Western Roofing Expo Wisdom: What Experts are Seeing on the Tradeshow Floor

By Cass Jacoby. 

Experts are taking note of the industry’s renewed focus on technology and training at WRE this year. Gain their insight on what this means in this LIVE! Coffee Conversations episode! 

In a new LIVE Coffee Conversations episode at the Western Roofing Expo, Heidi J. Ellsworth meets with a panel of industry leaders and experts from the western region of the country. Sponsored by EVERROOF and General Coatings, this podcast features Vice President of Duro-Last Tim Hart, Will Lorenz with General Coatings and EVERROOF, owner of Levello Construction Lee Lipniskis and owner of  Matrix Roofing and Home Solutions Wendy Marvin. This panel shares their wisdom straight from the tradeshow floor.  

Walking around the Western Roofing Expo, these experts are highly attuned to what major trends they are seeing on the tradeshow floor: a new emphasis on training and technology. 

The tradeshow floor is full of new innovations that promise greater efficiency to contractors. “I noticed that in the show this year that there's a lot more software than there's been before,” says Tim. “We have an emerging leaders’ group, and so those young contractors come out and talk about all of the electronic apps and everything that is available that is so much different than what we've seen in the industry before. It's exciting to talk to people bringing fresh new ideas to the market.” 

The roofing industry has long been stuck in the old ways of doing things, however, at this show it is clear that the future has come to roofing. Technology in roofing is evolving the industry for the better.  

“I'm seeing a lot of technology that I'm super excited about too,” agrees Wendy. “I'm seeing a lot of innovation and technology not necessarily from just the computer standpoint, but from installation standpoints like new types of trash shoots, and new types of distribution kind of things.” 

Technology isn’t the only space where the industry is changing, our panelists are also noticing a renewed verve for training. “Everybody wants to get their workforce up another notch. They want them to do better work, be more efficient, and they want folks to be happier, to have a better career because they've trained,” says Will. “And so being a part of the RCMA, the Roof Coating Manufactures Association, our training program is another key step to provide roofers an opportunity to get their workforce up another notch.” 

Lee, attending WRE as an owner of her own construction company and contractor for the first time, says that this show for her is all about striving to be better. “My thought process is how can I be more efficient in what I'm doing? And within those efficiencies are both of what you said is the training, the product knowledge,” says Lee. “And also technology, which is huge right now for us and helping us be more efficient in the field. So that's my thought process...how can I streamline my workflow and be able to have better output with technology and training?” 

This renewed sense of improving the industry through education and innovation is palatable at WRE. It is clear that the industry is striving to be the best it can be and taking any opportunities that can help move the industry into the future. 

Listen to the podcast to learn more about what these experts saw on the tradeshow floor and for their opinions on the current and future state of the industry. 

About Cass  

Cass works as a reporter/writer for RoofersCoffeeShop, AskARoofer and MetalCoffeeShop. When she isn’t writing about roofs, she is putting her Master degree to work writing about movies and dancing with her plants.