Tag: <span>Roofing</span>

Tag: Roofing

Roofing Technology Think Tank Announces New Board Member

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The board supports the RT3 mission and leads the organization in its efforts to educate and advance technology in the roofing industry. 

York, Pennsylvania, June 25, 2024 –- Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3), a group of progressive roofing professionals focused on technology solutions for the roofing industry, announced Richard Carroll, Carroll Consulting Group, Minneapolis, Minnesota as its newest board member.

“We are looking forward to Rich joining the board,” said Karen Edwards, RT3 director. “He has been an active member of RT3 and brings a strong background in the roofing industry that will help us continue to advance the adoption of technology.”

RT3 would also like to extend its gratitude to Andrew Centauro, Elmer W. Davis, Inc. Commercial Roofing, Rochester, New York, for his commitment to the organization during his three-year term on the board.

Other board members continuing their service include:

  • Wendy Marvin, Matrix Roofing & Home Solutions, president
  • John Kenney, Cotney Consulting Group, treasurer
  • Jon Gardner, Owens Corning, board member
  • Thomas Basch, Infinity Home Services, board member
  • Jeremy Dickmann, Apollo Primm Commercial Roofing, board member

RT3 Think Tank meets throughout the year, with a combination of virtual and live meetups that focus on learning about new and emerging technologies.  Past live meetups have been held at innovative locations that help educate the group on progressive technologies that can make a difference in the roofing industry, including Renovate Robotics, MTL Holdings, Texas A&M, Boxabl, 3M Innovation Center and Roofing Granule Lab, OMG Roofing Products, Vanderbilt Wond’ry, Microsoft Innovation Lab, Georgia Tech, BuiltWorlds and the U.S. Capitol. 

The next live meetup is planned for the fall 2024. RT3 contractor members will also be participating in educational panels during industry tradeshows to share tips and resources that help contractors successfully adopt and implement technologies that not only help their businesses but also contribute to recruiting their future workforce.  

Stay up to date with RT3 news and events by signing up for the RT3 SmartBrief e-Newsletter at www.rt3thinktank.com. Listen to the RT3 podcast on your favorite listening platform.

About Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3)
Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3) strives to find innovative technology solutions to be used within the roofing industry.  RT3 provides insights from progressive thought leaders both inside and outside the roofing industry along with practical resources for implementing potential solutions successfully. The organization will encourage and enable contractors to embrace technology as they seek to grow their businesses.  With a commitment to disseminate technology advancement information, RT3 will help build the professionalism and appeal of the roofing industry. Learn more at www.rt3thinktank.com.

RT3 members represent the industry at SkillsUSA 2023

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This was the first year that roofing was included in the SkillsUSA national championship and members from RT3 were there to showcase technology in the roofing industry including drones, 3D modeling and virtual reality.

At the Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3) table, members were showcasing drone technology and 3D building modeling. Attendees could don an Oculus headset and experience what it’s like to be on the roof of the building in the 3D model. The team from Imagine Technologies and Division 7 Roofing was there to answer questions and fly the drone during a demo period.

The National Roofing Contractors Association was instrumental in working with SkillsUSA to include roofing as part of the competition this year. Heidi Ellsworth from RoofersCoffeeShop and RIck Damato of Roofing Contractor magazine worked together to secure donated materials and support for the roofing competition.

Four teams from across the country competed in the commercial roofing competition on Wednesday, June 21 under the guidance of skilled technicians from IB Roof Systems. The teams took a written test on the first day and then headed to the competition area to practice what they had learned in preparation for the competition the following day. First place was taken home by Kansas!

The first day of the Techspo saw crowds of students, teachers and family members learning from vendors about products and services they offer to the industry. In the roofing pavilion, attendees were able to experience both low-slope and steep-slope roofing installation methods.

In the low-slope demo area, they learned how to weld a seam on TPO with a handheld welder under the tutelage of experts from Johns Manville. After welding, the JM team tested the strength of the weld. On day two, students can compete in the seam welding for a chance to win a backpack and other swag from JM. On the steep-slope side, individuals were shown how to run a course of shingles, including installing starter strip thanks to the help of TAMKO. A special thank you to SRS Distribution for getting all the donated materials into the convention center.

National Women in Roofing had a table to share information on the organization and encourage the young women in attendance to consider the roofing industry as a viable career option.

We were really excited to be able to share the technology of the industry with the next generation of workers and are looking forward to next year!

RT3 Member Owens Corning Recognizes Quality Discount Roofing, LLC with Pinnacle Innovation Award

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The company received the award for their innovative technology that has benefitted the industry. 

Quality Discount Roofing, LLC, a residential & commercial contractor specializing in roofing, siding and gutters, was awarded the 2023 Owens Corning Pinnacle Innovation Award at the company’s annual North American Platinum Preferred Contractors Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Quality Discount Roofing, LLC has utilized an assortment of technology offerings to create an innovative experience for not only homeowners but their employees as well. From an online onboarding program to virtually train new employees, an automated messaging system to notify customers through the project timeline and the implementation of a state-of-the-art estimating tool that with automation as well, simplifies the estimating process for the sales employees and saves paper along the way. These processes have saved time and money for the business while increasing the overall experience on both sides and led to an increase in overall customer satisfaction.

“We have always tried to be early adopters of new technologies in the marketplace. We study other industries away from the construction industry to give us insight into what technology can help us to continue our growth. If customers experience technology from Amazon, they will desire to feel the same elsewhere where they make a purchase. Our goal has been to save time while also increasing the customer experience. New technologies shouldn’t only be for our customers but also for our employees. We found a way for them to benefit everyone,” said Stephen Knuth, Director of Sales for Quality Discount Roofing, LLC.

Jimmy Soderlund, Owner & CEO of Quality Discount Roofing, LLC says, “These technologies are available from industry leading providers. Our goal is always to provide top quality customer service, technology has been a tool that makes that process easier in todays changing world.”

“Owens Corning cares about technology and always being the best. They have the same focus on technology that we do and that is one of the reasons why we love having them as a partner,” says Stephen Knuth.

About Quality Discount Roofing, LLC

Quality Discount Roofing, LLC has been in business since 2011. They exist in the Northern Florida market and are proud to be partners with Owens Corning Roofing to provide an excellent product to their customers. QDR has won the 2020 Owens Corning Roofing MVP Award and voted the Bold City Best Roofer 5 of the last 7 years by Jacksonville.com. 

RT3 Member Roofing Contractor Magazine Announces Roofing Supply Pro to Support Roofing Distribution Industry

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Roofing Contractor Magazine and its parent company, BNP Media, are proud to announce Roofing Supply Pro, a publication dedicated to serving professionals in the roofing distribution industry.

Set to launch during the 2023 International Roofing Expo in March, the online publication will deliver content crafted for the unique business needs of roofing supply professionals. Readers will enjoy coverage on a wide array of topics, ranging from news and products to operations, branch management, sales, logistics, and more. 

“As these past few years have demonstrated, supply and distribution are critical to the roofing industry,” said Jill Bloom, publisher of Roofing Contractor and Roofing Supply Pro. “As the premier publication for commercial, residential and industrial roofing contractors, we are excited to expand our coverage of the roofing industry to serve roofing supply professionals.”

Roofing Supply Pro is for owners, sales representatives, branch managers, credit managers, fleet managers and everyone else involved in this essential industry. Readers can subscribe for free at www.roofingcontractor.com/RSP-Sign-Up as well as sign up for eNewsletters that will send the latest news, videos, podcasts and more directly to their inboxes. Readers can also find Roofing Supply Pro on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to stay on top of the latest news.

For more information, visit www.roofingcontractor.com/RSP-Sign-Up.

About Roofing Contractor

Roofing Contractor, a BNP Media publication, is the premier media publication for roofers in North America, and the businesses that supply and support them. Roofingcontractor.com covers the latest news and information impacting the roofing industry on a daily basis. In addition, every month RC publishes a newly-redesigned eMagazine that delivers articles, contractor profiles, product information, and insights into the latest business, legal and safety concerns that contractors face every day. Our editorial reaches an international audience covering all aspects of residential, commercial, industrial and institutional roofing. 

About BNP Media

Founded in 1926, BNP Media is a fourth-generation, family-run media enterprise headquartered in Troy, Mich. Millions of B2B professionals worldwide rely on BNP Media for superior information in a variety of trusted formats. Their magazines, websites, events, custom media, webinars, continuing education coursework, and market research insights are known for helping industry professionals succeed in business and get closer to their customers.

Innovator of the Year Nominee Profile: John Kiesel, Division 7 Roofing & Imagine Technologies

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“If you can dream it, you can have it.”

Each year, RT3 receives so many great nominations for its Innovator of the Year award, but ultimately there can only be one winner. This is why we decided to spotlight some of those who should be recognized with an honorable mention.

John Kiesel began roofing at the age of 17 working for his father’s roofing business. He worked his way up from field worker to superintendent to general manager and today is president of Division 7 Roofing.  “I feel the pain of roofing and recognize that when innovation or technology is able to disrupt the barbaric nature of roofing, I embrace that and I want to see roofing be a more accommodating career,” he said.

The innovation and technology that John went on to create to improve the industry almost didn’t happen. When he was in need of a superintendent, a very bright individual applied and was hired. They had a roofing background and also shared some ideas on 3D models and visualization. It turned out that this bright individual wasn’t suited for the field, but rather than terminate their employment, John decided to give them a chance to see if the 3D modeling idea could help his roofing company. They thought that maybe flying a drone and creatively creating a scene could deliver value to their business and to their customers.

John invested in this idea for a year to develop resources, the technology platform, and whatever else was needed in order to get this from what seemed sketchy at first to an awesome deliverable. And once they saw the deliverable, and how it was improving their processes, reducing time, improving estimating, saving them from safety infractions, they knew they needed to make this a product and share it with the rest of the industry.

John wanted to deliver a tool to contractors where they could hire intellectual people and bring them into the industry with a starting point that wasn’t as difficult as his own. This is how Imagine Technologies was born.

The company uses photogrammetry and 3D models to enable more accurate everything across a roofing contractor’s business. It’s able to be put into an augmented reality environment as well that really helps customers understand their roof and what is happening on it.

John says that the development and implementation of this technology has shifted the culture in their company. They look at problems and now ask themselves if technology can fix it.

He is also taking this technology into the trade schools to change their mindsets about careers in roofing. Many youth never thought of it as an option but after seeing the technology, they are clamoring for summer internships with the company.

John believes in giving back to his community and supporting industry organizations like National Women in Roofing. They sponsor a local minor league baseball team and arranged for their local NWiR council to throw out the first pitch. They also organized a diaper drive for a nonprofit where people would get a ‘buy one get one free’ ticket to the game if they brought a pack of diapers. The minor league team also uses the technology John developed to power their virtual seating chart which allows fans to see the view from their seat before purchasing a ticket.

John truly believes that the roofing industry is a blue ocean for technology change and says, “if you can dream it, you can have it.”

Learn more about Division 7 Roofing and Imagine Technologies.

RT3 Members Kelly Roofing and Reliant Roofing Announce Partnership

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Naples, FL. – Kelly Roofing, a Naples-based roofing company, announced today that on June 25, 2021, they formed a strategic and financial partnership with Reliant Roofing. Based in Jacksonville, FL, Reliant is a specialized residential and commercial roofing contractor who also installs solar systems and hurricane shutter protection.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Sean Shapiro, Cameron Shouppe and the talented team at Reliant,” said Ken Kelly, President of Kelly Roofing. “The combination of our businesses will expand our presence across the state of Florida and help us in our goal of creating the premier residential roofing company in our geography. We welcome Reliant and their clients to the Kelly Roofing family.”

“As we continued to build Reliant, it was critical for us to find a partner with similar aspirations in both growth and quality of service,” said Sean Shapiro and Cameron Shouppe of Reliant. “Kelly Roofing is the perfect fit for Reliant and we look forward to growing the combined business alongside their team.”

Kelly Roofing is a family-owned company, serving South Florida since 1972. They have helped over 60,000 roof owners save money and live a worry-free life. As the 2019 Roofing Contractor of the year, Kelly Roofing understands how to eliminate the stress of unexpected roof costs. All Kelly Roofing employees live by the core values of Care, Communicate and Consistency, allowing them to provide outstanding workmanship using the most advanced methods. To learn more about Kelly Roofing, go to www.kellyroofing.com.

RT3 member Reliant Roofing Ranks No. 202 on Inc. Magazine’s List of Florida’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies

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Companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 Regionals: Florida list employed more than 83,000 people in 2019.

Jacksonville FL  – Inc. magazine today revealed that Reliant Roofing, Solar, and Hurricane Shutters (Reliant) is No. 202 on its second annual Inc. 5000 Regionals: Florida list, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing Florida-based private companies. Born of the annual Inc. 5000 franchise, this regional list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the Florida economy’s most dynamic segment—its independent small businesses.

“It’s a tremendous achievement to be recognized on this list and we are honored to be among this remarkable group of regional organizations. We are pleased to have continued our success, even amongst the trials our country has faced during the COVID-19 pandemic” said Sean Shapiro, CEO of Reliant. “This acknowledgment truly is a testament to our amazing staff. We are very privileged and thankful to have a team of professionals, who are dedicated to our customers and our company. We are honored to be recognized by Inc. 5000 Florida Regionals.”

The companies on this list show stunning rates of growth across all industries in Florida. Between 2017 and 2019, these 250 private companies had an average growth rate of 202 percent, and, in 2019 alone, they employed more than 83,000 people and added nearly $11 billion to the Florida economy. Companies based in major metro areas—Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Tampa, and Orlando—brought in the highest revenue overall.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000 Regionals: Florida, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, metro area, and other criteria, can be found at https://www.inc.com/inc5000/regionals/florida starting March 16, 2021.

“This list proves the power of companies in Florida no matter the industry,” says Inc. editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. “The impressive revenues and growth rates prove the insight and diligence of CEOs and that these businesses are here to stay.”

Reliant Roofing, Solar, and Hurricane Shutters is a highly specialized roofing, solar, and hurricane protection contractor in Jacksonville Fl. With many years of experience proudly serving the Northeast Florida community with new roof installations, roofing repairs, roof replacements, solar panels, and hurricane shutters.

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Regionals

Methodology

The 2021 Inc. 5000 Regionals are ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2017 and 2019. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2019. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2019 is $1 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons.

About Inc. Media

The world’s most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com

Roofing industry seeing material prices rising

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By Heidi J. Ellsworth, RCS Partner. 

Prices are expected to continue to rise through 2021. 

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck the U.S. in spring of 2020, the roofing industry had to adapt and adjust their business operations. As manufacturers were forced to slow or stop production and shipping became a challenge, contractors found it harder to get much-needed materials. Now, roofing companies are experiencing price increases for all types of building and roofing products.   

The lumber industry continues to see price increases and according to the National Home Builders Association, “Lumber prices increased 14.9% in August, marking the largest four-month gain since such data was first recorded in 1949 and the second-largest gain since seasonally adjusted data became available in 1975.” 

Shingle allocations and price increases have also been prevalent throughout 2020 due to high levels of storm-related re-roofing and limited raw materials. According to a roofing contractor’s website, “This week a roofing manufacturer put out a 4-6% price increase effective August 17 which follows two other shingle manufacturers with 2-7% increases and a fourth manufacturer following with their increase.” 

A key component used by most manufacturers is asphalt which is seeing its own price increases. According to Bud Polston of United Asphalts, there are widespread price increases with asphalt due to how it is processed. The demand for gasoline has been uneven in 2020 and jet fuel has seen a huge decrease in demand. According to Deloitte Insights, “Demand for gasoline has risen as more cars have returned to the road and as shops, retail stores and restaurants have reopened. However, demand for jet fuel has remained anemic, with U.S. demand still half of its pre–COVID-19 levels, as many people defer air travel.” 

The lack of demand for jet fuel has a trickledown effect on the amount and cost of producing/refining asphalt. According to information gained by United Asphalts from a refinery source, “Covid related lockdowns nationwide are impacting primarily gasoline and jet fuel (both lower demand and lower pricing). Most refineries cannot make asphalt and resid (oil products that remain after petroleum has been distilled) without also making gasoline and jet fuel and it appears that black oil production across the U.S. has decreased as a result. This is leading to higher market prices for resid and asphalt on account of the decreased production and to incentivize more production. Although the market price has increased, it is still not high enough to offset our incremental production costs of asphalt and resid.” 

This is not something that roofing manufacturers are pleased about but it is a fact that there will be price increases and roofing contractors should be aware. The Associated Builders and Contractors Chief Economist, Anirban Basu stated in a recent press release, “This dynamic (of building material price increases) is already observable, for example, in the prices of softwood lumber. As America’s single-family housing construction boom continues, many builders are ordering softwood lumber. With suppliers collectively lacking the near-term capacity to easily fill these orders, prices were spiking for much of 2020. Similar conditions may influence other commodities later this year as global growth accelerates. This means that contractors need to think long and hard about the existence and structure of escalation clauses as they negotiate future work.” 

In November and December of 2020, United Asphalts was hit with significant increases to the price of raw materials. They recently announced, “We are forced to increase our prices by an average of 10% in all markets for many reasons, including the ongoing ripple effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.” 

So, although many manufacturers must pass on price increases, they are more committed than ever to extreme customer service. “We are working with all of our customers for long-term forecasting our roofing asphalts so they can bid and complete jobs profitably,” stated Polston. 

And this is being found in the metal industry too. Roof Hugger recently announced, “As most of you are aware, several costs increase in steel have been announced in addition to some constriction in material availability. Roof Hugger, like many other fabricators, has found it necessary to pass along a portion of these material increases. We have done our best to minimize the increase and we are carefully monitoring our inventory levels.”  

They continue, “Please take note that with the uncertainty of steel costs, pricing will be good for a period of 14 days from the quote date and subject to review, thereafter, please qualify your proposals to reflect these limits. Roof Hugger is still committed to providing the best customer service and product quality as we have always been known.” 

Now more than ever a strong relationship with your manufacturers and distributors is essential. Good communication on upcoming material shortages, allocations or price increases is crucial to roofing contractor’s business.  

Roofing Technology Think Tank Seeks Nominations for 2020 Innovator of the Year Award

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The award recognizes a roofing contractor who has demonstrated a commitment to technology and the advancement of the roofing industry.

Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3), a group of progressive roofing professionals focused on technology solutions for the roofing industry, announced that it has opened the nomination period for the 2020 Innovator of the Year Award.

This award was created to nationally recognize a roofing contractor that has contributed to the advancement of the roofing industry through technical innovation and/or product development in one of the following areas:

  • Production/Technology Efficiency
  • Safety Innovation
  • Client Service/Quality of Delivery
  • Employee Recruitment/Training/Retention
  • Environmental Impact

Award judging criteria will be based on innovation, results, design and strategy. The 2019 winner was Curtis Sutton of Carthage, Tennessee-based Rackley Roofing, a company that counts innovation as one of its six core values.

The 2020 recipient will be announced this fall at the Best of Success conference. To be eligible, a roofing contractor must be licensed and bonded for a minimum of five years and have a minimum $5 million in annual revenue. They also must be a member of a professional industry association and be able to cite community enrichment ties through support of non-profits or company culture programs.

For more information and to submit an award application visit www.rt3thinktank.com/innovator-award. There is a $50 nomination fee to cover processing and award costs.  The nomination period closes July 31, 2020.

About Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3)
Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3) strives to find innovative technology solutions to be used within the roofing industry. RT3 provides insights from progressive thought leaders both inside and outside the roofing industry along with practical resources for implementing potential solutions successfully. The organization will encourage and enable contractors to embrace technology as they seek to grow their businesses. With a commitment to disseminate technology advancement information, RT3 will help build the professionalism and appeal of the roofing industry.