“Everything looks rosy,” report economists and industry insiders alike in Metal Roofing’s 2024 State of the Industry forecast. Drexel Metals’ very own National Sales Manager, Brian McLaughlin, contributed to the annual report, stating, “We see continuing opportunity. The metal roofing industry is interesting as no manufacturer has market share. Instead, it is a fragmented regional industry with many players. And while some are viewing 2024 as bearish due to rising interest rates (there may be some truth to that), activity in bid work and design work remains strong.”
This industry forecast gives fabricators the opportunity to make some big moves. Against this backdrop, there’s never been a better time to consider becoming a certified regional manufacturer. An often-overlooked benefit of fabricating and installing metal roofs is that regional manufacturing transfers the production of the metal roof panel from the traditional “brick and mortar” factory to a local service area or a project site. Taking this think-local approach offers roofing companies a variety of benefits.
As a regional manufacturer, a roofing contractor will have access to domestically sourced raw materials that are consistently durable, good-looking and delivered on time. This one-stop-shop mindset eliminates having to source steel and aluminum from various suppliers whose quality may differ. Sourcing roofing materials from one supplier also helps ensure that a project will stay on schedule, as the contractor no longer has to track down multiple shipments from different parts of the country.
Certified regional manufacturers have access to the latest metal roof fabricating equipment, which means they can receive metal coil and sheets on site and roll them to the desired profile then and there. This allows suppliers to ship materials more efficiently (reducing the carbon footprint of the purchaser and the materials) and with a lower risk of damage along the way. In turn, a roofing company can receive materials in days instead of weeks and without the hassle of having to replace materials that may have gotten damaged during transport. Both of these advantages can help reduce lead times to keep a project on or ahead of schedule.
Pre-formed panels can be limited to certain sizes. And when they are trimmed on-site to fit a project’s exact dimensions, installers can be left with excess material that likely will not get used. On the other hand, contractors who receive coils and sheets directly from a national supplier will not accumulate an excess number of unused profiles. Instead, they can make the profiles they need and save any leftover materials for their next project. The freed-up storage space allows contractors to invest in a larger range of coil materials and colors to provide more options to customers. Not only does on-site roll forming help maximize yields on material purchases, but it is also more sustainable.
When a roofing company is certified to manufacture Drexel Metals products, it can focus on doing what it does best – building local market connections and long-lasting roofs. Drexel Metals, in turn, supports the business’s end goals by taking care of the “other” stuff. For example, small roofing companies who partner with a national supplier like Drexel Metals can count on back-office support, with further benefits being awarded to Drexel Metals Plus members. This added assistance improves a roofing fabricator’s ability to provide quality service, giving contractors more time in front of their customers.
Have questions about becoming a certified regional manufacturer? Let’s talk.
