Beacon announces partnership with Renovate Robotics

Renovate Robotics expects to debut Rufus, a robot that installs asphalt shingles on residential roofs, in New Jersey and Pennsylvania later this year.

Beacon (Nasdaq: BECN), the leading publicly-traded specialty wholesale distributor of roofing, waterproofing and related exterior products, announced today a strategic investment and partnership with Renovate Robotics — a pioneer in roofing automation. 

Renovate Robotics, based in Brooklyn, New York, is the leading startup developing autonomous roofing robots with a focus on making roofing safer and more productive for contractors. Their first robot, Rufus, installs asphalt shingles on residential roofs and is expected to launch with contractors in New Jersey and Pennsylvania later this year. 

“This technology has the potential to disrupt the roofing industry where labor is the scarcest resource, and we are excited to be an early partner that can help shape its development,” commented Julian Francis, Beacon’s president and CEO. “Renovate Robotics’ mission perfectly aligns with Beacon’s focus on safety and efficiency, and we look forward to incorporating their advanced robotic technology [across our national distribution network] to better serve our contractor customers.”

“Residential roofing is a $60 billion industry with a broken labor system that can be addressed with robots. We are on a mission to reduce accidents and fatalities, protect homes and businesses from severe weather and accelerate solar deployment,” commented Andy Stulc, Renovate Robotics’ CEO. “We are thrilled to have Beacon join Saint-Gobain and CertainTeed as partners. Beacon’s technology-enabled approach toward distribution will accelerate our launch this year, and we look forward to working with Beacon to improve safety and productivity for contractors in the roofing industry.”

About Beacon 

Founded in 1928, Beacon is a publicly-traded Fortune 500 company that distributes specialty building products, including roofing materials and complementary products, such as siding and waterproofing. The company operates over 580 branches throughout all 50 states in the U.S. and seven provinces in Canada. Beacon serves an extensive base of approximately 110,000 customers, utilizing its vast branch network and diverse service offerings to provide high-quality products and support throughout the entire business lifecycle. Beacon offers its own private label brand, TRI-BUILT®, and has a proprietary digital account management suite, Beacon PRO+®, which allows customers to manage their businesses online. Beacon’s stock is traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker symbol BECN. To learn more about Beacon, please visit www.becn.com.

Original source: Beacon Roofing Supply