News + Views

Construction firms receive billions in PPP loans

Construction firms received $13.7 billion in loans under the latest version of the Paycheck Protection Program, making the industry second in total loan amounts received after restaurants and hotels, which received $18 billion in funds, according to constructiondive.com. The PPP was established to help companies struggling with COVID-19 challenges by providing forgivable, Small Business Administration-backed loans to help retain employees.

SBA data released the week of Feb. 8 shows loans to construction firms made up 14% of all funds paid as of Feb. 7. Construction also was one of the top industries to receive PPP funds in 2020.

The SBA data looks at the types of businesses that received loans this year and the loan sizes. The average loan across all industries was $78,000.

About three-quarters of the companies taking money during the latest round, which began in mid-January, also received PPP funds during 2020. So far, about $104 billion have been lent to more than 1.3 million businesses in the 2021 program, which has a total of $284 billion in funds.

The SBA said second draw PPP loans also can be used to pay for mortgage interest, rent, utilities, worker protection costs related to COVID-19, uninsured property damage costs caused by looting or vandalism during 2020, and certain supplier costs and expenses for operations.

New York City employs safety credential system

The New York City Department of Buildings has launched a new credential training database built and administered by myComply, a tech company that uses hardware and software to verify safety training, according to constructiondive.com.

The new system requires more than 150,000 construction workers in the city to have myComply smart badges programmed to the database so the city will have a standardized, verifiable set of training records. The badges are programmed with each worker’s account profile, including his or her training credentials; if a worker shows up to a job site with out-of-date or expired credentials, he or she will be denied access. If a DOB site inspector identifies untrained workers on the job, the permit holder could be charged up to $5,000 per worker.

Workers were instructed to pick up their badges by March 1. Contractors will be able to verify a worker’s information in the database by scanning the badge or searching on a website. The program reportedly will be free for contractors to use though there may be initial startup fees.

Nardini S.p.A. joins NRCA’s One Voice initiative

NRCA has announced Nardini S.p.A., Treviso, Italy, has joined its One Voice initiative as a partner member.

NRCA’s One Voice initiative is a transformational approach to addressing the roofing industry’s most critical issues and concerns—with one voice—to secure its future.

NRCA invites manufacturers, distributors, architects, engineers, consultants and service providers to fully engage with NRCA, as partners, and actively address the industry’s most pressing issues, including workforce and work certification; effecting change in Washington, D.C.; building codes and insurance; and increasing professionalism in all industry sectors.

For more information about NRCA and its One Voice initiative, including a list of current One Voice member partners, go to nrca.net/onevoice.

National Roofing Week 2021 will be June 6-12!

National Roofing Week 2021 will be held June 6-12 to raise awareness of the significance of roofs to every home and business and share the industry’s good deeds.

Organized by NRCA, National Roofing Week traditionally takes place during the first full week of June and promotes the importance of hiring a professional roofing contractor and making informed decisions about maintaining or replacing any roof system.

In celebration of National Roofing Week, NRCA will host the We are Family Raffle, sponsored by A.C.T. Metal Deck Supply, Aurora, Ill. Open to all NRCA member companies, the raffle involves companies taking a group photo of all employees—their roofing family—and submitting it to NRCA for a chance to win a prize.

NRCA also will share its members’ stories through its social media outlets and Professional Roofing magazine. Members throughout the U.S. are encouraged to share their stories of charitable giving, crew and staff appreciation, and signature roofing projects with NRCA.

Additional National Roofing Week information and materials are available at nrca.net/nationalroofingweek.

Who is your roofing industry hero?

Sprick

“I’m going to cheat and pick an entity as my roofing industry hero: NRCA’s Legal Resource Center. Established in 1979 as the National Roofing Legal Resource Center, it was the brainchild of Stephen Phillips, senior partner with Hendrick Phillips Salzman & Siegel P.C., Atlanta, who presented the concept to the presiding NRCA leadership at the time—Melvin Kruger of L.E Schwartz & Son, Macon, Ga., and Fred Good, NRCA’s former executive director. These gentlemen helped further unify the association with their dedication to our industry, and I sincerely doubt any of us would run our companies the same today without their forethought and expertise.”
—Lisa Sprick, president of Sprick Roofing Co. Inc., Corvallis, Ore.

Sabino

“Wayne Tobiasson is my roofing industry hero. Wayne had all the technical answers for roofing professionals in the northern climate. Sadly, he passed away last year at the age of 81. He was an inspiration to me and always was available to assist even though he had retired more than two decades ago.”
—Nick Sabino, president and founder of Deer Park Roofing Inc., Cincinnati

Sutter

“This one is really easy for me—my dad. He had the courage to leave our hometown in West Virginia, where our family business started and was well-established, to start the Florida operation. He did that more than 40 years ago with no employees and no customers in a new town. It’s been successful ever since. The bigger reason is he instilled a work ethic for success with me and my brother and really emphasized how important it is to give back to the industry. He is a past president of the Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association Inc. and served as an NRCA director years ahead of me.”
—Brad Sutter, executive vice president of Sutter Roofing Co. of Florida, Sarasota

Roofing Day in D.C. 2021 held March 23-24 was a success! Hundreds of industry professionals met with members of Congress virtually to discuss critical issues affecting the roofing industry, including increased funding for career and technical education, immigration reform and a strong buildings component in federal infrastructure legislation. Check out highlights from the event on NRCA's Facebook page.