As I was saying …

It wasn't too long ago that winter's thaw meant the beginning of the real roofing season. Manufacturers would move into high production in March or April, anticipating new orders. Distributors would build up inventories that had been intentionally depleted during winter. And contractors would begin to see roof system specifications and reroofing work cross their desks—including the inevitable summer school work.

But the roofing industry no longer has the luxury of a three- or four-month hiatus. Instead, roofing work is more or less continuous for at least a couple important reasons.

First, roofing materials are more resilient now and less dependent on warm weather. The effects of cold weather on workers are probably more problematic than its effects on many materials—with extremes, of course, being the exception. Even our friends in Canada have figured out how to work during January.

Second, the industry has learned the value of maintenance and service programs. Many contractors operate full-fledged service departments with employees dedicated solely to that effort. Obviously, roof system repairs don't wait for warm weather.

This roofing season can't—and won't—be business as usual. Contractors who will succeed in this murky economic environment are the ones who have established relationships with their customers; top-quality service and maintenance work often leads to first looks at reroofing jobs. Successful contractors also will be the ones who understand the new attention being paid to our industry for its role in energy conservation and environmental stewardship. Reroofing projects are becoming more complex and more valuable.

So far this year, most NRCA members have managed to stay busy. Still, it will be hard for the industry to avoid the fallout from the uneasiness in the credit markets and uncertainties about economic prospects. Among the consequences of the slowdown in housing is a new interest in commercial/industrial roofing being shown by residential contractors.

Smart contractors already have planned for a new kind of marketplace—one in which selling is much more a value proposition than a price competition.

Smart contractors, tired of hearing politicians debate whether we are in a recession, are busy making sure their customers are being served.

Bill Good is NRCA's executive vice president.