Briefings

Contractor news

Roofing contractor passes away

Mark Katona, owner of Keystone Roofing Inc., Oceanside, Calif., and Mark Katona Roofing Inc., Bala Cynwyd, Pa., passed away Dec. 21, 2010, at age 48.

Katona is survived by his wife Judyta; daughters, Angelica and Alicia; mother Carol Lee Johnston; father James A. Katona Sr.; sister Gina Krystopa; brothers Jim Jr., Steven, Anthony and Michael; and mother-in-law Maria Ludwik.

Donations can be made to Katona's wife and children. For more information, contact the Katona Children Trust at sheetmetalace@aol.com or (760) 730-9888.

F.J.A. Christiansen Roofing has new leader

F.J.A. Christiansen Roofing Co., Milwaukee, a Tecta America company, has promoted Todd Orvedahl to president. The promotion became effective Jan. 1.

Orvedahl joined F.J.A. Christiansen Roofing in 1991 and has been a company officer since 2005. His predecessor, former NRCA President Rob McNamara, left the company to join Tecta America's board of directors.

Manufacturer news

The Garland Co. receives recognition

The Garland Co. Inc., Cleveland, received several achievement awards during 2010.

The Garland Co.'s Green-Lock® product family was included in Building Operating Management's list of Top Products for 2010. The Garland Co. also was included in the 2010 Inc. 500/5000 list, which acknowledged the company's ability to outperform many of its peers in a year when manufacturing and construction entrants dropped from 10th to 11th place in terms of the number of companies represented on the list.

The company also was included in the Weatherhead 100 list, which showcases the fastest-growing companies in northeast Ohio based on a consistent growth pattern during a five-year period.

Additionally, for the 11th consecutive year, the Employers Resource Council recognized The Garland Co. as one of northeast Ohio's best places to work.

ADCO Global acquires EternaBond®

ADCO Global Inc., Lincolnshire, Ill., has acquired EternaBond Inc., Mundelein, Ill., through its Michigan Center, Mich.-based operating subsidiary, ADCO Products Inc.

"The acquisition of EternaBond strengthens ADCO Global's leadership in adhesive, tape and sealant systems in the global roofing, transportation and construction markets," says John Knox, ADCO Global's president and chief executive officer.

W.P. Hickman purchases facility

W.P. Hickman Co., Asheville, N.C., has purchased an 80,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Arden, N.C. The company expects to relocate and begin operations at the facility in this year's second quarter.

"With commercial real estate values and interest rates both being at exceptionally low levels, this is an ideal time for us to expand," says Scott Hickman, W.P. Hickman's chief operating officer. "Our sales have grown significantly over the past five years, and it was becoming clear that we were going to need increased capacity to meet future demand."

Company officials say the company expects to retain all its employees following the relocation.

CertainTeed awarded for sustainability

CertainTeed Corp., Valley Forge, Pa., has received a 2010 Communitas Award for Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility from the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals. The award recognizes the company's sustainability business practices and overarching commitment to environmental stewardship.

CertainTeed employees participate in the Saint-Gobain International Environment Health and Safety Day, an annual event dedicated to environmental awareness, emergency preparedness, healthy living and workplace safety. Additionally, the company's efforts to reduce energy use at its facilities have been recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency's 2009 and 2010 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year Award.

CertainTeed also recently released numerous environmentally friendly products, including Sustainable Insulation,™ a fiberglass insulation product made from a formaldehyde-free binder, 50 percent renewable content and 35 percent recycled glass; EnerGen™ photovoltaic roof system, which generates electricity without requiring installation of traditional solar panels; and AirRenew,™ a gypsum board that reduces volatile organic compounds circulating indoors.

GAF Materials featured on television

GAF Materials Corp., Wayne, N.J., participated in a segment of "Green Earth Journal," a television show that focuses on finding solutions to pressing environmental issues. GAF Materials was selected as an organization that is addressing conservation and sustainability issues through its unique products and manufacturing processes.

The company worked closely with producers at Image Alliance, the series creator, to create a segment covering various sustainable aspects of roof systems, including "green" product lines for residential and commercial properties, optimized manufacturing processes that reduce use of natural resources and the recycling of asphalt shingles. The program aired Nov. 26, 2010, on the Discovery Channel.

Additionally, GAF Materials announced changes to its laminated shingle warranties. All GAF Materials laminated shingles, including Timberline® shingles, now are covered by a lifetime limited warranty when installed on single-family residences. The company no longer will offer any laminated shingles with a 30- or 40-year warranty.

The company also has upgraded its Golden Pledge® and System Plus limited warranties coverage.

The industry online

The Center for the Polyurethanes Industry of the American Chemistry Council, in cooperation with the Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance, launched its Spray Polyurethane Foam (SPF) Health and Safety website, www.spraypolyurethane.com. The site informs SPF contractors, weatherization professionals and homeowners about the benefits and handling of SPF insulation and insulating foam sealant.

Other news

PIMA president to chair energy group

Jared Blum, president of The Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association, Bethesda, Md., has been named chairman of the board of the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI). Blum succeeds EESI founder Dick Ottinger.

EESI is a nonprofit organization that was founded in 1984 by a bipartisan Congressional caucus dedicated to finding innovative environmental and energy solutions. EESI works to protect the climate and ensure a healthy, secure and sustainable future for the U.S. through policymaker education; coalition building; and policy development in the areas of energy efficiency, renewable energy, agriculture, forestry, transportation, buildings and urban planning.

"I am excited about the challenges and opportunities awaiting EESI," Blum says. "On a daily basis, our nation confronts rapidly changing science on topics ranging from climate change to biofuels to smart growth. In our fundamental role as educators on this science for members of Congress and their staffs, EESI will continue to provide the balanced forum for which it has become so well regarded and in which innovative policy solutions are developed."