LIVE from IRE 2025 with SOPREMA! - PODCAST TRANSCRIPT

Editor's note: The following is the transcript of a live interview with Mark Dees of SOPREMA. You can read the interview below or watch the recording.

Karen Edwards: Oh, and welcome back to the Coffee Shop Sound Stage. My name is Karen Edwards, and we are coming to you live from the International Roofing Expo in San Antonio, Texas. And I am sitting here with Mark from Sima. Welcome. 

Mark Dees: Thanks, Karen. Appreciate it. 

Karen Edwards: Yeah. Um, first of all, I know we got a lot of great stuff to talk about, but would you just introduce yourself and tell everybody out there a little bit about what you do at Prima? 

Mark Dees: Sure. Uh, my name is Mark Dees. I'm the Vice President of National and Strategic Accounts, and, uh, I've been with Prima 13 years. I am celebrating my 35th year in this wonderful industry. 

Karen Edwards: Wow. Congratulations. Thank 

Mark Dees: You. 

Karen Edwards: You get in and you just never leave. Right. 

Mark Dees: You, you don't leave. That's right. And, and coming to the NRCA show, it, it grabs you even more when you see the excitement and the knowledge base and all the people that make this, uh, industry so great. 

Karen Edwards: Well, coming. As long as you've been in this industry and coming to the IRE, you've probably seen the show really been growing over your lifespan in the industry. 

Mark Dees: Tremendous. Yes. 

Karen Edwards: Yeah. 

Mark Dees: And despite the consolidation that we've had o over a number of years, it still is growing and it's as vibrant as it was 35 years ago. 

Karen Edwards: Yeah. Even 

Mark Dees: More vibrant now. 

Karen Edwards: Yeah. Even more. I would agree with you. Well, let's talk about what Sima is. Well, besides these fun little Rubik cubes, right? Oh my gosh. You gotta go by the Sima booth to pick one of these babies up. I'm afraid to turn it though, <laugh>, because I dunno if I'll be able to solve it, but what, what are you guys celebrating at the show? 

Mark Dees: So, one of the things that we're celebrating that we're really proud of, uh, it's kind of a little bit unusual in our industry, is that we've got a membrane called Sora Lane that is celebrating 50 years, uh, in the marketplace. Wow. And that's, uh, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty substantial amount, track record. 

Karen Edwards: So tell me a little bit more about that product. What it, 

Mark Dees: So, Sora Lane is a SBS modified Bitman membrane. So it's a sheet that we use in our two ply systems. Uh, there's a base sheet and a cap sheet and, uh, it was started of our, our company was, uh, started as a family company, started in 1908. And this is one of the products, uh, many years ago they developed. And, uh, it's, it's basically fundamentally the same as it was 50 years ago. However, we do do a couple different things. Uh, for instance, we have a collaboration with 3M 

Karen Edwards: Yes. 

Mark Dees: And we have a smog reducing granule that we put on it. Oh, yeah. So that's, if you have anybody's interested in sustainability, that's something that's, uh, interesting. So you've got something that's lasted a long time as far as a waterproofing sheet, but it also has some of this new innovative solutions 

Karen Edwards: And being around for 50 years, it's tried and true. Right. 

Mark Dees: Tried and true. That's, that's exactly right. That's exactly right, Karen. 

Karen Edwards: All right. So that is really exciting. Congratulations on that. Thank you. Um, what else? 

Mark Dees: Um, well, we've been growing, uh, organically, but also buying companies. Yes. And one of the great things, you know, we could talk all day about solutions, but one of the proudest things, one of the biggest assets we have is our people. 

Karen Edwards: Yeah. 

Mark Dees: And so, when we, um, purchase companies, uh, what we really purchase is the people and the culture, uh, that they have. And we, we, we, we bring them along and we learn from them and they learn from us and we develop a culture. 

Karen Edwards: Yeah. 

Mark Dees: Uh, that is second to none. 

Karen Edwards: I love that you put the people and the culture first, 

Mark Dees: People first. 

Karen Edwards: Wow. That's 

Mark Dees: Exactly right. Yeah. 

Karen Edwards: Wow. That, yeah. It makes, it matters. It matters so much. And, um, you know, the people make the company and the culture, you also makes the company. So that's really good to hear. 

Mark Dees: And, and and I think it's important that cultures are never finished. You, you'll never, you, you never stop developing a culture. Uh, it's important to continually work on that. And I, and I think, uh, when you get the right people, they understand that and it's top down and bottom up too. It's, we're all in it together. 

Karen Edwards: Good. Excellent. All right. So, um, what are, this is day two of the IRE. So yesterday was really busy all around. Um, what kind of conversations are you having with, with people in your booth? What are they interested in? 

Mark Dees: Um, it, it, it's been an exceptional turnout, by the way. We've had really good traffic. Yeah. Uh, just great, despite the weather, we, we've had, oh, it's freezing. Maybe, maybe the weather's helped us because it'll be staying in and not 

Karen Edwards: Wondering. That's right. 

Mark Dees: Um, but we, we, we've really had some, some good conversations. I've been lucky enough that, um, uh, once again, uh, Supreme is very serious about, uh, volunteering and, uh, collaborating and integrating into the industry. So we spent a lot of time with the NRCA. Yes. 

Karen Edwards: And 

Mark Dees: I was lucky enough, uh, to, to meet contractors in our booth. But also, um, I was at the, uh, NRCA round table, uh, today, this morning. Oh, 

Karen Edwards: How was that? 

Mark Dees: It, it was great. And, and the subject matters. Um, you know, a lot of generational roofing contractors that wanna learn how they can, you know, go from generation to generation strength, uh, there was discussions about that. So that was interesting to talk about. Uh, we also talked about some of the things that NRCA does for the contractors, some of the programs that are out there, which are, you know, um, amazing. The, the kind of support they're, yeah. And, and one of the, the, the greatest things that speaking to a roofing contractor today was that, um, I was mentoring, um, one of the NRCA Empower Scholarship Oh, yes. Winners. And Nathaniel out of Branson, Missouri, um, was talking with me. And I cannot tell you, he was one of those younger generation people in the family business and he was so energetic and excited to be here, to be part of the industry. And it's just, so one of the things you get by coming to this show and to go to some of the seminars and conferences, uh, that we're having, is you get the sense of the excitement of this next generation and what they're gonna be doing for our industry. And, 

Karen Edwards: And so Supreme is plugging into that to make sure that we've got and our marketing team, we have a new booth, a wonderful new booth out there, so we're proud to show that, but it just demonstrates the youth and what type of great things they're doing for our company and also our and you guys give scholarships, don't you? 
 

Mark Dees: We do. Every year we give, uh, um, I think, uh, five or six scholarships. Uh, and, uh, if you go on our website, you'll see the information. So we, yeah. We, we, we believe truly in giving back by action, not just words. 

Karen Edwards: Right. You're, you're not just talking the talk. You're, you're walking the walk, you know, to be a little cliche. 

Mark Dees: Yeah. 

Karen Edwards: But I love what you said about the excitement and the energy and the enthusiasm, because I sat in on the student competition this morning. 

Mark Dees: Oh, you did? Oh, yes, that's right. 

Karen Edwards: Oh boy. Oh, those kids did such a good job. 

Mark Dees: Yeah. Our our industry is, is in a great place and it's gonna get better and better, but at the end of the day, doesn't matter about Solu solutions matter, products matter, but it's all about the people. 

Karen Edwards: Yeah. 

Mark Dees: It's, it's the people. Yeah. And the culture. It's, 

Karen Edwards: Wow. Well, we'll, I'll have to try to get by your booth and, um, check out the new, the new digs. 

Mark Dees: Great. Yes. Yeah. And you get another one of these. 

Karen Edwards: No, that was enough. I'll drive myself crazy with that. Oh, wow. Thank you so much for being here, mark. Thank you, Karen. It was a pleasure to, to hear about what's new, what's happening in your booth, what's happening at the show. And, um, we have all day today left and a little bit tomorrow. So if you are coming out to the show, be sure to stop by. Tell, uh, Marky saw on YouTube 

Mark Dees: <laugh>, make sure you go to Supreme, do us and see the wonderful products and and solutions that we have for you. 

Karen Edwards: And if you don't remember that, just come on to Roofer's Coffee Shop. Saima has a full directory on there with all their contact information, product information, and more. Thank you all for tuning in today. Stay tuned though, because we are gonna be broadcasting all day long until the show ends at five o'clock local time. Hope to see you next time.