By Emma Peterson. 

From testing regulations to tariffs and workforce gaps, learn about the major challenges facing our industry and how we can rise to meet them. 

While at the 2026 World of Concrete show, Heidi J. Ellsworth of CoatingsCoffeeShop® had the opportunity to host a special Coffee Conversations®! This session featured a panel of professionals including Ray Rizzi of Tremco, Joe Harnois of Atlantic Builders Supply Northeast, Steve Little of KPost Roofing and Waterproofing, Jeff Walls of Innovative Chemical Products and Kevin Cummings of Polycoat Products. With backgrounds spanning across the coatings world, this incredible panel was perfect for the job of sharing their insights into the current challenges facing the industry.  

Testing 

Kevin opened the conversation by highlighting the need for more comprehensive and ubiquitous testing. As products continue to change and advance, so must the skills of the individuals using them in real-world applications. He explained, “One issue that I see is getting back to some sort of coordination on testing so that, as a group, we can all agree on what testing is important in relation to how systems actually perform on buildings.” Jeff echoed that point, adding, “We have similar challenges in manufacturing...It is really key this year that we find that balance of optimized quality of product and optimized quality of work...Testing is huge part of that.”  

Tariffs 

In addition to the challenges of updating testing standards, Jeff noted how the constantly changing tariffs and the resulting unstable market are a continuing challenge for coatings professionals:  

Across the industry, we're certainly challenged by the inconsistency of tariffs...But I think a key to overcoming this is communication...As a manufacturer, I need to be able to go to my distributors and say, ‘Hey, you know what? It's going to be a small price increase for a little while.’ Then I have to be honest enough that when we're not in the face of that, we bring it back down. And that way, when he passes on to a contractor, if we all work together, we can weather it together. 

Workforce 

Another challenge that’s no stranger to the conversation was the aging workforce, a concern that has continuously grown in relevancy over the years. Steve shared, “People that are really subject matter experts who grew up in this industry are aging out and we're starting to lose some really credible resources.”  

This is something that Joe has seen as well. He noted, “In the Northeast, in the concrete industry, the average age is 63 years old and one of the biggest issues is that those professional don’t have a succession plan...Going back to how this is all a partnership, we can do our best to come out with the best products and all this jazz, but if a great amount of our workforce just ages out, we’re all in trouble.”  

Timelines 

The other challenge that was brought up was related to timelines and work cycles. Ray explained, “In the Northeast, we have winter from November to basically March. It means our work cycle is small. That’s why it’s so important that we, as a manufacturer, develop innovative products to make the lives of our contractors easier and to also maintain the quality of the installation.” Kevin shared a similar sentiment, explaining, “That’s part of why we developed our two-component, fast-cure coating systems – to extend the time that the installers can install.”  

Conclusion 

Overall, 2026 will present some tough challenges for all professionals in the world of coatings. But this is a tough industry, full of professionals who are ready to rise to the challenge. Invest in your people and foster partnerships within the industry. Steve added, “Invest in your employees. The difference between all the products that are available and all the ways to get the products to it are the people that are installing them and doing the work.” 

As Ray noted, “Everything in the industry is a partnership, all three ways, from the manufacturer, to the contractor, to the distributor. All of us are all in the same game, we're all going to play and figure out a solution out together.” 

Watch the recording from the show to hear more of these panelists expert insights!

By Emma Peterson. 

From prestigious industry awards to major mergers, here are the top ten stories kicking off the year. 

We might only be one month into 2026, but it’s already been a busy year! From trade shows like International Roofing Expo (IRE) and World of Concrete (WOC) to industry-shaking mergers and investments, a lot has happened. To help you keep up to date on everything, we’ve collected the top ten articles from this past month.  

In the top spot for January 2026 is the announcement of Lindy Ryan of Tecta America as the recipient of the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA)’s J.A. Piper Award. This award is incredibly prestigious, recognizing “roofing professionals who have devoted constant outstanding service to the association and roofing industry.” There is no one more deserving than Lindy, who first started working with NRCA in 1996 and would, in 2015, be the first woman in 129 years to serve as NRCA president.  

In the second and third place on the January 2026 list comes an article by Cotney Consulting Group highlighting the importance of construction drawing fluency and the announcement of Bone Dry Roofing and Innovative Roofing Group merging to become BDI Roofing Group, respectively.  

Check out the complete January 2026 list 

10 - Using AI to strengthen operations, not replace people by Emma Peterson

9 - QXO announces $1.2 billion convertible preferred equity investment led by Apollo to fund future acquisitions

8 - Safety in every lift, load and mile by Emma Peterson

7 - A to B Roofing Partners announces next acquisition partnership

6 - Building science: The key to high-performance structures by Emma Peterson

5 - Combining aesthetics and performance by Emma Peterson

4 - National Roofing Partners hosts partner happy hour at IRE 2026 by National Roofing Partners

3 - Two leading Northern Georgia roofing contractors merge to form BDI Roofing Group

2 - Reading beyond the roof plan by Cotney Consulting Group

1 - Lindy Ryan receives prestigious NRCA J.A. Piper Award

BDI Roofing Group brings together Bone Dry Roofing, based in Athens, Georgia, and Innovative Roofing Group (IRG), based in Atlanta.

Roofing Corp of America, the home for America’s premier roofing contractors, has announced the merger of two of its North Georgia companies. The new combined organization — BDI Roofing Group — will serve customers across the region.

BDI Roofing Group brings together Bone Dry Roofing, based in Athens, Georgia, and Innovative Roofing Group (IRG), based in Atlanta. The new name reflects the initials of the two founding organizations and is paired with the tagline “Innovative Solutions. Bone Dry Results.”

The merger creates a strong footprint across the region, allowing BDI Roofing Group to deliver expanded capabilities and enhanced services to customers. The combined organization also creates new career growth and development opportunities for employees.

While the two companies previously operated independently, they have shared resources and best practices as part of the Roofing Corp of America family of companies since 2021.

BDI Roofing Group will be led by Michael Costoulas, formerly president of Bone Dry Roofing. Says Michael, “Bone Dry and IRG have each built outstanding reputations for quality, reliability and customer service. Joining these two companies brings our North Georgia customers one seamless team with the combined strength, expertise and heritage of two premier roofing organizations.”

About Roofing Corp of America

Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Roofing Corp of America is building a home for the nation’s premier roofing contractors by attracting the industry’s most successful and respected entrepreneurs to join the Roofing Corp family. Through its local businesses, Roofing Corp of America delivers a wide range of roofing services to building owners, property and facility managers, homeowners’ associations, and general contractors. For additional information on Roofing Corp of America, please visit www.roofingcorp.com.

RCA expands its market leading california presence.

Roofing Corp of America is excited to announce the addition of the A-1 All American Roofing Co., San Diego to its growing portfolio. This marks RCA’s 14th acquisition since its founding in December 2020. The A-1 All American Roofing acquisition extends RCA’s strong west coast market position to the southernmost city of the US’ most populous state where it will become Roofing Corp’s 25th branch. A-1 All American specializes in serving multi-family and hospitality clients both areas of focus and targets of growth for RCA.

The business was founded in 1996 by Greg Savran, who will continue to lead the company as a stand-alone entity within Roofing Corp of America. The company has developed deep and recurring client relationships by focusing on exceeding their expectations for responsiveness, quality and safety. Greg had this to say about the transaction; “We are very excited for the future of A-1 All American Roofing as a part of Roofing Corp of America. We believe our customers and team members will quickly see the benefits of our partnership with the dynamic and growing collection of world-class roofing contractors that make up RCA.”

Randy Korach, CEO of Roofing Corp of America offered; “We’ve been looking for the right partner in the San Diego market for some time and are proud that Greg and A-1 All American Roofing are now part of the family. They extend our reach into to targeted market segments and geographically.”

About Roofing Corp of America

Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Roofing Corp of America is building the home for the nation’s premier roofing contractors by attracting the industry’s most successful and respected entrepreneurs to join the Roofing Corp family. Through its local businesses (The Original Roofing Company, Innovative Roofing Group, The Bone Dry Roofing Company, Davco Roofing & Sheet Metal, AAA Roofing & Waterproofing, Deer Park Roofing, Pittman Waller Roofing, WeatherShield Roofing, Front Range Roofing, Roof Technologies, Hamilton Roofing, Crowther Roofing & Cooling, Dynamic National and A-1 All American Roofing), Roofing Corp of America delivers a wide range of roofing services to building owners, property and facility managers, homeowners’ associations and general contractors. For additional information on Roofing Corp of America, please visit www.roofingcorp.com.

About FirstService Corporation

FirstService Corporation is a North American leader in the essential outsourced property services sector, serving its customers through two industry-leading service platforms: FirstService Residential - North America’s largest manager of residential communities; and FirstService Brands - one of North America’s largest providers of essential property services delivered through individually branded company-owned operations and franchised systems. FirstService Corporation generates more than US$5.3 billion in annual revenues and has more than 30,000 employees across North America. With significant insider ownership and an experienced management team, FirstService has a long-term track record of creating value and superior returns for shareholders. The Common Shares of FirstService trade on the NASDAQ and the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol “FSV”, and are included in the S&P/TSX 60 Index. More information is available at www.firstservice.com.