Why multi-ply roofing is in the spotlight

By Jesse Sanchez. 

Industry veteran says long-term performance is driving modified bitumen's renewed appeal. 

Real-world performance and long-term durability are bringing multi-ply and hybrid roofing systems back into the spotlight, according to BITEC’s Vice President of Sales, Shane Millwood. Speaking on this Roofing Road Trips® podcast, Shane offered an inside look at how shifting priorities, from building lifespan to generational preferences, are steering the commercial roofing conversation back toward built-up systems.“Built-up or hybrid roofs or some sort of multi-ply systems give you that resiliency,” Shane said. That resiliency, he explained, is becoming more relevant as institutional owners and developers think in decades, not just in terms of short-term cost savings. “When owners realize, ‘I need a roof that’s going to last thirty, forty, fifty years,’ that’s where the built-ups, the modifieds, the multi-plies and the redundancy comes back to play.” 

Shane's insights put emphasis on practical longevity. From his perspective, it's less about innovation and more about adapting proven systems to meet evolving needs. Even generational shifts are influencing product demand: “The younger generation prefers cleaner work... they don’t necessarily want to scrub off in a shower for thirty minutes to get asphalt pitch off.” Self-adhered membranes are one answer to that. BITEC’s Imperflex™ line, its self-adhered modified bitumen system, is already offering a cleaner, more user-friendly alternative while retaining the multi-ply protection contractors still value. 

Shane suggests the industry isn’t abandoning single-ply systems, it’s simply broadening the conversation. “That shift to single-plys is not going away. A large percentage of redundancy is coming back. When I say redundancy, that’s multi-plies.” With market pressures, building code changes and end-user expectations all in play, the choice of roofing system is increasingly about long-term strategy. And BITEC, with 40 years of modified bitumen expertise, sees that as a lane where it can lead. 

Read the transcript or Listen to the podcast to learn more about the resurgence of multi-ply roofing and how BITEC is adapting to industry shifts!