The roofing industry adapting to change

By Jonny Suchor 

How the roofing industry responds to recent global events, from innovative materials to sustainable practices. 

In an episode of Roofing Road Trips® live from the fall meetings in Nashville, Heidi J. Ellsworth had a conversation with Georgia-Pacific's Director of Commercial Den Sales, Greg HudsonGreg shares his perspective on the post-pandemic recovery and material shortages. NRCA fall meetings in Nashville, Heidi J. Ellsworth had a conversation with Georgia-Pacific's Director of Commercial Den Sales, Greg HudsonGreg shares his perspective on the post-pandemic recovery and material shortages.Den Sales, Greg Hudson. Greg shares his perspective on the post-pandemic recovery and material shortages. 

The conversation touched on the broader economic impacts and shifts back to traditional inventory management practices disrupted by recent global events. Greg’s commentary touched on the industry's challenges and adaptation in response to the disruption of traditional inventory management practices and the importance of just-in-time delivery systems. “The cost of inventory is a big deal. I had a very large national contractor tell me that we got into the supply business unintentionally. We don't like the supply business. We like the ability to call in our order within a week and deliver that material within a week. Low carrying costs, the actual delivery, storage and handling. Very important for system and product warranties as well,” Greg explained. 

“It's been an interesting year. You think about coming out of the impacts of the pandemic, the material shortage, and this run-up on roofing that was not sustainable," Greg said. “But as we transitioned into 2023, we started seeing early indicators that the industry or the market was in an overstock position.” 

Addressing the resilience of roofing materials with unpredictable weather patterns, Greg remarked on the frequency of what were once considered rare storm events, highlighting the importance of durable roofing systems. “And they used to be called 100-year storms. Now it seems like we're having them every year, and the impact of these storms is significant in dollars,” Greg emphasized. “Whether it's hail, whether it's high winds, there's so many different things that affect or impact the roof system and the impact of that on the building owner, on the contractors, on the manufacturers, etc.” 

As the discussion concluded, Greg expressed optimism about the industry’s capacity to innovate and adapt. His commentary highlighted the challenges and the resilience and forward-thinking necessary to thrive in today’s roofing industry. 

Read the transcript or Listen to the podcast to learn more about how the industry can adapt to the post-pandemic recovery and the development of more resilient materials with constant innovation.