Connecting the dots

As W. Edwards Deming once said: "A system is a network of interdependent components that work together to try to accomplish the aim of the system. A system must have an aim. Without the aim, there is no system."

In the roofing industry, there are various "systems" that have a common aim: providing roofing services to customers nationwide. Two of these systems, Tecta America Corp., Skokie, Ill., and Nations Roof LLC, Lithia Springs, Ga., encompass many divisions throughout the U.S. Although both organizations own all their division companies, Tecta America's companies retain their respective names and identities. In contrast with these two companies, RoofConnect is a Dallas-based professional roofing trade organization comprising independent commercial roofing companies throughout the U.S.

But how do these organizations communicate and coordinate among their various divisions? How do each system's components work together to meet its aims?

Tecta America

Tecta America is one of the largest roofing companies in the U.S. The company has 29 independently operating divisions and more than 50 locations, allowing it to provide a range of commercial and residential services throughout the U.S. (For a complete list of Tecta America's divisions, see "Tecta America divisions," page 38.) The company is led by an eight-person management team and a board of directors.

Tecta America was formed in 2000 when 10 U.S. roofing contractors consolidated to combine their expertise and resources and offer a single source for all their customers' needs—installation, asset management and maintenance—nationwide. Each company would retain its identity and control of its operations, as well as its ties to its local community, but would have access to the more advanced resources of a large national roofing company.

In any organization, communication is key; however, communicating effectively can be tricky when a company has multiple divisions in different locations. Tecta America employs numerous communication methods to overcome this obstacle.

"We have an Enterprise Resource Planning System, which is a fully integrated management information system implemented across all our operating units," says Mark Santacrose, Tecta America's president and chief executive officer. "Each division manages its customers and projects locally through the system, but our corporate office can access all the project information, as well. We also have a Customer Relations Management System that allows us to share information about our customer relationships."

Additionally, Tecta America sends Tecta Briefs, its bimonthly newsletter, to all its operating units. The newsletter typically features seven or eight columns focusing on important roofing industry-related topics.

"We also have an intranet site—Tecta World—that offers a lot of general information, as well as more specialized information for employees in various functional areas of the company," Santacrose says. "Tecta World contains educational information about green roofs, solar installations, new products, code of conduct information and more."

Because Tecta America has locations throughout the U.S., it is able to offer its customers a broad range of services; however, these services require strong coordination among Tecta America's divisions.

TectaResponse, Tecta America's disaster-response program, is one such service. TectaResponse provides customers with pre-disaster agreements and on-site repair crews and service personnel within 48 to 72 hours after a disaster occurs.

"All our national accounts, as well as many of our local and regional customers, have pre-established disaster-response agreements," Santacrose says.

Because its divisions are located throughout the U.S., Tecta America is able to inventory and hold materials near disaster zones, as well as send workers to sites quickly to assist in disaster areas.

"Three days before a hurricane touches down, we start tracking the hurricane and mobilizing our crews so they can position themselves to enter the disaster area," says Joe Junia, Tecta America's corporate sales manager. "We use the closest operating unit to a disaster area as a place to store our materials."

If a major disaster occurs, Tecta America has the resources to pull personnel from various U.S. regions to help with repairs and operations.

"We are the single owner, and there is an element of corporate control that comes with that," Santacrose says. "Because we are a single entity, we can commit to our customers. If we have to, we can pull 300 employees and commit them to a region. We don't have to ask for volunteers."

To ensure Tecta America's 29 divisions operate according to the company's standards, the company provides various training programs and opportunities.

"We do a lot of training," Santacrose says. "We train our sales and estimating employees and conduct national, regional and local safety training. We conduct CERTA Train-the-trainer programs and train our safety managers so they can conduct local training.

"We also routinely run webinars internally," Santacrose continues. "Each webinar is 45 minutes long and focuses on a specific topic."

For some webinars, Tecta America requires all its divisions and employees to participate. If a new immigration policy is being enacted, for example, Tecta America would track attendance to ensure all human resources employees attended the webinar addressing the issue. However, if the topic is a new sales tip, Tecta America would make the webinar available simply as a resource.

"Webinars have been quite helpful, particularly during these economic times," Junia says.

Nations Roof

Nations Roof is another roofing company with divisions throughout the U.S., allowing the company to serve regional and national customers. Nations Roof owns all its locations, and the business unit presidents are owner-partners in the company.

To provide its regional and national customers with a single point of contact, Nations Roof offers its National Service Center, which can be contacted for any service needed. The National Service Center, which is at the center of the company's operations, is available 24 hours per day, seven days per week, 365 days per year. If the center receives a service request, it is dispatched to a local business unit for follow-up.

"Opportunities to evaluate buildings, bid projects, etc., happen at the individual business units," says Rick Langheim, president of Nations Roof South, Lithia Springs. "But the National Service Center facilitates all opportunities and identifies which unit would be responsible for an opportunity."

Like Tecta America, Nations Roof also is able to provide a disaster-response program for its customers. The company calls its customers before a storm to offer its services, or customers can contact the National Service Center to discuss their concerns about their properties.

"Our National Service Center and National Sales and Marketing Association make building owners aware of our disaster services program and important contact information," Langheim says. "If a disaster occurs, our National Service Center dispatches a crew from the unit closest to the site. We often are prepared for potential disasters and already have locations identified where crews are likely to be dispatched."

Customers who have facilities in critical locations or have multiple facilities can go one step further with Nations Roof's Disaster First Response Program. Through this program, a customer meets with a Nations Roof representative to develop a customized plan. Nations Roof then sets up an in-house plan with its nationwide offices to form a recovery team dedicated to the customer's facilities. A system with a back-up plan is devised to ensure communication between the recovery team and customer.

To ensure there is a standard of service and consistency among its divisions, Nations Roof focuses on its employees' training.

"All our locations receive the same training, and there are a number of corporate processes in place to make sure we establish consistency in education and training throughout our offices," Langheim says. "We have a corporate safety and training manual available at all our offices. Also, Nations Roof's chief operations officer makes sure Nations Roof's processes are the same at all its locations and performance at all locations meets Nations Roof's standards."

Additionally, Nations Roof has several in-house Occupational Safety and Health Administration- (OSHA-) certified trainers who conduct OSHA 10- and 30-hour programs for Nations Roof employees, as well as safety consultants who supplement the OSHA courses and help Nations Roof develop job-site safety plans and OSHA compliance.

"In terms of materials and systems—torch safety, heat welding, kettle use—we offer courses through OSHA or manufacturers who offer training and certification for their products," Langheim says. "We work with manufacturers to make sure our key personnel and managers are trained to install their systems. We also offer crane operator training certification. We provide commercial driver's license training to certain employees and help them get their licenses."

RoofConnect

RoofConnect is another professional roofing trade organization—but it is managed differently from Tecta America and Nations Roof.

Consisting of more than 60 independent commercial roofing companies throughout the U.S. (which are listed in "RoofConnect member companies," page 39), RoofConnect is a nonprofit organization operating similarly to an association; member companies pay dues based on their size but retain ownership of their businesses and remain financially independent. In return, the member companies have access to a network of resources, services, technologies, materials, information sharing and communication.

RoofConnect focuses on emergency roof system repairs, maintenance and reroofing and also performs specialty projects that require nationwide labor availability. One of its primary goals is to better serve large national accounts.

Managed by a nine-person executive committee, RoofConnect's members are required to adhere to a code of ethics and meet numerous requirements to be considered for membership.

"We have a pretty stringent list of requirements," says David Workman, RoofConnect's president and chief executive officer. "Companies must have been in business for at least 10 years. They must be financially stable; RoofConnect has the right to audit. And NRCA membership is a big requirement—they must be NRCA members.

"The biggest requirement we have is a company must be dedicated to providing service 24 hours per day, seven days per week, 365 days per year," Workman continues. "The company must demonstrate that it is committed to such service and has an established plan to deliver it."

Additionally, a company must have a separate service department and full safety program, as well as adequate insurance coverage and bonding.

RoofConnect's 27 founding members must unanimously approve the potential member company. When a new member company is approved, it must sign a confidentiality agreement and host a site visit from RoofConnect's quality-assurance team.

RoofConnect handles training of its member companies quite differently from Tecta America and Nations Roof.

"RoofConnect's customers have various requirements, so we conduct periodic training for our members to meet those requirements," Workman says. "Regarding safety training, safety obviously is important, and some of our customers have certain safety requirements for the member company performing work. But our members are established. They have been in business for a long time and are NRCA members, so it is their responsibility to conduct their own safety training.

"RoofConnect does, however, have the right to ask for a copy of a member company's written safety plan, which we require all our members to have," he continues.

And, similar to Tecta America and Nations Roof, RoofConnect's nationwide network allows it to offer its customers a disaster-response resource; RoofConnect calls its program a Severe Weather Resistance Team. RoofConnect works with its customers in advance to develop a disaster-response plan and is able to guarantee a quick response from one of its member companies.

"We have what we call 'customer service areas,'" Workman says. "Each member company has a customer service area for which it is responsible. So when a disaster occurs, the customer calls RoofConnect and we coordinate to have our members take care of our customers who are located nearest to them."

Setting a standard

Tecta America, Nations Roof and RoofConnect differ in their structures but appear to have a common aim: to offer the best services to roofing industry customers through a network of members working together. And these organizations seem to be achieving their goal.

However, there is another common aim evident among these organizations: the desire to set a higher standard for the roofing industry. These companies offer training and educational resources to their employees and place emphasis on the importance of staying connected. They not only strive to provide services nationwide, they strive to provide exceptional services.

Ashley St. John is Professional Roofing's associate editor.

Tecta America divisions

Anthony Roofing, Aurora, Ill.
Blackmore & Buckner Roofing LLC, Indianapolis
CEI Roofing California, Rancho Cordova
CEI Roofing Colorado LLC, Denver
CEI Roofing Texas LLC, Dallas
Central Roofing Co., Minneapolis
Construction Services, Amarillo, Texas
Cyclone Roofing LLC, Indian Trail, N.C.
Delta Roofing LLC, North Billerica, Mass.
F.J.A. Christiansen Roofing Co. Inc., Milwaukee
General Works Roofing, Sanford, Fla.
General Works of Tampa, Tampa, Fla.
Greenberg Roofing Co., Grand Forks, N.D.
Illinois Roofing LLC, Naperville
Lavey Roofing Services Inc., Santa Ana, Calif.
Magco Inc., Jessup, Md.
Murton Roofing Corp., Miami
J.P. Patti Co. Inc., Saddle Brook, N.J.
Patti Roofing LLC, Belleville, N.J.
Potteiger-Raintree Inc., Glen Rock, Pa.
Roofers Inc. LLC, Baltimore
Schwickert's of Mankato Inc., Mankato, Minn.
Standard Roofing, Glendale, Ariz.
Stock Roofing Co. LLC, Fridley, Minn.
WeatherGuard Roofing Co., Schenectady, N.Y.
Weiss & Woolrich, Deerfield Beach, Fla.
Western Roofing Service, San Leandro, Calif.
WRS Seattle, Redmond, Wash.
The Zero Co., Cincinnati

RoofConnect member companies

Advanced Roofing Inc., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Alva Roofing Co., Edmond, Okla.
B&M Roofing, Frederick, Colo.
Binghamton Slag Roofing, Binghamton, N.Y.
Boone Bros. Roofing, Omaha, Neb.
Bradford Roof Management, Billings, Mont.
Burns & Scalo Roofing, Pittsburgh
Canopy Roofing Systems, Briarcliff Manor, N.Y.
Central States Roofing, Ames, Iowa
Clark's Quality Roofing Inc., Murray, Utah
Clark Roofing Co., Broadview, Ill.
CM Henley Co., Knoxville, Tenn.
Commercial Roofers Inc., Las Vegas
Commercial Roofing & Waterproofing of Hawaii Inc., Honolulu
Commercial Roofing LLC, Albuquerque, N.M.
D&D Roofing & Sheet Metal Inc., Sparks, Nev.
Dalco Roofing & Sheet Metal Inc., Plymouth, Minn.
Diamond Roofing, Dodge City, Kan.
E. Cornell Malone Corp., Jackson, Miss.
Eberhard Benton Roofing, San Diego
Fort Roofing & Sheet Metal Works, Sumter, S.C.
Fort Roofing of Charleston, Charleston, S.C.
Fryer Roofing Co. Inc., Fresno, Calif.
F.J. Dahill Co. Inc., New Haven, Conn.
Gooding, Simpson & Mackes Inc., Ephrata, Pa.
H. Klein & Sons Inc., Mineola, N.Y.
Hamlin Roofing Co. Inc., Garner, N.C.
Harness Roofing Inc., Harrison, Ariz.
Harold J. Becker Co., Dayton, Ohio
Henry C. Smither Roofing Co., Indianapolis
Hester Roofing, Sacramento, Calif.
Highland Roofing, Louisville, Ky.
Ideal Roofing & Sheet Metal Corp., Long Island City, N.Y.
IRC Group, Lewiston, Maine
James Myers Co., Beltsville, Md.
J.D. Miles & Sons Inc., Chesapeake, Va.
Jim Giese Commercial Roofing Inc., Dubuque, Iowa
John F. Shea Co. Inc., Mattapan, Mass.
John J. Campbell Co. Inc., Memphis, Tenn.
J.T. Cazeault & Sons of Plymouth Inc., Plymouth, Mass.
Kirberg Co., St. Louis
Langer Roofing & Sheet Metal Inc., Milwaukee
Lawson Roofing Co. Inc., San Francisco
Lowe Roofing Inc., Whitewood, S.D.
Lydick-Hooks Roofing Co., Lubbock, Texas
Marton Roofing Industries, Houston
The Melanson Co. Inc., Keene, N.H.
Midland Engineering Co. Inc., South Bend, Ind.
National Roofing & Sheet Metal Co. Inc., Burton, Mich.
Perry Roofing Contractors, Gainesville, Fla.
Pioneer Roofing, Phoenix
Quality Tile Roofing Inc., Boise, Idaho
Rain Proof Roofing LLC, Anchorage, Alaska
Roof Technologies Inc., Harvey, La.
Security Roofing, Kaukauna, Wis.
Snyder Roofing & Sheet Metal Inc., Tigard, Ore.
Stone Roofing Co., Palmdale, Calif.
Supreme Systems Inc., Dallas
Target Roofing Inc., Devil's Lake, N.D.
Tip Top Roofers Inc., Smyrna, Ga.
Upstate Roofing & Painting Inc., Rochester, N.Y.
Western Pacific Roofing Corp., Palmdale, Calif.