4 pillars for supporting roofing contractors

By Dani Sheehan. 

USG’s contractor-focused strategy shapes internal operations while consistently delivering value to the roofing industry. 

When you partner with a manufacturer, you want to know they’re invested in your success as much as their own. With over 120 years of manufacturing expertise, USG is built on four guiding pillars: customers, people, performance and commitment to future generations. In an episode of Roofing Road Trips® with USG, Vice President of Gypsum Materials Division Anson Johnson and Director of Manufacturing Jeff Grimland shared how these pillars drive everyday decisions and how they benefit contractors directly. 

A framework that drives better decisions 

USG’s team approaches every challenge with a shared lens. “We know those things, we understand them,” Anson said of the four pillars. “When we go to meet about, whether it’s product delivery or product sales, we look at it through those lenses. What do our customers need? We are laser focused on the customer.” This alignment helps the company make smarter decisions, from expanding inventory to investing in equipment, or even sunsetting underperforming products.  

Walk into any USG plant and you’ll see the four pillars in action. “This wall is a CI wall, a continuous improvement wall,” Jeff shared. “There’s a reflection process, an accountability board... and we are working diligently to stay aligned with our leadership team to all have the same focus on these items.” 

This continuous improvement mindset directly supports the customer pillar through logistics improvements like perfect order metrics, designed to measure how well USG is meeting delivery expectations. “We analyze all the numbers,” Anson explained. “There is a statistic published every month on how we're doing, green, yellow or red, in relation to the perfect order.” These statistics help them ensure they’re making the right products and delivering them to contractors in time to complete their project. “We’re committed to what our customers need, where they need it and when they need it,” Anson emphasized. 

A people-first approach to problem solving 

A company culture grounded in people, both internally and externally, also means that you can count on consistent support. Whether you’re calling the customer service team or touring a manufacturing facility, USG aims to create an open channel for feedback and collaboration. “It’s nice to pick up the phone and get a person,” Anson said. “A person who’s friendly, polite, knowledgeable and can answer questions and deliver.” 

Jeff echoed the same sentiment, highlighting how customer tours at USG facilities open the door to real conversations. “You get to learn what each other is doing and then have a conversation on how to make it better,” he said. 

Sustainability is a shared priority 

The commitment to future generations pillar is embedded into USG’s operations and long-term planning. For example, Jeff shared a recent discussion about using capital investment to help reduce water consumption in one part of the process. “It leads to less water usage, less energy and all that can be done with the same strength and performance characteristics,” he explained. “We’re partnering up with our technical resources in the company, including our innovation center to run trials and figure out the right way to do it.”  

From leadership meetings to walking the plant floor, every team member uses the same strategic framework to show up for the roofing industry. 

Read the transcript or Listen to the podcast to learn more about USG’s vision and how they stay connected to local contractors and work to meet regional needs.