Will Lorenz - The Best Show for Sprayfoam - PODCAST TRANSCRIPT

Editor's note: The following is the transcript of a live interview with Will Lorenz of General Coatings. You can read the interview below or listen to the podcast.

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Heidi Ellsworth: Hello and welcome to another Roofing Road Trips from RoofersCoffeeShop. My name is Heidi Ellsworth and we have a fun podcast today. We are going to be talking about spray foam, and I have to tell you, it up and coming, it has been a staple in the industry for decades, if not longer, but it is a product that is doing things on the roof that people just didn't even realize. It has been amazing throughout the material shortage, and it is on some of the premier projects in the country. So we wanted to talk about the upcoming SprayFoam Convention that is going to be in Las Vegas this first week of March 2024. So we invited our very best friend, Will Lorenz from General Coatings to join us to talk about it. Will, hello?

Will Lorenz: Well, thank you Heidi. I'm looking forward to participating here. General Coatings is the manufacturer of spray foam roofing, and we'd love to tell everybody about the benefits of what it can provide as a waterproofing insulation material on roofs.

Heidi Ellsworth: Yeah, it's so great. So Will just, if you could, introduce yourself a little bit and tell us just a little bit more about General Coatings.

Will Lorenz: Sure. Well, I've been involved with polyurethanes and spray foam for decades. I go back into the eighties, getting into polyurethanes and sold some of the raw materials back in the nineties. And then I've been involved in the spray foam business with a couple of entities for at least the last 25 years, and been involved with General Coatings now for almost 11 years. So I'm very excited to be a part of this great organization. It's a family run company, owned by the Gupta family, and they're just great people to work for.

Heidi Ellsworth: I saw you all at World of Concrete, or actually I didn't see you Will, but I saw the booth, I saw the Gupta family. You've been everywhere, World of Concrete, IRE, the International Roofing Expo. Really bringing a lot of great stuff to the industry. And so one of the things that I was wanting to hear from you is just really the current state of the spray foam industry. What are the trends, developments that you are seeing that is just really driving the growth of spray foam?

Will Lorenz: Sure. Well, spray foam comes in two different categories. You've got the insulation materials that are used in houses and inside commercial buildings, and that business is just going exponential and does a great job of air sealing and insulating buildings so they can save energy. And then on the spray foam roofing side, it's been a steady market. I think it's emerging. Again, it was pretty flat, I would honestly say for many decades, but it's now picking up again. Spray foam roofing provides that seamless monolithic waterproofing performance there as a system, so it really does a great job of keeping the roofs dry and not letting water in. We've got some exciting projects that we've been doing recently that highlight it for new construction as well as a recover system, so it's quite versatile.

Heidi Ellsworth: We're going to see one of those projects when we're in Las Vegas. We've seen it, we've been over there, we've talked to you about it, but it really is the major entertainment round location in Las Vegas. And I have to tell you, it really shows how flexible and how spray foam can work on so many different projects. And when you're talking about spraying a whole round, huge sphere, that's pretty incredible.

Will Lorenz: It is, yes. Madison Square Garden has the iconic sphere there, and that is the entertainment mecca, I think, of the world. And of course, it's in Las Vegas and they've got U2 there. And so it's a place that everybody wants to go to. And several years ago they needed a great roofing system to waterproof and insulate it, and they needed something that could be available and perform. As you might recall, we had a little problem in Covid with a lot of construction materials, but spray foam was readily available and we were fortunate that the design team, we and our contractor partners chose spray foam as the material to put on there and the installation went great, and it's been the success and it's actually been up there almost a year and a half now, and it's doing a great job.

Heidi Ellsworth: Hard to believe, hard to believe. But spray foam, I mean, when we're talking about the state of the industry and just the overall benefits, I know in talking to contractors, especially in Las Vegas, that spray foam is used on a lot of buildings in Vegas, Phoenix. I mean, I know it's used everywhere, but it's really been a popular solution for energy savings.

Will Lorenz: That is correct. Yeah. When you have a roof, let's say an existing roof and you've got a built up or modified roof on there, and the roof itself is in fairly good condition, but the end of its service life and maybe the building down below doesn't have much insulation, spray foam's just that ideal choice. It provides an ability to keep that building at a more constant temperature by adding a couple of inches of spray foam on top of it and it restores and waterproofs that roof so you can get another 20 years of lifespan out of your initial investment in the roof without having to do a tear off and start over or have to go to the latest building codes.

Heidi Ellsworth: Yeah, I mean to get the amount of installation that the building codes are requiring.

Will Lorenz: That's correct. Yeah. I mean, what I always try and tell people is spray foam is the material that's being used inside of your refrigerator. Polyurethane foam is the product that keeps your refrigerator performing both as a freezer and a refrigerator. So operating on a roof is right up its alley. It's a stable product and doesn't readily absorb water and it sticks to everything. And so it's just a great seamless system to put on a roof.

Heidi Ellsworth: And it's fun to watch. I mean, we have contractors who have been providing spray foam roofs systems for decades, like we just said, for a very long time. But we also have a number of roofing contractors that are just learning about it who maybe are newer to the industry and who are seeing the benefits of spray foam. And so that's where the SprayFoam Expo, 2024 Convention and Expo really is important. I mean, this is a chance for people to learn more about this material and really how to incorporate it in their business and how to sell and grow with spray foam on the roof. So let's talk a little bit about the SprayFoam Expo. You've been going for a long time, Will. Talk to us about, it's such a great association, SPFA, great people. When we were there last year, I was just overwhelmed with the community. So maybe give us a little bit of flavor about the expo.

Will Lorenz: Sure. Well, it's in Las Vegas coming up in just a couple of weeks here. It's that first week of March and it's going to be at the Westgate Hotel and Convention Center. And the convention center has both opportunity for people to do education and attend various classes about polyurethane foam, roof coatings, insulation materials, best practices for contractors, as well as opportunity to get trained under the FPFA's PCP program. And then of course, there's a dynamic expo there where many suppliers are there showing off their wares, showing off their equipment, showing off the capabilities of spray polyurethane foam in just many applications. We focus on spray foam roofing, but there's many opportunities for polyurethane foam as a concrete lifter, as an air barrier, as an insulation material and of course spray foam roofing.

Heidi Ellsworth: Yeah, last year when I was at the awards ceremony, I was blown away of all the different use cases and the awards that they had there. And I also was really impressed with their training. And you are such an advocate for training. You are always the one out front promoting it, whether it's SPFA or our CMA, the Roof Coating Manufacturer Association. So that's the thing about contractors who want to attend this convention and expo can really, I mean, they're going to learn about things, but they're also going to get trained and certified, right?

Will Lorenz: That's correct. Yep. If you're willing to show up there and sign up, there's an opportunity for you to take a variety of courses. And depending on whether you're in the roofing or the installation segment, you can move up the ladder from initial applicator all the way up to someone who's got field application credentials and be a project manager. So it is really what you bring to the table and your willingness to learn, we can get you certified and trained so that you can show off your expertise to your clients and to building owners and differentiate your business as a highly responsible spray foam contractor.

Heidi Ellsworth: And speaking of contractors, Will, we have a very special event that you initiated and I was like, "Yes, me, me. Let me be involved." That is, we have put together between you and I, a contractor panel that is going to talk about bringing spray foam into the business and how they use it, how it's a part of their offerings, and also sharing not just with other contractors, but also with the industry overall, some of their opportunities that they're seeing and what they think. Talk a little bit about this contractor panel. I'm really excited about it.

Will Lorenz: Well, I think it's something that's of a great strategy to hear how people who are very successful in this industry put on a roof system, satisfy the clients that they have and highlight their benefits and also differentiate themselves in the marketplace. And we've got four great companies coming, Las Vegas Commercial Roofers, we've got Arizona based Tecta Roofing, we've got California based Central Coatings, and we've also got Southern California based CI Services. And they're all leaders in the marketplace, and they know what they're doing with spray foam. They know how to do roofing. They're all experts in doing other roofing systems. So why they chose spray foam and why they're invested in the business is really extremely knowledgeable for manufacturers, for other contractors and for just industry people in general to learn because they're doing it because it works and because it's a profitable business and their clients are well satisfied.

Heidi Ellsworth: Will, and we've done this before with roof coatings. We've had these contractor panels. You and I have worked on them before, and I always learn, and the contractors learn from each other too. It's always a win-win-win, but really the audience, when they come out of that, everybody has nuggets to take back. It doesn't matter if you're a contractor, manufacturer, distributor, everyone is learning from this conversation that these contractors are having back and forth with each other because no matter how much questions we put together and plan and practice, things come out that you don't even expect.

Will Lorenz: I agree. I mean, they've all had to deal with difficult circumstances, maybe a roof that they got up there and they had made some assumptions or they had tested it this way and then they found out after they peeled off a layer or two that they've got to do something different and they're all agile and they're able to use spray foam to solve those problems. If they had to build in some slope, they had to address ponding, if they've had to incorporate it around a number of penetrations and perimeters that they need to seal up. Well, spray foam has been that solution, but many of those folks here with their expertise have learned the tricks of the trade, how to do it really well and then end up with a roof that can be warranted for a 20-year period and with low risk to either the building owner or to them or to the manufacturer that it's not going to perform. So it's really got an excellent proven history there.

Heidi Ellsworth: It does. It does. And like you said, these are contractors who are at the top of the industry, so professional, and they're just going to bring, I think, a great viewpoint as we go through that, just so everybody knows it's March 5th at 10:00 AM at the Westgate. So if you're coming to the SprayFoam Convention, which you should, be sure to come to the contractor panel because you're going to want to see that. So-

Will Lorenz: Heidi, I'd like to just also comment that these folks aren't shy. These are bold men who are going to tell it like it is. And so you've got an opportunity to maybe ask a question if you're in the audience, but I know Heidi's questions are going to press them a little bit, but they're not going to hold back. They're going to tell you what they think of foam, they're going to tell you what they think of the business that they're in and what manufacturers, what suppliers need to do, what other people need to do to be successful. And it's really that crystallization of a hard truth of what spray foam can do. And so when a manufacturer or a contractor generally gives a presentation, they try and do things to put everything in the best light. These guys are just going to tell it like it is. And fortunately for us, spray foam is a great system, so it's going to be a very fruitful conversation.

Heidi Ellsworth: We always like to get our contractors telling it exactly what they think, and they are seldom shy. So one of the things, Will, I want to go back a little bit. You talked a little bit about it, the Convention, the trade show floor, but I would love to just hear from you 'cause you're out there every day, you're talking to contractors all over the country. You are the person who really understands all this. What are some of the advancements or changes or new equipment? What are some things that you're seeing out in the industry that you think might be at the expo that contractors can learn more?

Will Lorenz: Sure. Well, our spray foam industry has been very adaptive to federal regulation. Over the 30 years that we've been involved and the industry has grown, we've had to change what we call the blowing agent component in there that provides the insulation value. And we've changed it now onto our fourth time here. And so we've got the leading cutting edge in the industry with HFO technologies that are out there. And so this year is the year of transition. Many states have transitioned to HFOs, but some have not. But the federal mandate for the change to HFOs occurs at the end of 24. So everybody will be showcasing their HFO technology, which has been in place and proven in California for several years.

We've been doing it probably four or five years now, but other states haven't. And so that new HFO technology offers a lot of benefits of being low GWP, so it's more environmentally friendly and also, as I see in the marketplace, it has a higher R-value performance and generally better yield on the foam. So I think it's a technology that everybody should embrace, both from an environmental standpoint and also from a business standpoint. It's just a great foam out there.

Heidi Ellsworth: It's nice when those two things meet.

Will Lorenz: Exactly. Many times we've gone through changes and government regulations comes with a plus, and then also a challenge for the industry to have to work through and improve our formulations with other alternatives. But in this case, the HFO is really a great foam and it does a fantastic job of expanding and sealing up all the cracks and forming a layer of insulation that just doesn't find a way of getting water through it. Many other roof systems have seams and penetrations that are required to have to do a lot of extra work, but spray foam, it's a self flashing material and seals around it really well, and it's just difficult to get water to come into a spray foam roof system. It's just an excellent performer.

Heidi Ellsworth: Which is so important, so important. What about equipment? Will contractors and attendees to the SprayFoam Expo have an opportunity to look at some of the newest equipment?

Will Lorenz: They will and spray foam, SPFA has a close relationship with an organization called Spray Foam World Wide, and they actually have an event coming on that Monday where they're going to be showcasing rigs, and then I think they even have three giveaway rigs. So it's pretty fantastic that a contractor could show up at their event, and I think the announcement is actually going to be happening at the SPFA Expo, but you have an opportunity to submit your name and see if you can win one of these three rigs, which are, I mean, they're all, in my mind, they're worth at least $80,000 if not a hundred plus thousand dollars a piece.

Heidi Ellsworth: Wow.

Will Lorenz: Great things there that the industry is trying to do to promote spray foam and give people an opportunity to really jump in. I know from our perspective, we're very interested in seeing not only training, but also more market acceptance, more market adoption of spray foam. So we're going to be out showing off the benefits and trying to encourage some people to come to our party on Tuesday and go to see the MSG sphere, the event there that we're going to be running as General Coatings.

Heidi Ellsworth: So let's talk a little bit more about that. Tell us a little bit more.

Will Lorenz: Yes. Well, I mean, you can't do a roof of an amazing entertainment center without saying, "Hey, come join us and have a good time." So we have a number of tickets, five tickets that we'd like to give away on RoofersCoffeeShop for just listening to this podcast. Then we have another 75 tickets available if you want to come by the booth and tell us that you're interested and we'll try and hook you up so you can go to the show. They have an amazing Postcards from Earth presentation, and if you don't know anything about the sphere, look it up on YouTube. I mean, it's a bedazzling experience on the outside as well as the inside. And so we're looking to let people know that these type of entertainment buildings can be done with spray foam, but as a consumer, you can go in and enjoy them too.

Heidi Ellsworth: That is awesome. So it's Tuesday night, stop by the General Coatings booth on the show floor to see if you can get a ticket, but we are going to be giving five tickets away. And so it's really simple. You just listen to this podcast and you'll go in the podcast notes, and also you'll find this under the contest in games, you'll find it on the General Coatings directory. You just click and go and fill out a form on the landing page, and you'll be able to be in the drawing for maybe winning one of those tickets to go this sphere. So exciting.

Will Lorenz: Well, thank you for helping make that happen, Heidi. I know that nothing like going to a fabulous adventure with RoofersCoffeeShop and seeing how wonderful it is, and every time we do a giveaway with you, whether it's been training programs or something exciting like this, they've been a big success. And I know that the people that have attended have gotten great value out of it. So thank you for partnering.

Heidi Ellsworth: Oh, thank you. We're so excited. Tim and I are going to be there, and we're going to be having our own booth. So RoofersCoffeeShop and Coating's Coffee Shop will be there. And we will be getting video, we'll be on YouTube, but then we're going to also, like I said, between now and then we're going to be promoting this podcast giveaway. So we want everyone to enjoy and have fun and really the most important thing, learn about spray foam and how to incorporate it into your business. I think between the contractor panel, between all the classes and courses and breakouts that the spray foam show has, and now I just didn't know about the equipment on Monday. I'm really excited about that. Well, I love equipment and seeing how it works and everything. So does Tim.

So with all of this, this really is an opportunity for contractors. So you still have time to get your registration in. Like we said, it's in Las Vegas. That's an easy flight, easy rooms. This is the show at the Westgate that you want to be at. Will, thoughts on, I mean, one of the last things I want to talk about, because this is the opportunity to do it at these kind of shows, but the importance of contractors attending these shows and then collaborating and working with manufacturers like General Coatings to really take their business to the next level.

Will Lorenz: Yes. Yeah. Well, generally, I would say this, the important partnership first begins between you as a contractor and your client. And what we do is we're providing service and support and products to you, an important contractor. So we want to give you the tools and the products to meet the demands that your customer wants. The partnership begins because you are successful, and we have products and systems that are fire classified, that provide excellent longevity, that provide sustainability, waterproofing, insulation value, all the things that you need for a building owner who's concerned about keeping his roof and his building watertight and performing long-term.

And so General Coatings with our ultrathin line of spray foams and then our acrylic silicone and urethane roof coatings that go on top of it to protect and provide a UV reflective services is the system that you need to consider, whether it's a new construction or a retrofit or recover over an existing roof system. And we have the options of making it a very cost-effective solution with regard to recovers to the most code compliant, stringent materials that meet Factory Mutual and the performance there. So a diverse set of capabilities for you.

Heidi Ellsworth: And where you can learn all about it, of course, is at the SprayFoam Expo, but you can learn about it 24/7 and get this incorporated into your business by simply going to RoofersCoffeeShop and visiting the General Coatings directory where we have all this information articles and a way to get in touch with Will and his team so that you can start incorporating this, really changing your business. Or if you're only doing a little bit, how do you do more?

Will Lorenz: Exactly. Yep. If you're looking to get into niche where you think the traditional roof systems may not be the right solution, and that was the case in the MSG sphere where that curved roof structure needed something that could bond and adapt to that unique surface, spray foam worked amazingly. But I also say on traditional low slope roofs, because of the ability to fill in those low spots, because you're able to provide positive drainage because you're able to ensure that there's no ponding, spray foam is an ideal choice for those just flat roofs, which everybody needs to waterproof.

Heidi Ellsworth: Exactly. Exactly. And energy efficiency, everything you need right there. Will, I am so excited to see you in Las Vegas. Thank you so much. Thank you for this great contest. Everyone, please go to that landing page, fill it out, get to the spray foam show, and get to the sphere. This is going to be fun. We will see you there. Will, thank you so much.

Will Lorenz: Thank you, Heidi, indeed.

Heidi Ellsworth: And everyone, thank you for listening. Again, please visit the General Coatings directory and learn more about what's going on. Also, SPFA has a full directory too, and we have information about the spray foam show there so you can get everything that you need. Also, be sure to listen to all the podcasts under the read, listen, watch navigation under Roofing Road Trips. For our new favorite podcast channel, be sure to subscribe and set those notifications so you don't miss a single episode, and we'll be seeing you next time on Roofing Road Trips.

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