PABCO’s commitment to contractor success

By Emma Peterson. 

Ryan VanDelft and Eric Johnston share how contractor-first education and partnership drive PABCO’s operations.  

Headquartered in Tacoma, Washington, PABCO Roofing Products are known for premium asphalt roof shingles. But their work goes far beyond the products that they sell. The team at PABCO is not only dedicated to innovating best-in-class roof solutions but helping their customers succeed in their business goals. To learn more about this commitment, Megan Ellsworth caught up with Eric Johnston, PABCO’s division sales leader, and Ryan VanDelft, PABCO’s general manager, while at the 2026 International Roofing Expo for a conversation about their company philosophy.  

At PABCO, the goal can be summed up to “bring[ing] together the capabilities of a national manufacturer with the care, service and accountability of a trusted local business.” This commitment can be seen in their openness to feedback. Eric explained, “When I started, I got to hit the road for six straight weeks and really talk to our contractors. It was super eye-opening and enlightening, and we were able to take some immediate action because of that, like redoing our brochures and enhancing our website, as well as start some longer-term projects to help them.” 

The longer-term project that Eric is referencing is the relaunch of PABCO University. Ryan shared what they are trying to do with this program:  

I've been a contractor for many years working with my dad, and everyone must wear many different hats. You’re not just a roofer; you’re the sales manager, maybe the finance manager or any number of other roles. And so, one of the challenges is finding a way to integrate all these different things within your day-to-day activities and stay effective. What we’re working on doing with PABCO University is taking some of those hats off. Whether its sales and marketing or finance and strategy, we’re trying to build a program that helps our contractors be more successful in running their businesses.  

Eric added, “With PABCO University, we’re specifically focused on helping our clients with basic business aspects. It’s not just how to go sell PABCO shingles. We really want to help them in their business.” Because at the end of the day, PABCO’s philosophy is simple: When their roofers win, the PABCO team wins.  

Hear more from Eric and Ryan about PABCO and when to expect the launch of PABCO University!