Innovation Drives the Roofing Industry

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The innovation in the roofing industry never ceases to amaze me. While some roofing materials, such as a slate roofing tile, haven’t changed in centuries, every year brings new innovations in roofing products, tools and safety equipment. We spotlight some of the year’s most interesting and innovative products in our annual Top 40.

Some of the innovations are driven by changes in codes, regulations and standards. Examples include Georgia-Pacific’s DensDeck StormX Prime Roof Board, a high-performance gypsum roof coverboard that is classified for use in approved assemblies meeting FM Global’s Very Severe Hail Standard. Owens Corning’s FOAMULAR NGX (Next Generation Extruded) insulation was designed to meet or exceed stringent new environmental regulations that went into effect on January 1, 2021. Green Link Engineering’s Knucklehead Stanchions and new Mechanical Support Products were developed for situations in which local building codes require that equipment such as air conditioning units be elevated off of the rooftop.

Sometimes new products are born because someone was determined to solve a problem or find a better way to accomplish a task. For example, Carlisle SynTec Systems introduced ReadyFlash Technology for its polyiso insulation products. The insulation boards feature a dark-colored facer on one side and a light-colored facer on the other. Applicators can choose which side of the board to use to help offset environmental variables affecting adhesive flash-off. Marco Industries developed the Python WeatherTite FlexFit 3-in-1 ridge vent, which features a patented design that allows field conversion from a 12-inch to 10-inch or 9-inch ridge vent cap. The Heated Urethane Low-rise Adhesive Kart (HULK) from 4C’s Spray Equipment features a 110-foot heated hose that reduces the amount of time crews must spend moving hoses, barrels and pumps on the rooftop.

The goal of making the jobsite safer has driven numerous innovations in safety equipment. The SteepSeat from Kain Built is a cable suspension walk board system for steep-slope roofing. Developed by a roofing contractor, the system requires no nails or fasteners; using ridge hooks and steel cables, the system can be set up in minutes and walk boards can be easily repositioned. And, if you have a jobsite without an overhead anchor point, now you have the option to just wheel one in. The X500 Free-Standing Anchor mobile fall protection unit from Malta Dynamics offers a 360-degree rotatable arm with a 20-foot-high overhead anchor point, providing tie-off for fall protection.

These are just a few of the innovative products featured in this issue. For more on these and the other products in this year’s Top 40, just turn to page 59.