Roofing Road Trips Podcast: Wayne Altizer

By Lauren White, RCS Reporter.

Topps continues to be successful with roof coatings and multi-use cleaner.

The Vice President of Topps Products, Inc., Wayne Altizer, has been in the roofing industry for 25 years.  Wayne is helping to grow the 30-year-old company, which recently changed ownership.  With a seamless transition in 2018, Topps was able to retain all of their employees, which is rare.  Wayne speaks with Heidi J. Ellsworth, RoofersCoffeeShop® partner, about how quickly contractors can get trained in roof coating application, Topps’ incredible employee retention, and how the company has responded to the coronavirus.  

For the last few years, roof coatings have seen tremendous growth in the industry.  Wayne attributes this to contractors and building owners becoming more comfortable with and understanding the value of a high-performance roof coating.  “They [contractors] are seeing that they can get the same quality roof as they normally would with say a membrane for example, without the expense, the waste, the disruption of business, everything that goes along with the tear off,” Wayne explains.

Typically, it only takes one job to get fully trained in using Topps roof coatings.  The training includes a classroom exercise and hands-on exercises, but Wayne shares that, “we know it’s important to go beyond that and actually go out to the job site and show these crews the proper way to install the coating.”  They’ll even come out to the second and third job until contractors and their crews are comfortable with installing the product. “By providing support for your contractors in your customer base, everybody wins. It’s a positive experience for the contractor and the building owner,” according to Wayne.

With a turnover rate that is nearly nonexistent, Topps has great success in retaining employees.  Wayne shares, “We work really hard to keep them [employees] happy and listen to their concerns and when they’re valid, we put action behind it and we do it quickly.”  

The company relies on digital means of communication to stay connected with their customer base.  Their use of technology has helped tremendously during this pandemic as employees transitioned to working remotely.  Topps is constantly emailing, calling, and talking to their customers. “We feel like we’re business partners with them, which we are because our success depends on their success,” Wayne reveals.  “Talking to our customers is one of the highlights of my job...You get to see them grow their business while simultaneously growing yours and it’s just a win for everyone.”

Not only is Topps able to continue helping their customers, but they found a way to help fellow Americans during this pandemic as people face shortages of cleaning supplies.  Topps discovered that their MultiUse Cleaner™ can be used for interior cleaning when diluted.  “A concentrated formula, when diluted 1 cup of cleaner per 1 gallon of water, meets the CDC recommended guidelines for total bleaching agents for cleaning solutions to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.  When mixed this way, one 5 gallon pail will net about 80 gallons of cleaner.” 

Topps is dedicated to supporting, training, and communicating with their customers.  And in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, they have managed to find a way to provide much needed cleaning supplies.  While the company is now under new ownership, they are still coming up with fresh new ideas and diving into new market segments.

Listen to the podcast to hear more about roof coatings from Wayne.  Check out the RoofersCoffeeShop® podcast page for even more.