Marking 40 years with new innovations

By Jesse Sanchez. 

At the Western Roofing Expo, BITEC leaders highlight company evolution and a renewed focus on contractor partnerships for 2026 and beyond. 

BITEC, a trusted name in the roofing industry, is celebrating its 40th year of business. Speaking from the RoofersCoffeeShop sound stage at the Western Roofing Expo, sponsored by General Coatings and EVERROOF,  Shane Milwood and Joel Shealey shared how BITEC is positioning itself for long-term growth and deeper contractor alignment. 

“We’ve just changed the fabric of who we are,” said Shane, vice president of sales and marketing. “Joel took us from BITEC 1.0 to 2.0, I think we’re on three or four now. But we’re having a lot of fun and planning to grow this thing to what it can be.” 

President Joel Shealey, who joined BITEC six years ago, described the company’s evolution from its roots as a modified bitumen (mod bit) manufacturer into a broad-based supplier. Joel shared, “Today, we offer pretty much every system that is out there, minus one or two. From the deck up, basically.” 

People are taking notice of this shift, the brand’s transformation turning heads on the show floor. While traffic flow to their booth was strong, Joel noted a shift in the questions coming in. “People are inquiring about specialty products, drain domes, scuppers, elastic sealants and even our walkway pads,” he said. “It’s the different little things that are garnering attention.” 

The change is a welcome one, making space for more opportunities to bring in customers and build industry relationships. Shane, who’s attended previous expos, said the industry’s family feel is still going strong, and that BITEC’s goal remains clear. He said, “Our vision is to be partnered with as many great contractors as we can and to serve them in any way possible.” 

While the company is keeping its 2026 Q1 product announcements under wraps for now, Joel confirmed there are new approvals on the horizon. “We’re really close on a couple things,” he said. “This year’s been different than last year, but we’re looking for a strong finish and a fast start.” 

Watch the full interview to learn more about BITEC’s latest innovations and contractor partnerships!