Tag: <span>Technology</span>

Tag: Technology

Wearables can improve worker safety and health

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At this year’s International Roofing Expo, there was plenty to see on the show floor with technology being a key focus. In fact, the Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3) presented a contractor panel where they discussed emerging technologies as well as existing ones and how these solutions are making an impact on their businesses.

Discussions focused on how augmented reality will change field service, how robotics and automation both on the roof and in the air will impact the industry, how GPS and other tracking can save thousands and how technology will change the way the industry interacts with home and building owners as well as with insurance companies.

One solution that has a promising outlook for the industry is the use of wearable technology to improve worker safety. The wearable technology can be as simple as a GPS tracker in a safety vest that can send an instant alert when a worker enters a predefined danger area on a job site, such as being within so many feet of the roof perimeter. There are exoskeletons that have been created to assist workers with lifting heavy loads, thus reducing the chances of back injuries or strains.

While visiting Microsoft’s Internet of Things (IOT) lab last fall with RT3, we saw smart helmets that could detect impacts and wearable monitors that could track workers’ vital signs such as heart rate and body temperature – valuable information that can let you know when a worker should stop and take a break.

While all of this data can be lifesaving, contractors implementing the use of these devices should be prepared to ensure that their workers’ privacy and data is protected. The good news is that most companies that are providing a technology solution should have the infrastructure in place to make sure that the data is protected, and privacy remains intact. However, as we have seen time and again, data breaches are not uncommon in this day and age.

RT3 member Trent Cotney of Cotney Construction Law said that contractors using new wearable technologies to keep employees out of harm’s way should revise their employee manuals to provide information on how to properly use the wearable technology. Further, contractors should include in employee manuals that the wearable technology will better assist in keeping employees safe, but that it is not a guarantee and the workers should still exercise caution when performing dangerous activities or working in hazardous areas.

The World Wide Web just celebrated its 30th birthday and we have seen so many changes over those 30 years. We’re excited to see what’s coming next and how worker safety will benefit from new, emerging technologies. Stay up to date on the latest news in the industry when you sign up for the RT3 Smart Brief newsletter.

Roofing manufacturer’s robotic arm improved safety and created a more diverse workforce

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By David Huval, RoofConnect and RT3 member.

OMG Roofing Products recently hosted the RT3 Live Meetup at its headquarters in Agawam, Massachusetts where RT3 members were treated to hearing from employees Todd Emmonds on the company’s use of robotics and automation in production and Peter Shadwell on their rapid prototyping process in their research and development department.

Sometimes you have to take a leap

RT3 members learned that OMG dedicated massive resources into becoming one of the most innovative manufacturers of roofing products in the industry. They decided to “take a leap of faith” and buy a robotic arm they could study and develop even though they didn’t have any previous experience with robotics.

The company was searching for a way to eliminate the repetitive motion that an employee was subject to by removing six pounds of fasteners from the production line every few seconds and placing them in the packaging. They put massive effort and resources into coding, programming and developing the robotic arm.

After rigorous testing, the robotics were introduced on the production line, creating increased productivity while simultaneously making a safer and healthier environment for their employees.  OMG’s use of automation and robotics created new career opportunities for women and older workers in roles that used to be filled by men, due to the physical nature involved.

3D printing for prototypes

OMG has an innovative and dedicated research and development department that encourages “wild ideas” from all employees. The company uses industry-leading innovation and techniques to develop new products for the industry in-house. Using computer programs like CAD, paired with 3D printers and CNC machines, they can develop and test new products much faster and with less capital investment than ever before.

After prototypes are 3D printed, they are subject to rigorous testing in OMG’s in-house testing lab which simulates all kinds of conditions and stresses that the products could potentially be subject to in the field.

Headquartered in Agawam, Mass., OMG Roofing Products is a leading manufacturer of commercial roofing products including specialty fasteners, insulation adhesives, drains, pipe supports, edge metal systems and innovative productivity tools. The company’s focus is delivering products and services that improve contractor productivity and enhance roof system performance. For additional information please visit OMGRoofing.com.

Learn more about membership in RT3 at www.rt3thinktank.com.

David Huval leads the marketing efforts for RoofConnect.

First-time attendee’s perspective of an RT3 Live Meetup

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By Ryan Bogert, Estimating Edge.

Each and every person in the room was passionate about technology and making the industry a better place.

I recently had the opportunity to attend my first meeting with the RT3 group, at the OMG facilities in Agawam, MA. As someone who has been involved with the roofing industry for close to 20 years and who works for a technology company, I was very excited to join this group.

I was asked to submit a document describing my top 5 takeaways from the meeting with OMG. I first want to just say that being in the room with so many roofing industry professionals who are all so passionate about the industry as well as passionate about incorporating and taking advantage of technology within the industry was astounding. Having the ability to have face-to-face interactions with these people was worth the trip itself. It is also amazing to really see the thought process behind this group and the mission that each and every person in that room has, to make the roofing industry a great place to be and to make it attractive to others that may be looking for a new future.

That brings me to my first takeaway from the meeting itself. It was a pleasure to meet Reid Ribble, NRCA CEO, and to hear him speak about the NRCA and what they have been working on. Among many other things, Reid described an initiative that the NRCA is working on to create a professional certification program that will become available to roofing professionals.

The idea behind this program is directly tied to the idea of making the roofing industry a more attractive industry to recruit new workers to. Giving people the ability to become certified and eventually becoming a “Master Certified Roofing Professional” will certainly be a great step in drawing highly qualified candidates into the market and I look forward to seeing this initiative take off.

Below are just a few of the takeaways that I had the privilege of learning directly from the OMG team:

  • The idea of giving the freedom to all of their employees to come up with “Wild Ideas” about how to better the company. This could include things that may make for a better working environment or even as far as new product ideas. The fact that they listen to their employees and even have a standard path set for them to share their ideas was really great to see.
  • I enjoyed seeing the methods that are used at OMG to take a new idea from conception all the way through to the finalization of the product/process. The methods that they use can really be utilized for any type of company and really seem to make sense for a streamlined decision-making process.
  • They talked about introducing robotics into their manufacturing process and how they came to the realization that they needed to just “take a leap of faith” and jump into it to try to solve some of the problems that they were dealing with. I thought that this mentality really fit perfectly, when it comes to incorporating new technologies into any business, there certainly can be a need to ask people to take a leap of faith that this new technology is going to work and learning from others experiences can certainly make that leap just a bit easier to make.
  • It was quite impressive to see the resulting efforts that the incorporation of LEAN manufacturing and Six Sigma methods have added to the efficiency of daily operations at OMG. It was very clear to see that these efforts have created a very well-oiled machine, I’m sure, resulting in less downtime and higher productivity.

Once again, it was a pleasure to have the opportunity to join RT3 group and I look forward to continuing to learn from and hopefully contributing to the success of this group and helping to make our mission a reality for the entire roofing community.

Ryan Bogert is Director of Product and Customer Success at Estimating Edge and a member of RT3.

Use technology as leverage to grow your roofing business

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RCS Influencer and RT3 member Wendy Marvin says that when considering technology, ask around.

Technology is the leverage we use in our roofing businesses. It can administer tasks faster, store data, provide calculations, and so much more. Technology and all the changes and headaches that it can bring, is necessary for a growing business.

We live in a world of information. Where names, details, numbers, and data are just plain too much for our brains to hold and still remain functional. Ever have someone say, you have too many balls in the air and you’re dropping some? Technology can be a handy helper to eliminate this problem.

In business – technology is necessary. You need an accounting mechanism, even if it’s an excel spreadsheet, to assess the health of your business. We started with the standard accounting software that’s available online and desktop. It’s robust for reporting and keeps accounts payable and accounts receivable updated. You can balance your checkbook here too. Problems arise however, as you grow with data growing exponentially with your company growth. Slogging through all that data to give you daily information takes a robust backend program. Most starting programs just can’t handle the load. Moving to a new system means hoping you chose an old system that allows exporting of data in a manner that’s usable by your new system.

All in all, although difficult and frustrating, I recommend that when choosing technology for your business, you consider your future growth and try to head off the frustrations of working with multiple systems that don’t talk to each other. Currently, my office has three places they have to place information before a bid can be processed. The process is inefficient and costly. We are designing our own system, to hold massive amounts of data, and then add apps around that data to allow us to run our business with efficiency and exceptional customer service.

In operations – technology is also necessary IF you want to remain competitive and grow your business.

  • Distribution: We work with an app that confirms time and site of deliveries, show us pictures of the load and gives us the ability to pick up additional materials and add to the PO for a current job. Most larger distribution companies now produce such apps for free.
  • Estimating: We use satellite-based apps that gather accurate information for us. Our program notifies the customer when we’re on the way, it gives our estimators a GPS map to follow, and sends and receives notes and pictures live. We are also currently in working towards our Drone pilot certification. We see drones as a “get going or get left behind” type of technology in our industry.
  • Payroll: We’re moving to an app for payroll. Instead of messy, water spotted and poorly written time cards, our data will now be supplied via geo-fencing (address is gathered when they’re on site) and show that the roofing professionals has done the “clock in, clock out” onsite. Yes, we still have to verify data, but it won’t be ten hours of trying to get the information we need to process payroll. Again, efficiency and cost savings for our company.

When considering technology, ask around. Identify the needs of your company (ask employees), and then find a company that meets most of those needs. Expect customer service, as you’ll need help setting up your company with whatever they offer. Technology is expensive and choosing incorrectly can be frustrating. Most of all, be patient with yourself, and with your employees. We all have barriers to learning new things, but by sharing the payoff, and savings of technology, our employees often become advocates and assist us through the process.

Wendy Marvin is CEO of Matrix Roofing. See her full bio here.

Source: RoofersCoffeeShop®

Study suggests autonomous robots working together are the industry’s next big thing

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By Karen L. Edwards.

Collective robotic construction (CRC) specifically concerns embodied, autonomous, multirobot systems that modify a shared environment according to high-level, user-specified goals.

A Science Robotics study published this March states that ‘the increasing need for safe, inexpensive, and sustainable construction, combined with novel technological enablers, has made large-scale construction by robot teams an active research area.’

The study notes that 54% of the human population currently live in cities and that number is expected to grow to 66% by 2050. The researchers feel that collective robotics can help meet the construction demand in the midst of an ongoing labor shortage. CRC could also make construction safer for workers, with the Department of Labor citing that 20% of all worker injuries occur in construction.

The researchers were inspired by the extensive use of collective construction in nature for building nests, protection barriers, traps and mobility scaffolds. Where animal construction relies on reactive behaviors and ‘low-bandwidth communication,’ robots can rely on high-resolution sensors, high-speed communication and GPS to communicate their exact location for completing specific tasks.

Construction materials used in CRC are divided into two categories – discrete and continuous. Discrete materials would be square, rectangular or homogenous bricks, struts and sandbags. Continuous materials would be things like two-component foam, concrete and fibers.

The study says that “challenges pertain to CRC hardware, especially in relation to coordination, communication, and multimodal sensing.” The robots need to be able to adequately communicate and coordinate with nearby robots for success. “As more advanced sensors such as radar, depth cameras, laser imaging and ranging systems, and GPS become cheaper and more readily accessible, they may play a bigger role in the field. ”

The researchers reference two published systems, UAVs and climbing robots,  that can be used to develop a metric that measures constructed volume relative to time, the number of robots used and the volumetric size of each robot. “A flying robot [UAV] has higher energy expenditure and lower payload than a climbing robot but may fly directly between material cache and deposition sites. Reversely, climbing robots can carry more but have to traverse through previous construction.”

The study is the first step in really determining how robotics can make an impact in construction. Further study is needed to develop performance metrics, evaluate the reliability of CRC and it’s ability to adapt to changes in movement, or expected behaviors of the other robots. There also needs to be more research in order to determine where humans fit into the CRC picture to oversee work, make adjustments and corrections when there is an error and in the support and maintenance of the robots.

Read the full study here. 

Ways to Build a Strong Digital Marketing Strategy

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By Steve Eastlack, Surefire Local.

Ever wonder why so many businesses struggle with their online marketing? If you think you’re one of those companies implementing tactic after tactic but not quite seeing the results you expected, then you’ve come to the right place. The reason many companies fall short of achieving excellent results from their online marketing is because they lack a clear, smart digital marketing plan. That’s it, plain and simple.

In our recent webinar, ‘LIVE Q&A: Building a Winning Digital Marketing Strategy’, we answered some of the common questions business owners have when it comes to planning and establishing their digital marketing strategy. Below are some of the key takeaways from the webinar:

Learn how to diversify.

Running your business on referrals? Consider this as an accomplishment in itself because it speaks to your brand. However, you don’t want to run your business on a single channel. The solution? You need to diversify. Start by investing in Google Advertising. It is the channel where your ad dollars are best spent on, especially in the first stages of your business growth. It’s the only channel where people are proactively searching for you and the services you provide. Once you start, you’ll find it’s easy to use, easy to learn, and easy to see if it makes sense with regards to your business growth and lead generation.

In addition, don’t forget to invest in a comprehensive, mobile-responsive website. Make use of a content strategy, using blogs, videos and other types of content, to lure leads in and turn them to actual customers.

Identify the platforms that will work for your business.

To know which platforms are best for your business, you need to determine your goals, identify your target locations and know your audience. Some of the platforms you can use depending on your objectives are:

  • Websites
  • Local Search
  • Lead Generation
  • Ratings and Reviews
  • Directory Listings
  • Google Ads/Facebook Advertising
  • Content
  • Social Media
  • Rising Trends and Platforms

Note that not everything might work for your business. Be sure to consult your trusted digital marketing expert to identify the right solutions for your marketing efforts.

Reach out for help.

Contrary to what some people might think, creating a foolproof digital marketing strategy isn’t a simple task. Much like a home improvement project, it requires careful planning, in-depth research and active cooperation with a specialist. Assuming you’ve recently hired an expert to help you with your digital marketing, it pays to know you’ve hired the right team for the job. Here are some of the questions you should ask to your digital marketing partner:

  • How am I doing based on the key metrics we’ve established?
  • How many leads am I getting and how is that progressing?
  • Can you show me the processes you implement to make sure I’m meeting my goals?

By this time, you should already be prepared to build a winning digital marketing strategy for your business. You have the knowledge you need, the assets, and a rough structure in mind.

Source: Surefire Local

Want to see more technology in the roofing industry? Get involved with RT3.

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By Karen L. Edwards.

Don’t just become a member, become an engaged member if you want to help advance technology in the industry.

As we enter the second year of the existence of the Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3) we’re excited to see the interest and the growth continue to surge forward. RT3 members are committed and dedicated to advancing the adoption of technology into the roofing industry. We continue to add new members who are passionate about the future of the industry, so we thought it might be a good time to revisit what our group is about and how you can maximize your involvement to make a difference.

Not like other industry associations.

RT3 is not the typical industry association that you might be used to. We call ourselves a think tank for a reason. We are constantly looking for the latest technologies and innovations to understand how they can be applied to or adapted for the roofing industry. Our members are individuals and companies who are passionate about technology and how it can help those working in roofing be more efficient, keep their workers safer and make the industry a more appealing career path for our future workforce. We do this through a series of live and virtual meetups throughout the year.

Live meetups are held at unique, tech-friendly locations that are not necessarily affiliated with roofing. For instance, our team held a live meetup on the Microsoft campus where we heard from leaders there along with a tour of their innovation lab. We saw many concepts in development that we were able to see how they could be incorporated into the roofing industry. After seeing and learning, we disseminate information back into the industry to help educate everyone on what amazing things are happening that can help our industry as a whole.

We’re planning ahead through 2019 and into 2020 to host future meetups at some pretty incredible places – you won’t want to miss out.

We give back through education.

In 2019, RT3 formed a panel of five roofing contractors who are having success and helping their businesses through the use of technology. This panel presented at the International Roofing Expo in Nashville and will also be sharing their experiences at the upcoming AECTech conference in Illinois and the Western Roofing Expo in June. None of the contractors are compensated for their time or travel expenses but they do it because they feel so strongly about giving back to help other contractors find the same successes that they have.

In addition, RT3 partners with Smart Brief to produce this twice weekly newsletter that helps you stay informed about the top news and trends in the roofing industry.

Any member can participate in RT3 task teams.

As part of our continued effort to study, learn and give back through sharing of educational content and resources, we’ve developed Task Teams that work on initiatives related to: future workforce development, communications inside and outside of the industry, RT3 member recruitments, meetups and tactical. The best way to get energized and feel like you are making a difference is to be a part of one of these task teams.

Be a thought leader.

RT3 has a blog that posts thought leadership content from our members about eight to 10 times each month. We are always looking to share the knowledge that many of our members have. Think you don’t have anything to contribute? We bet you’re wrong and would love to have a 10 minute conversation with you about our organization and what a difference it can make, not only for your business, but for the industry as well.

Inquire about becoming a member!

5 Google My Business tools that contractors should be using

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By Surefire Local.

Google My Business has quickly become one of the most powerful tools for a home improvement business. It allows you to easily manage and improve your business’ online presence, helping you attract the right kind of clients across the entire Google ecosystem including Google Search and Maps.

Google My Business Tools for Home Improvement Contractors

1. Google Posts: This feature allows you to create and publish content directly on Google. These Posts show up in the area below your Google My Business listing, also known as your Knowledge Panel. Google Posts allow for FREE views while helping to boost your content, promotions and events. To get the most of your post, make sure to include a picture, message, link, and button type.

2. Services: You can use this tool to highlight what you’re offering to clients, allowing you to add a whole menu of the services that you provide within your Google My Business listing in search results. This is a mobile-only feature (for now at least) and lets you categorize services and add descriptions. This offers a great way to draw the attention of homeowners looking for a particular service provider quickly.

3. Messages: This mobile-exclusive feature offers a new way to engage homeowners you want to interact with your business via mobile text. It comes with a customizable opening message and Google even measures and reports how quickly you respond. A fast response to your mobile audience can help make them interact more with your business.

4. Appointment Link: Make it easy for your prospective clients to reach your business with this handy tool. Setting it up is a piece of cake–just edit the URLs section of your Google My Business Listing and add the link to the correct field.

5. Video: Help homeowners get a clearer idea on how you do business with this new feature. Upload videos about your business to help generate leads. You’ll want to take the videos you upload seriously–they are more memorable than text content and can help increase conversions by up to 80%.

Source: Surefire Local

RT3 Makes an Impact at the International Roofing Expo

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The group’s activities featured a meetup at Vanderbilt and moderating a contractor technology panel.

Members of the Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3) traveled to Nashville, Tennessee for the 2019 International Roofing Expo (IRE). They began the week by attending a live meetup held at Vanderbilt University and hosted by professor Larry Bridgesmith. After conducting a brief business meeting, the group was introduced to Robert Grajewski, Executive Director at the Wond’ry.

The Wond’ry is the ‘epicenter for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Vanderbilt University.’ RT3 members were given a tour of the three-story, 13,000 square foot center that facilitates innovation between students and faculty from all courses of study, whether that be engineers, scientists, entrepreneurs or artists.

The RT3 team heard stories of innovation and creativity to solve problems and develop new and unique solutions using technology. One psychology PHD candidate used the Wond’ry to develop a never-before-heard-of treatment using virtual reality goggles to transport patients to another world to help them feel safe while dealing with their issues. It’s now being written about in medical journals and being adopted by more psychologists. The team was so impressed with what was happening at the facility that some even went back the next day to share the experience with some of their co-workers who were not able to attend the first time.

On the last day of the IRE, five contractor members of RT3 were featured on a contractor panel to discuss the technologies they are using in their businesses. Ken Kelly of Kelly Roofing, Steve Little of National Roofing Partners and KPost Roofing, Josey Parks of J Wales Enterprises, Michelle Boykin of Rackley Roofing and Gregg Wallick of Best Roofing participated. The panel was moderated by RT3 board member and RoofersCoffeeShop® partner, Heidi J. Ellsworth.

Discussions focused on how augmented reality will change field service, how robotics and automation both on the roof and in the air will impact the industry, how GPS and other tracking can save thousands and how technology will change the way the industry interacts with home and building owners as well as with insurance companies.

A question and answer period followed which enabled contractors in attendance to ask questions and learn further about how the technologies available today can have an immediate impact on their businesses. The room and the hallway were buzzing with curiosity and the desire to learn more about advancing their companies through the use of technology.

Stay on top of the latest roofing and technology news when you sign up for the Rt3 Smart Brief newsletter.