Briefings

Contractor news

Schwickerts awards scholarships

Mankato, Minn.-based Schwickerts Inc., a Tecta America company, has awarded its Leas and Ruth Schwickert Scholarships to Robert Faulkner, Susan Fohrenkamm, Cameron Klundt, Steve Wolbeck and Xe Yang.

The annual scholarships provide $2,000 to students enrolled in Mankato-based Minnesota State University's College of Science Engineering and Technology's Department of Construction Management. Schwickerts started the scholarship program in 2006 to celebrate the company's 100th anniversary.

Roofing contractor passes away

Glen L. Spaid, co-founder of Orndorff & Spaid Inc., Beltsville, Md., passed away April 22. He was 81.

Orndorff & Spaid has been an NRCA member since 1971.

Spaid is survived by his wife Alma; children Keith Spaid, Teresa Archer, Brenda Fowler, Mitch Spaid and Todd Spaid; and numerous grandchildren, siblings, nieces, nephews and great-grandchildren.

Hamlin Energy Solutions installs rooftop energy system

Hamlin Energy Solutions, Garner, N.C., a division of the Hamlin Cos., Garner, has installed a building-integrated photovoltaic laminate rooftop solar energy system at its sheet metal fabrication plant in Benson, N.C.

The 107,000-watt solar energy system covers 24,000 square feet of the sheet metal fabrication plant's 70,000-square-foot roof system and generates 156,000 kilowatt-hours of energy per year. Excess solar power generated by the solar energy system goes into the power grid and is distributed by South River Electric, Dunn, N.C.

The energy generated by the rooftop solar energy system will result in a cash benefit for Hamlin Energy Solutions of approximately $150,000. The company will benefit from North Carolina's tax incentive of 35 percent during five years and a federal tax incentive of 30 percent during the first year.

Manufacturer news

Marathon Roofing Products has new location

Orchard Park, N.Y.-based Marathon Roofing Products has moved its offices to 3310 N. Benzing Road, Orchard Park, NY 14127. The company's telephone and fax numbers remain (800) 828-8424 and (716) 332-7676, respectively.

Firestone makes donation

NRCA member Firestone Building Products Co. LLC, Indianapolis, and Woburn, Mass.-based Eastern Architectural Representatives joined to donate $10,000 to the North/East Roofing Educational Foundation (NEREF) Inc.'s Foundation Friends Program. This is the sixth year the companies have made a $10,000 donation.

In recognition of the donations, NEREF has established the Firestone Platinum Scholarship. Scholarship recipients are chosen based on academic record, leadership and participation in school and community activities, honors, work experience, and a statement of education and career goals. NEREF plans to award at least nine $2,500 scholarships this year.

GAF Materials opens facility

GAF Materials Corp., Wayne, N.J., has opened a TPO manufacturing facility in Gainesville, Texas. The facility produces GAF Materials' EverGuard® TPO roof membranes and accessories for the company's western and southern markets.

According to GAF Materials representatives, the 185,000-square-foot facility is the largest operational production line in North America manufacturing only TPO-based single-ply membrane roofing products.

W.P. Hickman provides free fasteners

W.P. Hickman Co., Asheville, N.C., now provides free noncorrosive stainless-steel fasteners as a standard component with all its perimeter edge metal systems, which are manufactured with prepunched holes for use with the fasteners.

"Providing our customers with proper noncorrosive fasteners helps reduce contractors' liability concerns and provides building owners and architects with an increased level of security because they know the system has been installed properly," says Jeff Imes, W.P. Hickman's chief operating officer.

Mule-Hide® Products roof system is showcased

NRCA member Mule-Hide Products Co. Inc., Beloit, Wis.; Weston® Solutions Inc., West Chester, Pa.; and American Construction Metals, Beloit, have contributed energy-efficient roof systems to Smart Home: Green + Wired, Powered by ComEd and Warmed by People's Gas, an exhibit at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry until Jan. 4, 2009. The exhibit, a fully functioning three-story modular and sustainable green home built on the museum grounds, showcases new advances in sustainable living and environmentally friendly technologies.

The exhibit features a Mule-Hide Living Roof™ with Weston Solutions' GreenGrid® Modular Roof System. The Green-Grid modules are installed on top of a white 0.045-inch-thick Mule-Hide TPO membrane, which is adhered to a Mule-Hide FR Deck Panel. The exhibit also features American Construction Metals' STAYLOC™ Architectural Metal System and matching coping by American Construction Metals.

The roof systems contain recycled materials and will reduce the home's cooling costs and alleviate stormwater runoff. Exhibit tickets are available at www.msichicago.org.

Johns Manville awards contractors

Denver-based Johns Manville has awarded a Dale Jarrett Racing Adventure at the Talladega Superspeedway, Talladega, Ala., and tour of Johns Manville's new TPO plant in Scottsboro, Ala., to Ben Hutchinson IV, president and chief executive officer of Tip Top Roofers Inc., Smyrna, Ga.; Scott Howard, president of Commercial Roofing Inc., Las Vegas; and Brian Martin, president of Roberts-McNutt Inc., North Little Rock, Ark.

The winners received the prizes for placing the best times in a NASCAR® simulator located at Johns Manville's booth during the 2008 International Roofing Expo in Las Vegas.

W.P. Hickman Systems installs roof on ship

W.P. Hickman Systems Inc., Solon, Ohio, has been selected by Celebrity Cruises to provide green roof systems for The Lawn Club, a half-acre area of living lawn on the upper decks of Celebrity Cruises' four Celebrity Solstice cruise ships. The cruise ships' inaugural voyages are scheduled for this fall.

Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Solstice cruise ships each weigh 122,000 tons and can carry up to 2,850 guests. The ships' Lawn Clubs will feature practice putting greens, croquet courts, bocce ball courts, and oversized chess and checkers boards.

Versico partners with LiveRoof®

Versico LLC, Carlisle, Pa., has entered a co-marketing agreement with Spring Lake, Mich.-based LiveRoof LLC, which manufactures pre-vegetated modules for green roof systems.

"We are excited to partner with Live­Roof," says David French, Versico's marketing manager. "This partnership will extend our product offerings and promote a high-performance system that provides environmental benefits."

Up the ladder

Carlisle Residential, a division of Carlisle Construction Materials, has named Michael McAuley director of residential products. Pat McGrady has been named president of Insulfoam, also an operating division of Carlisle Construction Materials.

Charles "Butch" Dubecky has been named Englert Inc.'s Southeast director of sales.

Stevens® Roofing Systems has named Mark Buckley district sales manager for the mid-Atlantic states market in the Eastern sales region.

Other news

ARMA presents award

The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA) presented its Industry Appreciation Award to André Desjarlais, program manager for the building envelopes program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tenn., during ARMA's Spring Meetings.

"André's work has greatly influenced our industry and advanced our understanding of the whole building in real-world applications," says Reed Hitchcock, ARMA's executive director.