Briefings

Manufacturer news

Firestone updates manufacturing plant

Firestone Building Products Co. LLC, Indianapolis, implemented its PLATINUM PV™ Program during the construction of its polyisocyanurate manufacturing plant in Bristol, Conn.

In 2011, the company received a clean energy grant to update its facility and used the funding to implement its PLATINUM PV Program to integrate photovoltaic (PV) systems with a cool roofing system. Through the program, concurrent life cycles between a roof and PV system are synced, allowing building owners to maximize renewable energy production and financial rewards. The PLATINUM PV Program is available in a variety of roof system types, including TPO, EPDM, SBS polymer-modified bitumen and standing-seam metal panel systems.

Guilbert Express offers training classes

Guilbert Express, New York, is offering torch-safety (certification or recertification) and soldering training classes throughout 2014. Planned locations include Atlantic City, N.J.; Baltimore; Boston; Chicago; Dallas; Houston; Long Island, N.Y.; Philadelphia; Raleigh, N.C.; and Seattle. The classes offer NRCA-approved training and specialty training in local settings and are customized based on each state's unique requirements, regulations and needs.

The torch-safety training classes meet NRCA, CERTA and insurance requirements and address best-practice techniques and processes for all supervising personnel responsible for handling roofing torches. Topics include basic first aid; pre-job planning; application hazard recognition; torch application safety; and post-job activities.

The Soldering Techniques and Sheet Metal Fabrication classes are taught by the Copper Development Association and focus on basic soldering techniques; vertical and wall soldering; eave and rake edge details; ridge panel layout; gutter fabrication; inside and outside corners; inside and outside corning seaming; back header (cricket) fabrication; valleys; and curving techniques. For more information, contact Guilbert Express at (888) 628-6343 or visit www.guilbert-express.com.

ROXUL expands into U.S.

ROXUL Inc., Milton, Ontario, has announced plans to build its first U.S.-based manufacturing facility in Marshall County, Miss. The location will help ROXUL maintain its growth in key insulation markets such as residential, commercial and industrial applications.

Construction of the 600,000-square-foot facility began in 2013, and production will begin this year. Current ROXUL facilities in Grand Forks, British Columbia, and Milton, Ontario, will remain fully operational.

GAF relocates headquarters

GAF, Wayne, N.J., has announced plans to relocate its corporate headquarters to Parsippany, N.J., once renovations are completed at a building at 1 Campus Dr. The company has been based in Wayne for more than 30 years. Its more than 600 employees and contractors at the current headquarters are expected to transfer to the new location.

In addition, GAF has formed a strategic alliance with Verisk Climate, a division of Verisk Analytics Inc., Jersey City, N.J., to develop weather-based forecasting algorithms to estimate nationwide roofing demand. The new demand forecasting analytics capability is designed to estimate shingle demand by county within 24 hours after a storm and provides forecasted shingle demand resulting from tropical storm force winds three days in advance of landfall.

Also, the GAF Chopper, built with Paul Teutul Sr., owner of Orange County Choppers (OCC), was inducted into the OCC showroom Nov. 7 at the OCC Café, Newburgh, N.Y. The bike was featured on the television series American Chopper in November and December 2012. GAF also appeared with OCC on Country Music Television Nov. 23, 2013, in an episode about a GAF-sponsored bike given to Purple Heart recipient Robert Dickey at a Kid Rock concert held during the Sturgis® Motorcycle Rally™ in Sturgis, S.D.

Additionally, GAF has received NSF-ISO compliant Type III environmental product declarations (EPDs) for its EverGuard® TPO and EverGuard Extreme® roofing products. GAF's EPDs will contribute directly toward achieving Whole Building Life-Cycle Impact Reduction and Environmental Product Disclosure credits for LEED® v4.

The Garland Co. offers evaluation services

The Garland Co. Inc., Cleveland, now is offering a comprehensive building envelope evaluation service through the Garland Engineering Services Group to help building owners determine the best energy-cost reducing options for roof and wall remediation projects.

The service is provided in three phases to help determine sustainability goals and practical solutions: an assessment involving historical research, an inventory of building envelope components and recommendations for improvements; an energy evaluation consisting of an energy audit and life cycle cost analysis; and an environmental risk assessment with recommendations to improve air quality, eliminate or minimize the use of hazardous materials, and reduce other safety and wellness hazards.

Former Garlock Equipment president's wife passes away

Linda Nelson, wife of Dave Nelson, former president of Garlock Equipment Co., Plymouth, Minn., passed away Nov. 1, 2013. She was 68 years old.

Nelson is survived by her husband, Dave; children, Jennifer and Jeanna; grandchildren, Seth, Tyler, Alexa,

Morgan, Rachel and Brecken; great-grandchild, Sylas; and three sisters, several nieces and nephews and countless friends. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, www.cancer.org.

IKO changes packaging

IKO, Kankakee, Ill., is changing its GoldShield Ice & Water Protector packaging to increase user-friendliness. The new packaging will be enclosed and shrink-wrapped on individual rolls, replacing the previous boxed-roll format shrink-wrapped by the pallet. The packaging is smaller, water-resistant and treated for enhanced ultraviolet resistance.

Malarkey expands production

Malarkey Roofing Products Co., Portland, Ore., began expanding production capabilities at its Oklahoma City-based production facility in December 2013. The facility has been manufacturing shingles since August 2012 and now is producing Malarkey Roofing Products' Class 4 Legacy shingles modified with polymers to improve asphalt shingle characteristics for extreme weather.

Owens Corning reaches recycling milestone

Owens Corning Roofing and Asphalt LLC, Toledo, Ohio, has announced its Asphalt Shingle Recycling program reached a milestone of 1 million tons of discarded asphalt shingles repurposed and used for new asphalt roads. The program, the first of its kind when initiated in 2009, helps eco-conscious homeowners find contractors who participate in the materials recycling program. To learn more about the Owens Corning Roofing Preferred and Platinum Preferred Contractors who participate in the program, visit www.owenscorning.com.

Distributor news

ABC Supply CEO retires

Beloit, Wis.-based ABC Supply Co. Inc.'s chief executive officer (CEO), David Luck, retired Dec. 31, 2013. Keith Rozolis, president of ABC Supply, has been elected Luck's successor.

Luck joined ABC Supply in 1998 as the first outside president and was CEO from 2008-13. He will continue to serve as a member of ABC Supply's board of directors. Luck played an integral role in ABC's growth, including ABC's largest and most successful acquisition of Bradco Supply Corp., Beloit, and the buyout of its minority partner in early 2013.

The industry online

Capital Safety has introduced its i-Safe™ 3.1 Mobile App, an app specifically created for field technicians, facility managers, inspectors and auditors. The app was designed to improve operational efficiencies, reduce costs and shift management focus from paper to technology-based activities.

ITW Commercial Construction, North America has introduced free anchor calculation software at www.itw-redhead.com. The software allows professionals to design concrete anchor connections in accordance with ACI 318 Appendix D, "Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete, Anchoring to Concrete"; predicts failure modes for anchor connections; recommends the most efficient anchor size and method; and specifies anchoring methods to achieve desired failure modes. The software also implements real-time 3-D graphics, color-coded results and value displays in U.S customary or metric units.

The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA) has produced The Science of Color, an educational video for homeowners explaining how manufacturers create different color shades and combinations so homeowners can choose the colors that work best for their homes. The video is available for download at ARMA's website, www.asphaltroofing.org, or on ARMA's YouTube channel.

Oakland Metal Sales Inc. has launched a new website, www.oaklandmetalsales.com. The site is easier to navigate, highlights Oakland Metal Sales' architectural metal offerings and fabrication services, and was designed around the company's new logo and corporate colors.

Up the ladder

National Roofing Partners LLC has named Mike Genette director of project management.

Events

January

16
For Foremen Only, Level 1
NRCA
Cincinnati
Contact: NRCA's Customer Service Department
(866) ASK-NRCA (275-6722)
www.nrca.net

23
Roofing Industry Fall Protection from A to Z
NRCA
Atlanta
Contact: NRCA's Customer Service Department
(866) ASK-NRCA (275-6722)
www.nrca.net

23-24
CRCA 31st Annual Trade Show & Seminars
CRCA
Oakbrook, Ill.
Contact: CRCA's Customer Service Department
(708) 449-3340
www.crca.org

February

6
Roofing Industry Fall Protection from A to Z
NRCA
Cincinnati
Contact: NRCA's Customer Service Department
(866) ASK-NRCA (275-6722)
www.nrca.net

18-21
ROOF + TIMBER International
GHM
Cologne, Germany
Contact: GHM Customer Service Department
+49 (0) 89 9 49 55 - 553
www.dach-holz.de/en/home

24-28
NRCA's 127th Annual Convention
NRCA
Las Vegas
Contact: NRCA's Customer Service Department
(866) ASK-NRCA (275-6722)
www.nrca.net

25
CERTA Train-the-trainer Authorization
NRCA
Las Vegas
Contact: NRCA's Customer Service Department
(866) ASK-NRCA (275-6722)
www.nrca.net

25-26
Future Executives Institute
NRCA
Las Vegas
Contact: NRCA's Customer Service Department
(866) ASK-NRCA (275-6722)
www.nrca.net

26
NRCA's Young Contractors Committee Roundtable Discussion: Emerging Business Technology in the Roofing Industry
NRCA
Las Vegas
Contact: NRCA's Customer Service Department
(866) ASK-NRCA (275-6722)
www.nrca.net

26-28
2014 International Roofing Expo®
Hanley Wood LLC
Las Vegas
Contact: Hanley Wood
(975) 536-6452
www.theroofingexpo.com