Briefings

Manufacturing news

Atlas Roofing announces meeting series

Atlas Roofing Corp., Atlanta, has announced it will host "The House Always Wins" informative contractor meeting series. Offered in eight U.S. cities, the meeting series began in March and will end in October. Upcoming sessions are in Houston, Thursday, Aug. 7; Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, Aug. 21; Oklahoma City, Tuesday, Sept. 9; Raleigh, N.C., Thursday, Sept. 25; and the Washington, D.C., area Thursday, Oct. 16.

The series highlights how Atlas Roofing designs with contractors in mind, allowing attendees to get a hands-on introduction to new products, technology and incentive promotions, including a demonstration of the free iPad ProApp™ for contractors. The meetings also feature the latest shingle and underlayment technology; how to earn Atlas Roofing's Unlimited Rewards for using Pristine Shingles; and the benefits of using Eagleview® Aerial Roof Measurement Reports to enhance the estimating process. Every registered attendee will be served lunch; receive a T-shirt, gift bag and Atlas Roofing product samples; and have the chance to win an iPad, Yeti® Cooler and other prizes. More information is available at www.atlasroofing.com.

GenFlex introduces loyalty program

GenFlex Roofing Systems, Indianapolis, has introduced the GenFlex PERX Contractor Loyalty Program, a loyalty program to help contractors earn points and redeem them for print-on-demand gift cards to a variety of retailers. The program is designed to reward GenFlex authorized contractors up to two points per square foot on system warranty installations. Points are based on the square footage of the material installed and the system and membrane types.

The point system began Jan. 1, and points are accumulated on a 24-month rolling period. Authorized contractors can access their accounts at www.genflexperx.com. Contractors will be contacted by email once points are awarded with instructions about how to redeem them.

CertainTeed announces makeover contest

CertainTeed Corp., Valley Forge, Pa., has announced its annual $75,000 Exterior Living Spaces® Home Makeover Contest. The prize is $75,000 worth of CertainTeed exterior building products, including installation. To enter the contest, homeowners upload their most creative, entertaining 30- to 90-second videos to the CertainTeed Living Spaces Facebook page. The videos must explain why their homes need makeovers using CertainTeed products.

Video entries will be accepted through May 19, and a winner will be announced in early June. Video entries will appear on the CertainTeed Living Spaces Facebook page, where visitors will vote for their favorite until May 26. The top 10 videos, as selected by Facebook users, will be in competition for best overall. The winning family also will star in a series of Facebook and YouTube video webisodes about their home's makeover. Nine runners-up will each receive $500 exterior living spaces prize packages. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/certainteedlivingspaces.

In addition, CertainTeed is continuing its "Show Me the Money with No Limits" rebate program by expanding upon its 2013 Contractor's Edge™ promotion, giving contractors who use SureStart™ warranties the chance to win cash prizes. The contest's theme is the movie "Top Gun" and nine first-place winners will receive $10,000; nine second-place winners will receive $8,000; and nine third-place winners will receive $7,000. Winners also will receive an all-expenses paid trip to the annual CertainTeed five-day conference at the Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Spa & Marina, San Diego.

The promotion also offers new rebates to contractors who purchase CertainTeed products. Rebates range from $1 to $4 per square per roll and are credited to a CertainTeed Visa® debit card; Gold and Silver Contractors are eligible for an additional $1 per roll. Gold and Silver Contractors also can earn incentives with a "No Dollar Limit" promotion, receiving a $500 Visa debit card rebate for every 250 squares of eligible warranties registered.

Georgia-Pacific announces partner

Georgia-Pacific Gypsum LLC, Atlanta, has partnered with Austin, Texas-based Temple-Inland Inc., a corrugated packaging and building products manufacturer. The partnership will result in 350 employees joining Georgia-Pacific.

GAF announces giveaway winner

GAF, Wayne, N.J., has announced Frank Thompson, president of Sweetwater Builders Inc., Cranberry, Pa., won GAF's $13,545 giveaway at the 2014 International Builders Show in Las Vegas. The giveaway was $13,545 because, according to a recent survey, GAF Timberline® Lifetime Shingles can increase a home's value by an average of 5 percent; the average median price of a new home is $270,900; and 5 percent of $270,900 equates to $13,545.

Also, GAF has announced it has selected a 147-acre site in Moberly, Mo., for the company's newest asphalt roofing shingle manufacturing facility. The facility will offer more than 320,000 square feet of manufacturing, warehouse and office space. The site will be GAF's 14th shingle plant and its eighth with a four-wide laminator. The plant will employ 125 people, and operations are expected to begin by the end of 2017.

Carlisle introduces PVC line

Carlisle Construction Materials, Carlisle, Pa., has opened a new PVC manufacturing line in Greenville, Ill. The line has a variety of product enhancements, including KEE HP PVC, and is able to produce membranes up to 10 feet long and 10 inches wide; polyester- and fiberglass-reinforced PVC; and PVC membranes in a single pass.

AccuLynx opens new location

AccuLynx, Rockton, Ill., has opened a new 21,000-square-foot office in Beloit, Wis. Thirty employees will relocate from the current headquarters in Rockton, Ill., and the new space can accommodate an additional 70 people.

DaVinci announces contest

DaVinci Roofscapes LLC, Lenexa, Kan., held its 2014 "Shake it Up" Exterior Color Contest March 21-April 13. To enter the contest for a $5,000 grand prize to add color to their homes, homeowners "liked" DaVinci's Facebook page and entered by submitting digital photos of their homes' exteriors along with a 250-word description stating how they wish to "shake up" the exteriors of their homes.

National color expert Kate Smith helped judge the contest to determine five finalists. The five finalists' photos will be posted on DaVinci Roofscape's Facebook page for two weeks of online public voting from May 19 to June 1. The grand prize winner will be announced June 10. For more information, visit www.dvroof.com/1iJGZhs.

IKO offers rebate program

IKO, Kankakee, Ill., has announced a rebate program based on sales of the company's Pro4 Roofing System, a multilayered roof system. Customers will receive a rebate of $4 per square on Cambridge shingles used with any three Pro4 Roofing System components and $6 per square for IKO's premium architectural laminated shingles, such as Royal Estate, Crowne Slate or Armourshake, with any three Pro4 components. Qualifying accessories include Hip & Ridge 12; Hip & Ridge or Ultra HP ridge cap shingles; IKO Goldshield, Armourgard or StormShield underlayment; RoofGard-Cool Grey synthetic underlayment; and IKO Leading Edge Plus starter strip shingles.

Contractor news

National Roofing Partners enters partnership

National Roofing Partners, Coppell, Texas, has entered into an exclusive strategic partnership agreement with San Antonio-based Beldon Technologies Inc. National Roofing Partners will manage the call center monitoring, North American Roof Monitor™ dealer network and North American contractor installation network. Beldon Technologies and National Roofing Partners are co-branding marketing materials to work toward the successful implementation of Beldon Technologies' Roof Monitor, which measures snow loads on roofs.

Distributor news

SRS Distribution announces expansion

SRS Distribution Inc., McKinney, Texas, has announced it is expanding to four new locations: Boise, Idaho, under the Roofline name; College Station, Texas, under the Southern Shingles name; Inverness, Fla., under the Suncoast Roofers Supply name; and Springfield, Mass., under the Heritage Wholesalers name. The locations will carry a full line of residential and commercial roofing products and focus on servicing roofing contractors, remodeling contractors and home builders.

The industry online

Prolific Methods Inc. has released its new app, Pitch Gauge 3.0. The app helps calculate the sizes and slopes of roofs quickly and safely and is available for download for Apple, Android, Windows and Blackberry devices.

Capital Safety has launched its new website, www.capitalsafety.com. The site features smarter search capabilities; faster downloads; videos; news and events; featured products; popular downloads; and new navigation labels to find products, product support, training and safety resources.

VELUX America Inc. has produced a series of three informational and instructional videos. The topics include skylight replacement profit potential and customer benefits, skylight selection and skylight installation. The videos can be viewed at www.skylightoffers.com/reroofing.

GenFlex Roofing Systems has introduced its GenFlex app that is available for Android and Apple devices. The app features the company's latest technical information sheets; automatically updated saved files when changes are made; and the ability to share documents via email or by conveniently printing with a wireless printer.

Tremco Roofing and Building Maintenance has introduced the TremCode energy code app, an app to help answer questions about state-specific construction codes with up-to-the-minute International Energy Conservation Code® (IECC) information for all 50 states. The app allows users to access the latest edition of IECC, locate the climate zone for their accounts and calculate information such as the proper R-value for a proposed roofing solution. The app is available for Apple devices.

The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association has updated its website, www.asphaltroofing.org, to be mobile-friendly. The web-site can be accessed on Apple or Android mobile and tablet devices and features Technical Bulletins, Fast Facts, commercial and residential photo galleries, FAQs and videos formatted to fit the screen of the device with which they are being viewed.

TechToolBelt has introduced three mobile apps to provide roofing contractors with an easy-to-use interface backed by comprehensive programming to handle complex geometry, calculations and pricing. RoofSketchPro is a subscription-based service starting at $50 per month from www.techtoolbelt.com/roofsketchpro and enables aerial drawings, pricing, proposals and material orders within minutes. Roofing Pitchbook is a sales aid available to download from the Apple App store for $9.99. And Roof PitchFactor is a free digital slope gauge tool available on the Apple App store.

American WeatherStar (AWS) has redesigned its website, www.americanweatherstar.com, to improve navigation. The site features information about AWS products in the three core product divisions (coatings, spray polyurethane foam and single-ply), services and how to contact the nationwide network of AWS-approved dealers.

IKO has released eight new testimonial videos on the company's YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/user/IKORoof. The videos feature several roofing contractors sharing their experiences as users of IKO products.

The Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association (RCMA) has launched an enhanced Reflective Roof Rebates Database for exclusive use by RCMA members. The customized search tool helps find the most up-to-date listings of local, state, federal and utility financial incentives available for installing reflective roofs.

Affiliate news

Texas group announces award winners and board members

The North Texas Roofing Contractors Association (NTRCA) has announced the winners of its Associate of the Year and Industry Leader awards and its 2014 board of directors. The awards recognize those who have made significant contributions to the roofing industry in north Texas. The Associate of the Year award was awarded posthumously to Mike Cross, owner of Superior Equipment & Supply, Forest Hill. The Industry Leader award was awarded to Billy Evans, co-owner of Empire Roofing, Fort Worth, and founder of NTRCA.

The 2014 board officers are as follows: Craig Rainey, service manager at NRCA member Supreme Roofing Systems, Dallas, is president; Dave Custable, principal of TriVAN Roofing and Construction LLC, Southlake, is past president; AJ Huckaby, owner of Springtree Roofing and Restoration, Allen, is president-elect; and Gregg Walter, president of Independent Insurance Group, Dallas, is treasurer.

Other news

RoofPoint^cm program announced

The Center for Environmental Innovation in Roofing has introduced the RoofPoint Registered Professional (RRP) program. The program was created to develop a representative group of key roofing stakeholders who have demonstrated competency in the application of the RoofPoint Guideline for Innovative Nonresidential Roofing to evaluate individual roofing projects.

RRPs will act as ambassadors for RoofPoint, providing services to building owners, facility managers and other building designers interested in achieving RoofPoint designation. The first class of RRPs includes 22 professionals; the list can be found on the RoofPoint website under Find a RoofPoint Professional at www.roofpoint.org.

RCMA announces award winner and board members

The Roofing Coatings Manufacturers Association (RCMA) announced the recipient of the 2013 Martin A. Davis Industry Leadership Award and its new slate of board of directors. The Martin A. Davis Award, presented annually to an individual exemplifying outstanding service and contributions to the roof coatings industry, was awarded to Brian Anthony, vice president of The Brewer Co., Milford, Ohio. In addition, Anthony was re-elected to serve on the board of directors.

The following officers were elected to serve two-year terms on the board of directors: Helene Hardy Pierce, vice president of technical services, codes and industry relations for GAF, Wayne, N.J., is president; Skip Leonard, director of technical service for Henry Company, El Segundo, Calif., and Steve Heinje, technical service manager for Quest Construction Products, Charleston, S.C., are vice presidents; and Jonathan Dietzel, vice president, raw materials for The SWT Group, Windsor, Ontario, is secretary-treasurer.

PIMA sponsors solar decathlon entry

The Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association (PIMA) has signed on as a Kilowatt Level sponsor of Boone, N.C.-based Appalachian State University's entry to the Solar Decathlon Europe 2014, which will take place June 27-July 14 in Versailles, France.

Appalachian State University is one of three U.S universities selected to participate in the event, an international competition inspired by the U.S. Solar Decathlon that challenges student teams to design and build an energy-independent solar house. Appalachian State University has partnered with University of Angers, Angers, France, to create the collaboration Team Réciprocité; the team's entry is titled Maison Reciprocity. Atlanta-based Atlas Roofing Corp., a PIMA member, also is sponsoring Team Réciprocité.

Up the ladder

Atlas Roofing Corp. has named Paul Casseri product manager, residential shingle and underlayment divisions.

Kemper System Canada Inc. has named Chris Hunter Eastern Canada account executive.

Events

May

8
For Foremen Only, Level 2
NRCA
Chicago
Contact: NRCA's Customer Service Department
(866) ASK-NRCA (275-6722)
www.nrca.net

15
Roofing Industry Fall Protection from A to Z
NRCA
Salt Lake City
Contact: NRCA's Customer Service Department
(866) ASK-NRCA (275-6722)
www.nrca.net

16-18
Roof India 2014
International Trade and Exhibitions India Pvt. Ltd.
Chennai, India
Contact: International Trade and Exhibitions India's Customer Service Department
+91 98400 43691
www.roofindia.com

22
CERTA Train-the-trainer Authorization
NRCA
River Grove, Ill.
Contact: NRCA's Customer Service Department
(866) ASK-NRCA (275-6722)
www.nrca.net

23
CERTA Train-the-trainer Reauthorization
NRCA
River Grove, Ill.
Contact: NRCA's Customer Service Department
(866) ASK-NRCA (275-6722)
www.nrca.net

29
Roofing Industry Fall Protection from A to Z
NRCA
San Francisco
Contact: NRCA's Customer Service Department
(866) ASK-NRCA (275-6722)
www.nrca.net