Uniting industry giants for a stronger future

By Jesse Sanchez. 

The consolidation of leading metal brands under one name marks a major shift in the roofing and building industry. 

In this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Heidi J. Ellsworth sat down with Jay Jacoby, director of sales for Fortify Building Solutions, to discuss the motivations behind this strategic move and what it means for contractors and customers moving forward. The roofing and metal building industry saw a significant transformation in 2024 with the unification of three major brands — Heritage Building Systems, Metal Depots and Reed’s Metals — under the newly launched Fortify Building Solutions, a division of Cornerstone Building Brands. The move aims to streamline operations, enhance service and create a stronger, more recognizable brand in the market. 

“We saw that alignment while also seeing them all play in different geographic markets,” Jay said. “And with that opportunity, when you're talking end users, you're talking smaller contractors, having a unified brand, there's just a ton of value in that.” 

The newly formed Fortify brand seeks to leverage the strengths of its three legacy companies, each of which brings unique advantages to the table. Metal Depots, with its strong presence in Texas, New Mexico and the East Coast, offers a wide array of products backed by NBCI’s manufacturing network. Meanwhile, Reed’s Metals has built a reputation for rapid service, with its same-day and next-day material turnaround making it a preferred choice in the Southeast. Heritage Building Systems rounds out the trio, bringing expertise in pre-engineered metal buildings, mini-storage solutions and rigid-frame construction. 

“One thing that we found between them, and we saw a ton of opportunity, was the market that they primarily played in when we talk customer profiles,” Jacoby explained. “Each of those three brands primarily work with, as I mentioned, end users, small contractors. They're not really going after the big dogs.” 

With an eye on 2025, the transition to Fortify Building Solutions is expected to bring increased efficiency, improved service for contractors and a greater ability to meet the growing demand for metal roofing and building solutions. While the industry faces challenges such as supply chain disruptions and rising costs, the newly consolidated brand hopes to provide a seamless and simplified experience for customers. 

Read the transcript or Listen to the podcast to learn more about how Fortify Building Solutions is reshaping the metal roofing and building industry, streamlining services for contractors and setting the stage for future growth!