IRE 2026 is almost here!

By Emma Peterson. 

What to expect from this year’s international roofing expo.  

The International Roofing Expo (IRE) is the premier and largest expo dedicated to the roofing industry. Whether you’re a contractor or industry professional, IRE is the place to be! With countless education sessions, networking events and booths on the trade show floor, IRE offers unmatched opportunities.  

This year’s show begins on January 20, and we are already counting down the days! If you’re attending, make sure to stop by our booth to say hello to the Coffee Shops crew (booth can be found in the trade show lobby) as well as our industry friends, like Terial (booth #1665), A.C.T. Metal Deck Supply (booth #2131), Equipter (booth #4231), All Weather Insulated Panels (booth #1601) and Latinos En Roofing (booth #5461). For those still deciding whether or not to get a ticket, we sat down for an episode of Roofing Road Trips® with Brandi McElhaney, IRE show manager, and Rich Russo, IRE director, to learn why this year’s expo is a must-attend for any roofing professional!  

One of the biggest changes coming this year is the addition of a new exhibitor program! Brandi explained, “We’re very excited about our new program, IRE First Look. It's a specialized exhibitor participation program for those new to the market. So, it helps businesses new to the roofing sector, showcase their solutions through efficient, cost-effective exhibits that, while smaller than traditional booths, create a great way to get your foot in the door.” 

Additionally, this year’s show will feature an expansion of the exteriors offerings. Brandi shared, “We've doubled the size of our exteriors pavilion, which is dedicated to the exterior product categories and home improvement, windows, solar doors and siding. for 2026. We’re also partnering with SRS on a pro contractor pavilion education area that will showcase exterior products.” This dedication to building out the show’s exterior products sector comes as a response to past contractor feedback. Rick explained, “This is something that came out of one of our focus groups a couple of years ago when we asked the industry, ‘What are you looking for?’ We had some contractors come up to us and say, ‘Hey, we want to expand our roofing business, but we’re not sure how.’ So, we created the pro contractors pavilion as a space for those roofing contractors that want to expand their businesses to learn how to expand their businesses into new categories.” 

And last but not least, the IRE team has worked to make their offerings even more accessible with Spanish language support! Not only do they have their Spanish education track, but they have incorporated a tool that can translate non-Spanish offerings for Spanish-speaking professionals. Brandi explained, “We’re using Wordly. It’s a program that you basically just scan a QR code when you walk into the room and the program translates English to Spanish or vice versa. We want everyone to get the most out of the show, and this is part of making that possible.”  

Listen to the whole podcast to learn more about IRE 2026.