Tackling labor shortages with clever innovations

By Jesse Sanchez. 

Discover how to overcome labor shortages with groundbreaking efficiency solutions. 

In a recent Coffee Conversations® from RoofersCoffeeShop®, host Heidi J. Ellsworth dives into product innovation and labor savings in the roofing industry. Joined by Wesley Sherrer from Hunter Panels and Tom Rhoads from Carlisle Construction Materials, the conversation explores how these companies are addressing industry challenges through innovative solutions. 

Wesley, who has over 25 years of experience in the construction industry, shares insights into his role at Hunter Panels. He describes the company's focus on bringing products throughout their entire lifecycle, expressing the importance of supporting customers in the field. "Ultimately at Hunter, I'm responsible for bringing products from ideation all the way to launch and support for customers in the field," Wesley explains. 

Tom, the Western regional manager for Hunter Panels, manages a sales team across the Western U.S. Tom discusses his experience and his role to give background on where he places his priorities. "Most of the time I'm spending my time working with my reps out in the field. I interface a lot with contractors, distributors and architects all through the Western U.S.," Tom notes. 

The discussion shifted to the labor shortage and its impact on product innovation. Wesley explains, "We have struggled to find enough labor to install the square footage of materials required to meet our growing population." He elaborates on how Hunter Panels addresses these challenges by developing products that save labor and improve efficiency. 

Tom adds that the labor issue is one of the top concerns for contractors today. "This labor issue is really in the top three concerns contractors have right now," he states. He cites factors like declining birth rates and an aging workforce as contributors to the labor shortage. 

Hunter Panels has introduced several innovative products to combat labor challenges. One such product is the Redi Flash, which helps manage adhesive flash-off times based on temperature. Wesley explains, "Redi Flash provides contractors with a light-colored side and a dark-colored side of our insulation boards to speed up or slow down adhesive flash-off." 

Read the Transcript, Listen to the Podcast or Watch the Webinar to learn more about roofing industry efficiency solutions!