’s ProfileVent is custom cut to fit
the individual panel profile.
Hunter Panels’ Cool-Vent is a venting composite
insulation board consisting of a panel of NexGen Chemistry polyiso, 1-inch
airspace, wood spacers and a top layer of APA/TECO-rated OSB or plywood.
XCEPTIONAL Metals, a division of Duro-Last Roofing, Inc., announced
the availability of a new reference manual at its recent National Sales Seminar
in Daytona Beach, Fla.
The
new piece showcases the products, edge details, and accessories available from
EXCEPTIONAL Metals along with CAD drawings of these products, technical data,
and a metal color chart.
Sika Sarnafil has announced the winners of its 2008 Projects of the Year Competition. Twelve contractors were recognized for outstanding workmanship in completing a recent project utilizing a Sika Sarnafil thermoplastic membrane for roofing or waterproofing applications.
Greeted in the
morning by a panel of industry superstars at the keynote address and
complemented in the afternoon by nearly 400 companies showing off the newest
trends, the International Roofing Expo opened Tuesday at the Mandalay Bay
Convention Center with a
pledge for better times ahead.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has
awarded CertainTeed Corporation the 2008 Save Energy Now Award, applauding the
company’s efforts to reduce energy use at its manufacturing facility in
Shreveport, La.
The U.S. Department of
Energy (DOE) has awarded CertainTeed Corporation the 2008 Save Energy Now
Award, applauding the company’s efforts to reduce energy use at its
manufacturing facility in Shreveport, La.
Allied Building Products Corp.
announced Bob Feury Jr. as its new chief executive officer, succeeding Michael
Lynch. Feury Jr., who since 2000 has served as Allied Building Products’ chief
operating officer, took over for Lynch effective Jan. 1,
2009.
Responding to
the desire for more hip and ridge accessory color blend options in the North
and South Central regions of the United States, CertainTeed recently expanded
the availability of its popular Mountain Ridge High-Profile Hip and Ridge
Accessory.
Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd., and Eagle Roofing Products, announced that they have entered into an exclusive distribution agreement for North America.
The Tile Roofing Institute (TRI) Spring Forum - the only industry conference dedicated solely to the tile roofing profession - will return to the Hyatt Regency in Newport Beach, Calif., April 22-23.
Sika Sarnafil, a leading
manufacturer of vinyl roofing and waterproofing systems, recognized three
roofing consultant firms for outstanding design and specification work.
A panel of eight independent roofing consultants evaluated
16 project entries submitted by consultants for consideration. The projects
were evaluated on project design and complexity, design uniqueness, roof
performance, and creative problem solving.
EXCEPTIONAL Metals, a division of Duro-Last Roofing, Inc., announced
the availability of a new reference manual at its recent National Sales Seminar
in Daytona Beach, Fla.
A tough economy and shrinking sales did not keep attendees away from the 2009 International Roofing Expo, which took place Feb. 3-5 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.
The company has eight training centers
across North America and provides hundreds of
complimentary classes to engineers, architects, builders and code officials
each year. Simpson Strong-Tie trained more than 12,000 customers on site last
year.
Donald Ray Presson, 77, the founder and president of Spray
King Manufacturing, Inc. of Fresno, Calif., died Thursday, Jan. 29, 2009, after
a long illness. He was born March 17, 1931.
Garland Industries Inc. has launched a new subsidiary,
Garland Energy Systems Inc., which is dedicated to making large-scale
alternative energy solutions for commercial, industrial, and institutional customers
as easy to purchase, install, and maintain as utility electricity.
DECRA Roofing Systems Inc. was a participant in the first international
sustainable energy demonstration community in Beijing, China.
The Future House community consisted of 10 homes, sponsored by countries from
around the world, each designed and built with the common goal of bringing
together the best building practices and materials demonstrating environmental
responsibility.
Englert Inc. has unveiled a new machine service program supported by a fleet of
trucks that will visit customers to help with the installation of new equipment
as well as service machines already in the field. Englert’s big red, white and
black tractor-trailers are a familiar sight making deliveries to roofing and
gutter contractors around the country.
Metl-Span has updated and expanded its Web site. The site presents comprehensive information on the company’s insulated wall and roof panels and window systems.
Tremco Incorporated has been awarded a $1 million
Third Frontier Advanced Energy Program (TFAEP) grant from the state of Ohio in the Advanced
Materials category.
Judges of the New Product Pavilion’s “Best New Product” at the 2009 International Roofing Expo chose first, second and third place winners based on a selection of 21 products.
Mapei Group and Polyglass Group have joined forces in a partnership designed to strengthen both companies. The deal was announced abroad at Italy’s Saie 2008 construction show and at the Las Vegas International Roofing Expo in February.
The 19th annual METALCON International Conference and Exhibition - the only
resource offering all the products and ideas for designing and building with
metal - will be held Oct. 6-8 at the Tampa Bay Convention Center in Tampa, Fla.
The
Center for the Polyurethanes Industry (CPI), of the American Chemistry Council,
issues a call for papers and posters to be presented at the Polyurethanes 2009
Technical Conference, which will be held Oct. 5-7, 2009, at the Gaylord
National in Fort Washington,
Md.
