Briefings

Contractor news

Commercial Roofers awards scholarship

Commercial Roofers Inc., Las Vegas, has awarded its annual scholarship to Marshall R. Cowan, a student currently enrolled at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).

For 10 years, Commercial Roofers has agreed to provide a $1,500 scholarship every year to a deserving architectural studies student. Students are asked to design a building with emphasis on the roof system. The designs are judged by a class instructor and two additional UNLV professors. In addition to the scholarship, Commercial Roofers' owners, Scott Howard and Dennis Conway, give a presentation to the class about the importance of proper and workable roof system designs.

Distributor news

Bradco Supply acquires company

Bradco Supply Corp., Avenel, N.J., has acquired Greensboro, N.C.-based Insulation Systems Inc. (ISI), a commercial roofing products distributor with three offices throughout North Carolina. The three branches will continue to operate under the ISI name, and Dewey Haizlip, ISI's former owner, will remain involved to ensure a smooth transition into Bradco Supply's organization.

"Bradco is excited about our acquisition of Insulation Systems as we believe it will serve to strengthen our commercial roofing presence in North Carolina while complementing Bradco's existing four branch locations in Charlotte, Raleigh, Wilmington and Greensboro," says Martin Segal, Bradco Supply's vice president of acquisitions. "Bradco and ISI remain committed to providing area contractors with a broad range of products and the best customer service in the industry."

Manufacturer news

Firestone Building Products awards contractors

Firestone Building Products Co. LLC, Indianapolis, has awarded its 2010 Master Contractor Award to 261 commercial roofing contractors throughout Mexico and the U.S. The Master Contractor program was established in 1988 and honors roofing firms for achieving Firestone Building Products' criterion of quality installations and workmanship.

The company recognized 35 firms as winners of its President's Club Award and 158 as recipients of its Inner Circle of Quality Award. Collectively, the 2010 Master Contractors have installed nearly 2.4 billion square feet of warranted Firestone Building Products roof systems in new and reroofing applications during the past year.

"Firestone congratulates the 2010 Master Contractors for their dedication to roof system excellence and their first-rate industry performance," says Mike Vall, Firestone Building Products' president. "To attain this accolade in the commercial roofing industry during this lull in the economy should provide building owners confidence that their roofs have been installed by a truly skilled roofing professional."

Metal-Era reduces lead times

Metal-Era Inc., Waukesha, Wis., has reduced lead times for some of its products and expanded its list of express colors to include 15 of the company's most popular colors and finishes.

"Our customers tell us that speed and quality are vital to the success of their business," says Tony Mallinger, Metal-Era's chief operations officer. "That's why we are constantly working to reduce lead times on our trusted lines of fascia and coping systems."

A new color chart and information about reduced lead times are available at www.metalera.com.

Sika Sarnafil earns certification

Sika Sarnafil, Canton, Mass., has been certified as a Responsible Care company for meeting Responsible Care 14001:2009 and ISO 14001:2004 standards. The certification for meeting the environmental and safety standards applies to Sika Sarnafil's U.S. manufacturing facility, offices in Canton and all other company facilities throughout the U.S.

Responsible Care is a global chemical industry performance initiative implemented in the U.S. by the American Chemical Council. Responsible Care companies focus on reducing environmental releases and achieving a high level of employee safety. All Responsible Care companies undergo headquarters and facility audits to ensure they have structures and systems in place to measure, manage and verify company performance.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is the world's largest developer and publisher of International Standards. Successful registration to the ISO 14001:2004 standard indicates an organization has met specific environmental management system standards.

"This achievement underscores our commitment and is due to the hard work and efforts of a team of Sika Sarnafil employees that worked together to assemble the program and successfully implemented it," says Mark Franklin, Sika Sarnafil's environmental health and safety manager. "Every level of the organization has been involved to some degree in its success. As a result of the implementation of these programs, we have formalized the process by which we will identify opportunities for improvement and measure our performance."

Bayer MaterialScience signs agreement

Pittsburgh-based Bayer MaterialScience and Masdar, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, have signed a strategic collaboration agreement that focuses on developing Bayer MaterialScience's EcoCommercial Building (ECB) Program through the proposed construction of an ECB prototype in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi.

The Masdar City ECB prototype is intended to be a model for energy-efficient, economic construction incorporating state-of-the art design for a subtropical climate. Upon completion, the Masdar City ECB prototype will house Bayer MaterialScience's Middle East ECB Program organization and serve as an interactive communication, exhibition and training platform for a broad range of stakeholders who demonstrate an interest in eco-commercial construction.

Masdar City is a clean-technology cluster located in a sustainable city powered by renewable energy. It seeks to become a global center for innovation, research, product development and light manufacturing in the fields of renewable energy and sustainable technologies.

Through the strategic collaboration agreement, parties involved with the ECB Program will offer innovative solutions and assist Masdar City in attaining its sustainability goals.

GenFlex Roofing Systems honors companies

GenFlex Roofing Systems, Indianapolis, has inducted 53 companies into its 2010 Winner's Circle.

The Winner's Circle annually recognizes GenFlex Roofing Systems contractors and distributors that demonstrate commitment to quality performance and consistently meet the highest standards of customer service.

More information about GenFlex Roofing Systems' Winner's Circle is available at www.genflex.com.

Affiliate news

Chicago association awards safety efforts

The Chicago Roofing Contractors Association (CRCA) has awarded its Gold Medal Safety Award to Joliet, Ill.-based Adler Roofing and Sheet Metal Inc.

CRCA's Gold Medal Safety Award is presented annually to a CRCA member in recognition of an outstanding safety record and appreciation of a conscientious effort to promote safe conditions throughout the industry.

"We appreciate and recognize the hard work and dedication of all of our field employees," says Mike Adler, Adler Roofing and Sheet Metal's vice president and safety director. "They consistently made an effort to make our job sites safe."

In addition, CRCA released a vegetative roofing video, "The Garden Roof Solution," during the 27th Annual CRCA 2010 Trade Show Jan. 21-22 in Oak Brook Terrace, Ill.

The video was a joint effort of CRCA and the Chicagoland Roofing Council and addresses the importance of professional roofing contractors owning the responsibility of installing vegetative roof systems because they have the training, equipment and experience to do so.

The video can be viewed online at www.chicagoroofing.org.

Scholarship applications are available

Applications for the North East Roofing Educational Foundation's (NEREF's) scholarships are available. The application deadline is May 1.

NEREF established its scholarship program to assist employees, immediate family members of employees and immediate family members of North/East Roofing Contractors Association (NERCA) members who plan to pursue post-secondary education in college, technical or vocational programs. Twelve $2,500 NEREF scholarships will be awarded this year.

NEREF scholarship applications are available on NERCA's Web site, www.nerca.org, or by contacting Patsy Sweeney, NERCA's associate executive director, at (781) 849-0555.

Other news

SPRI elects leadership

SPRI elected Al Janni, manager of engineering services at Duro-Last® Roofing Inc., Saginaw, Mich., as its 2010-11 president during its 28th Annual Conference and Business Meeting Jan. 15-17.

"It is truly an honor to serve as president of SPRI," Janni says. "SPRI is doing many important things in the roofing industry, and I am glad to be associated with such an outstanding organization."

SPRI also elected David Bailie, regional sales manager at USG Corp., Chicago, two-year director and president-elect.