Standing out with TAMKO

By Emma Peterson. 

Understanding the industry’s history and the technology behind it can help you close deals with clients. 

Finding a way to stand out in the fast-paced and large market that is the roofing industry can be a difficult task. But there are many ways contractors can show clients why they are the best option for the job, starting with the materials they use. Heidi J. Ellsworth hosted Melissa Dunson from TAMKO for a Read Listen Watch® (RLW) to talk about picking the shingle that’ll get you the job.  

One of the first things Melissa explained was the origin of the shingle as we know it today. Original asphalt shingles were developed around 1903. Melissa explained, “Previously there was rolled roofing and they were coated with granules, and then around 1903, a guy cut them into pieces. After that came the development of the strip shingle and then elite glass seal, then three-tab shingles were developed.” At the same time as these different styles of shingles were hitting the market, the development process behind the scenes was also experiencing changes. Melissa described, “It's really fallen out of favor today, but at that time we used an organic paper that was made from old rags and recycled paper, they smashed it all up and then that was coated with asphalt and granules were added.” 

Today, we’ve come a far way from those shingles. Melissa explained, “You've seen whole lines of shingles being brought forth that have different higher levels of performance and features that not just benefit end users like property owners, but also roofing contractors.” For example, those granules that were used to coat the organic mixture decades ago used to only come in a standard black. Today, contractors can present a variety of color options and blends to clients to help them close a deal. Melissa elaborated, “It used to be black shingles or maybe brown, if you were lucky, but now there's so many amazing colors and there's reds, there's greens and golds and it just creates so much more dimension on the roof and it fits a much wider range of types of homes and colors of homes.” 

Another big development comes from the functionality of the shingles. One example is the shift surrounding the size of nailing zones. Melissa explained, “At TAMKO we have an anchor lock layer in this zone. It is a proprietary polyester fabric that we use. It's a two-inch strip and we embed it into the common bond of the backside of the shingle while the asphalt is hot and wet and the whole thing binds together.” This builds more security in the shingle’s attachment to the roof and better protects the home. 

Read the transcript, Listen to the podcast or Watch the Webinar to learn more about what newer shingle technology can help you!