The rise of metal roofing: A durable solution for modern challenges

By Jesse Sanchez. 

Explore how metal roofing is meeting the demand for sustainable, weather-resistant building materials in a changing world. 

In this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, host Megan Ellsworth sat down with Melissa Dunson, senior manager of marketing services at Central States Manufacturing, to discuss the growing prominence of metal in the roofing and construction industries. 

Citing data from research firms and industry trends, Melissa explained, “Metal and composite is forecasted to grow in roofing where a lot of other types of materials are, they're projecting that they'll either shrink or that they will stay the same.”  

As a leader in metal manufacturing, Central States has carved out an impressive niche. Starting as a small operation with a single machine in Arkansas in 1988, the company has grown into the largest geographic provider of metal components in the U.S. “One little company right here in Northwest Arkansas with one little plant, with one little machine has now grown to the geographically largest metal manufacturer in the country. So we have 11 plants, two more are going to launch next year,” Melissa shared. Yet, despite this growth, the company remains committed to its core values of quality, customer service and employee ownership. 

One standout feature of Central States is its 100% employee-owned model, which Melissa says creates a unique company culture. “You have this 100% employee ownership model where every single person of those 1,400 employee owners is all thinking like an owner and taking the responsibility to say, ‘Hey, I’m going to do whatever’s necessary to build the business and to take care of my customer,’” she explains. 

Melissa also shares how metal roofing systems are being increasingly adopted in hurricane- and hail-prone regions. “There's a reason that coastal areas and areas where they experience lots of severe weather, I don't just mean hurricanes, but hail are typically the areas in which there's a lot more openness and demand for metal roofing.”  

Read the transcript or Listen to the podcast to learn more about how this giant is transforming the industry one roof at a time!