Showcasing liquid membrane leadership

By Jenny Yu.  

Sika’s presence at IRE 2026 underscored the growing momentum behind liquid-applied membranes. 

At the 2026 International Roofing Expo, Sika Corporation showcased its liquid membranes, demonstrating the company’s proactive approach to meeting market trends. Sean Fraker, national manager for Sika’s roofing division specific to liquid-applied membranes, spoke with Karen Edwards about how Sika is leading the charge for the industry.   

“We offer everything from acrylics and silicones to single-component urethanes, polyureas, PMMAs (polyurethane-modified methyl methacrylates) and a couple of other things that we're experimenting with as the as the roofing world changes and has different demands,” Sean shared. “That's our focus this year.”  

The roofing world is indeed changing, with the liquid-applied membrane segment growing every year. “Freedonia just released this year's report with expected growth at 7%. Do that five, six years in a row — it’s a rapidly growing market,” Sean said. “A lot of people are spending time recovering versus replacing. So, if you want to be in the market and you want to play, you’ve got to have a good line of liquids, and we do.” 

For contractors looking to expand their offerings to include liquid-applied membranes, Sika is ready to help. With over 100 salespeople across the United States, Sika has a robust system to prepare contractors and takes training seriously. “We make sure contractors have the skillset, the crew and the basic equipment. Then, we go through a series of training,” Sean explained. “Some of the technologies require specialized equipment and application methods, so we've got an experienced technical staff for that training.” 

With liquid’s many attractive features and benefits — from sustainability, energy efficiency and availability in just about any color — Sika’s booth during the Expo saw a steady stream of visitors. “It’s been jam-packed,” Sean said. “We had 40 people scheduled in the booth, and all of them left exhausted. We did a lot of talking.”  

Watch the interview to learn more about Sika’s liquid-applied membranes!