By The Coffee Shops®. 

A deeper look at how metal retrofit systems can influence building performance, durability and long-term value. 

While the first step in any reroofing discussion is comparing roof systems, the conversation often becomes broader when contractors begin evaluating the condition and future needs of the entire building. 

During one episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Dale Nelson, Roof Hugger founding partner, explained that retrofit systems can provide benefits that extend beyond weather protection. He described how properly attached retrofit framing can improve building performance, saying, “You actually strengthen the diaphragm strength of that existing roof.” 

The discussion highlighted the importance of understanding how existing metal buildings were originally designed. Dale explained that removing certain roof systems without accounting for structural considerations can create unintended consequences. By contrast, retrofit systems can help preserve and enhance the performance of the existing structure. 

He also shared examples of how retrofit approaches can address challenging building conditions. From problematic step-down roof transitions to older facilities needing modernization, Dale emphasized that customized solutions can often solve issues that have persisted for years. 

Extreme weather performance was another major topic. Roofs must do more than keep water out; they must manage wind, rain, hail, snow and ice while maintaining long-term stability. Dale pointed to metal roofing's durability and lifespan advantages, saying, “Metal is simply going to outlast any other roofing material out there.” 

The conversation then returned to a theme that contractors frequently discuss with owners: lifecycle cost. Dale encouraged roofing professionals to focus on how owners intend to use a building in the future. Whether the property is an investment, a manufacturing facility or a long-term asset, roofing decisions should align with broader operational goals. 

For contractors, that makes education essential. Helping owners understand performance, longevity, maintenance expectations and future adaptability can lead to more informed decisions and better long-term outcomes. 

Building owners should first understand what they are buying and what they expect from their building for years to come. 

Listen to the full podcast or Watch the recording to learn more about retrofit roofing performance and lifecycle planning. 

By The Coffee Shops®.

Make sure these sessions and exhibitors are on your METALCON short list.

METALCON is just around the corner happening October 7-9 in Orlando, Florida! With over 60 education sessions and 250 exhibitors, it’s important for attendees to plan their schedules carefully. From new products and services to innovative solutions, you won’t want to miss the chance to talk to these Coffee Shop partners: Carlise Architechtural Metals, Central States Manufacturing, Malco, Roof Huger, Van Mark, ATAS International, Inc., Metal Construction Association (MCA), Metal Roofing Alliance (MRA), Sherwin-Williams Coil Coatings and more! Don’t forget to stop by booth 408 to meet the MetalCoffeeShop team!

Featuring an impressive lineup of industry experts and motivational speakers, the METALCON headline sessions just scratch the surface of the learning opportunities.

Keynote: nothing Can Stop You

Former Major League Baseball pitcher Jim Abbott shares his remarkable journey from Flint, Michigan, to throwing a no-hitter at Yankee Stadium. Born without a right hand, Jim developed creative ways to pursue his goals while learning the importance of accountability and trust. His inspiring keynote explores how mindset can transform adversity into personal growth, helping attendees recognize their own challenges as opportunities to build resilience, adapt and celebrate the experiences that shape who they are.

Register today!

Keynote: Building Through Uncertainty: A Market Outlook for the Construction and Design Industries

What economic forces will shape construction and design during the next 12 months? Former American Institute of Architects Chief Economist Kermit Baker examines the indicators influencing project activity, sector growth and client priorities. Attendees will gain a data-driven view of shifting pipelines, regional market differences and emerging opportunities. The session provides a forward-looking framework to help industry professionals anticipate risks, align business planning with changing conditions and make informed decisions in an uncertain market.

Register today!

Industry Outlook: Metal Construction Code Updates: What’s Changed and What it Means

Code changes can lead to permit delays, redesigns and compliance gaps when they are missed or misunderstood. Industry experts Bill Beals, Paul Deffenbaugh and Bob Zabcik will break down significant recent and upcoming updates affecting metal construction. Covering design, specifications, fabrication and installation, the session will help attendees understand current compliance requirements, distinguish the roles of standards organizations and prepare for emerging trends that could influence future projects and business decisions.

Register today!

Industry Outlook: 2027 the Future of Metal Construction

Industry leaders examine the economic, regulatory, material and jobsite forces expected to shape metal construction through 2027. Panelists Kermit Baker, Jeff Henry, Vincent Sagan and Benton Trotter will connect current market realities with the challenges and opportunities ahead. Attendees will explore how supply conditions, evolving codes and construction pressures are influencing project costs, delivery methods and building practices, gaining practical insights for managing risk and positioning their businesses for the next 12 months.

Register today!

The formal sessions are just one way to learn. Attendees will also enjoy a massive exhibition hall where they can network and learn from each other. Make sure our MetalCoffeeShop booth 408 is on your list too!

While you’re in the hall, don’t miss our Coffee Shops partners including: Western States Metal Roofing, BITEC, Franklin International, Giddy Up, H.B. Fuller / GSSI, Latinos en Roofing, MARCO Industries, Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA), McElroy Metal, MetalForming Inc., MFM Building Products, RoofScope and more!

Don’t miss the metal event of the year! Register for METALCON and use code 30MCS for $30 off passes!

By The Coffee Shops®. 

Roof Hugger’s approach focuses on structural attachment, code compliance and long-term performance. 

When building owners choose a metal-over-metal retrofit, the supporting sub-framing system plays a critical role in the performance of the new roof. Roof Hugger’s sub-purlin system is designed specifically for installation over existing metal roof assemblies, providing a foundation for a new metal roof without the expense and disruption of a complete tear-off. 

Roof Hugger sub-purlins are engineered to fit a wide variety of existing metal roof systems and provide direct attachment to existing structural members. Architects and specifiers enjoy this feature because it allows for numerous new roof panel options. Roof Hugger’s retrofit assemblies have undergone extensive testing using multiple combinations of new and existing roof panels.  New systems, provided by almost every major metal roof panel manufacturer, have been installed on more than 130 million square feet of existing metal roofs, with millions of additional square feet added annually. 

The system offers several practical advantages. Roof Hugger sub-purlins can be manufactured to specific heights, creating room for additional insulation or helping address roof elevation changes that may affect weather-tight connections. They can also add strength to existing purlins and be designed to support additional photovoltaic weight plus compliance with current wind and snow-load requirements. 

Another notable benefit is the ability to upgrade an existing screw-down metal roof to a standing seam roof system. This panel and sub-framing design accommodates expansion and contraction while supporting long panel runs, making it suitable for modern roofing applications. This adaptability allows building owners to invest in their structure long-term without having to weigh the downsides of a full roof removal and replacement.  This combination also makes future photovoltaic systems viable by strengthening the purlins and providing a roof that does not need to be penetrated when adding solar panels.  

Roof Hugger products are manufactured in the United States from high-strength 16-gauge, 50 ksi, G-90 galvanized steel. Combined with extensive testing and engineering flexibility, the system is positioned as a long-term retrofit solution designed to meet current building code requirements while extending the service life of existing facilities.  

Learn more about metal-over-metal retrofit systems and the role sub-framing plays in roof strength.

Not every roof requires the same approach. Whether you're considering a coating or a retrofit, understanding the tradeoffs in cost, durability and expected lifespan is critical before moving forward. A side-by-side evaluation can help identify the right solution for your facility.

Talk with the Roof Hugger team today.

By The Coffee Shops®. 

Aligning roof solutions with performance goals, service life expectations and future building needs. 

As Roof Hugger celebrates its 35th anniversary, President Dale Nelson joined Heidi J. Ellsworth on an episode of Roofing Road Trips®, to discuss a practical question contractors face every day: How do you determine the right solution for an aging metal roof? According to Dale, the answer starts with understanding what the building owner hopes to accomplish.  

 Heidi J. Ellsworth noted that one common proposal is a roof coating, pointing out that contractors often encounter owners looking for maintenance, aesthetic improvements or short-term life extension. According to Dale, coatings have a place in the market but said it is important to understand their intended purpose. “A roof coating is intended to extend the life of the surface of whatever it is coating,” he explained. “It is not a waterproofing material.” 

Coatings can be effective when an existing roof remains in good condition and has been properly prepared. However, roofs experiencing leaking end or side laps, corrosion or other significant deterioration may require a different approach. 

For those situations, Dale highlighted the advantages of retrofitting. Rather than simply treating the existing surface, a retrofit system adds a new roof assembly over the old one while preserving operations inside the building. 

“When we retrofit, we're putting a new substructure down over the top,” Dale said. “We are actually bringing the building up to the current building code.” 

That approach can create benefits beyond weather protection. Dale explained that retrofit systems can accommodate additional insulation, improve energy efficiency and support long-term building goals. He also pointed to standing seam metal roofing as “the ideal platform for photovoltaics,” allowing future solar installations without roof penetrations. 

Ultimately, success begins by asking building owners the right questions and understanding their expectations before recommending a solution. Dale encouraged contractors to focus on long-term outcomes rather than just initial costs when talking with building owners about the available options. 

Listen to the podcast or Watch the recording to learn more about metal roof retrofit solutions. 

Considering TPO for your aging metal roof? Before you commit to a tear-off, explore whether a metal-over-metal recovery system can reduce costs, minimize disruption and extend the life of your building.

Contact Roof Hugger to compare your options.

By The Coffee Shops®. 

A metal-over-metal system helped protect daily operations while reducing tear-off, labor and debris. 

For busy retail facilities, roofing work must protect more than the building. It must also protect access, inventory and daily business. At White Cap Supply’s in Tampa, Florida, Roof Hugger’s metal-over-metal retrofit system allowed the store to remain fully operational throughout a major reroofing project. 

The building’s aging, previously coated trapezoidal standing seam metal roof was more than 20 years old and rusting through in places. Steven Pinto, owner of SteelCor in Sarasota, Florida, recommended a Roof Hugger retrofit system designed around the existing roof profile, a game changing solution for the business owners. “One of the key reasons we won this project was our ability to complete the re-roof without disrupting White Cap’s daily operations,” Steven says. “By using Roof Hugger, we kept the store fully operational and provided an extra layer of protection for the building and its clients.”   

Steben partnered with Bryan Stephens, owner of All Weather Roofing (AWR), to install Roof Hugger sub-purlins over the original panels. The approach eliminated tear-off costs and landfill fees while minimizing labor and debris. It also maintained continuous protection for the building and its contents during construction. Additional benefits included a thermal break, insulation benefits and added hurricane resistance from the double-layer roof system. 

Working with SteelCor Buildings, AWR installed 52,300 square feet of McElroy Metal 24-inch, 24-gauge Galvalume MasterLok standing seam trapezoidal panels. The project was completed in three weeks.  

For White Cap Supply, the retrofit delivered a new code-compliant roof without sacrificing the dependable access its contractor customers needed. “Roof Hugger allowed us to avoid unnecessary tear-off, cut time and give the owner a more durable energy-efficient system custom-fitted to the existing profile,” Bryan says. 

Learn more about how metal-over-metal retrofit systems can preserve building operations while reducing project costs and adding structural resilience.

By The Coffee Shops®. 

Roof Hugger experts explain how structural attachment, drainage, longevity and future rooftop needs can shape retrofit decisions. 

When recovering an existing metal building roof, contractors and building owners must consider more than the initial installation price. In one episode of MetalCast™, Heidi J. Ellsworth spoke with DJ Highnote and Dale Nelson, vice president and president of Roof Hugger respectively, about how metal-over-metal retrofit systems can address structural performance, water movement and long-term building needs. 

One of the primary distinctions discussed was how the new system attaches to the building. DJ explained that a metal-over-metal retrofit can actually strengthen the roof system because of how it is installed. “When you're doing a metal over metal retrofit, you're getting an actual structural attachment to the structure underneath the panels,” he said. This approach can also be engineered to address wind uplift, snow loads and the condition of the building’s purlins. 

Water management is another important consideration. Dale explained that metal buildings are designed to channel water along the roof panel ribs and move it quickly toward the gutter or eave. A flat recovery surface can change that drainage pattern, potentially directing water toward areas where the framing deflects. “Sheet flow is never how metal buildings are designed,” Dale said. “They’re designed for channeled flow.” 

Dale and DJ also encouraged contractors to evaluate expected service life and future use of the roof. While other options like thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) as potentially less expensive initially, they said metal can provide a longer service life. That difference becomes especially relevant when building owners plan to add photovoltaic panels, which can be mounted externally on a metal roof without penetrating the roof panel. Energy performance can be incorporated into the retrofit design as well. Depending on the building and its location, the cavity between the existing and new roofs may be insulated, ventilated or designed with both strategies.  

Together, these considerations give contractors an opportunity to discuss retrofit value in terms of structural attachment, drainage, safety, energy performance and future rooftop investments. 

Listen to the podcast or Watch the recording to learn more about metal-over-metal retrofits. 

By The Coffee Shops®. 

From withstanding harsh weather to holding heavy machinery loads, testing is vital to the discovery of a product's capability. 

In an episode of the Roofing Road Trips® podcast, host Heidi J. Ellsworth sat down with DJ Highnote and Dale Nelson of Roof Hugger to discuss the importance of purlin strengthening in metal roofing systems. 

Purlin strengthening is when horizontal metal roof beams are reinforced in order to increase the roof's load capacity. This is done through the introduction of sub-purlins, like those from Roof Hugger, which can add significant capacity to metal building roofs. DJ explained how, with more building owners wanting to add roof structures like solar panel systems, it was important to be able to properly calculate a roof's strength, and the strength purlins can add, particularly to retrofit jobs, in a structurally correct way. "We, in a way, enhanced the industry, creating a retrofit market that didn't exist prior to Roof Hugger," Dale added. 

Roof Hugger's retrofit sub-purlins are specifically designed to fit over the ribs of existing roof panels, notching perfectly as needed, adding the strength a system might need to withstand substantial loads - all while paying attention to the correct needs of a structure. Dale shared, “[Our work] was really revolutionary in a way, because not only were we structurally correct, but properties were correct for screw down panels, too." 

As things progressed and Roof Hugger continued to see the importance of testing and measuring the strength and capabilities of their materials, particularly being able to bring the receipts and model projects that show the work, calculations and data. DJ noted, "The credibility of being able to show the calculations and work has been amazing. Being able to strengthen the purlins and show it; that people can now [with our help] install solar on their roof."  

With a little bit of extra work to determine the exact calculations behind their products, a belief in the system they offer, Roof Hugger was able to bring about a new, revolutionary way of strengthening metal roofing systems for good. The right, tested product can mean the difference between one system withstanding harsh weather and heavy installations and another collapsing against the slightest challenge.  

Listen to the conversation or Watch the video to learn more about Roof Hugger's purlins.  

By Emma Peterson. 

METALCON is celebrating its 35th anniversary with special exhibits, networking events, industry awards and community celebrations!  

2026 marks 35 years of METALCON – the leading event for metal construction professionals. And this year’s show has a variety of special events planned to both celebrate this milestone and help professionals across the industry prepare for another 35 years of shaping the metal industry’s future. Here’s a shortlist of the events to expect from this year’s show, which is planned for October 7-9, 2026, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida!  

Steel on the Move Experience 

METALCON isn’t the only one celebrating an anniversary this year, U.S. Steel is celebrating 125 years of innovation in 2026! And to honor it, they have created a special Steel on the Move Experience that is coming to the METALCON show.  

This exhibit is an immersive experience that showcases “the story of steel and its essential role in building the infrastructure, products and communities that power everyday life.” It will be located at the center of the exhibit hall, making it easy for all attendees to stop by and explore the engaging displays, interactive content and inspiring stories.  

Learn more!

The 2026 METALCON Top Product Awards 

The annual product awards are back — this is its sixth year! These awards celebrate the innovative products, technologies and solutions that exhibitors at METALCON bring to the table. And the results are decided by YOU!  

So, make sure you fill out your voting form as you explore the expo floor (which will host more than 250 booths this year!). Voting ends on October 7, 2026, at 5 p.m. ET with announcements of the winners hosted at the show October 8, 2026, at 2:30 p.m. 

See the nominees!

Forge: Where women in metal shape what’s next 

This is the only event on this list that is separately ticketed (meaning you need to register for it in addition to your general METALCON registration), but it’s well worth the time and the $35 ticket!   

Hosted the day before the METALCON show kicks off, the Forge centers around the incredible female professionals who are pushing the metal industry forward. It offers everyone from emerging professionals to industry veterans a chance to sit in a room of women who understand exactly what you do and how hard you’ve worked to get where you are today. 

Attendees can look forward to a keynote from Rita Goodroe; a panel discussion featuring Bryce Batts, Kate Glantz, Erin Hoffman and Amanda Turner; networking activities and a reception sponsored by National Women in Roofing (NWIR). This is a must-attend for those looking for meaningful conversation, leadership insights and genuine connections that extend well beyond METALCON.  

Learn more.

Oktoberfest 

METALCON is all about bringing learning, fun and community together and no event is better representative of this than their Oktoberfest expo experience! The event officially kicks off on Wednesday, October 7 at The Backyard with a golf simulator challenge sponsored by HELIX Metalforming and John Stortz & Son. The rest of the celebration will happen at various exhibitor booths across the expo floor.  

See the schedule!

Speed networking 

With all the education sessions and other events happening, it can be hard to find time for spur-of-the-moment networking, which is why METALCON has set up a speed networking event for Wednesday night (10/7/2026). This is a huge opportunity to “meet contractors, manufacturers, architects, fabricators, suppliers and industry leaders through short, structured conversations designed to spark real relationships and business opportunities. 

Each round will last just a few minutes, so make sure you bring your business cards and strong elevator pitch!  

METALCON 35th anniversary bash 

And last but certainly not least, METALCON will be hosting a special 35th anniversary bash on Wednesday, right after the speed networking event!  

This party celebrates the community that has grown around METALCON since the first gathering back in 1991. It also puts the spotlight on METALCON’s special Legacy 10 companies who have been at every show! These companies include:  

1. AkzoNobel: AkzoNobel has been a trusted METALCON exhibitor since the very beginning, showcasing their advanced paints and coatings to the attendees of the show. 
2. ATAS International: For more than 60 years, ATAS International has manufactured high-performance metal roofing, wall, ceiling and perimeter systems and for over half that time they’ve been supporting METALCON. 
3. Atlas Bolt & Screw: The Atlas team describes METALCON as “more than a trade show” and have been showcasing their commitment to building lasting relationships with contractors, manufacturers and industry partners by attending every show.  
4. AZZ Precoat Metals: As one of North America's leading providers of coil coating solutions, AZZ has met their customers at METALCON year-after-year. 
5. Englert: For years (35 to be precise) Englert has used METALCON to meet the architects, contractors and decision makers who use their metal roofing, gutter systems and rainware products in the field. 
6. Metal Construction News: A leading industry publication, their team has been at every METALCON show providing media support. 
7. McElroy Metal: As a manufacturer of metal-specific products, it only makes sense the McElroy Metal has been at every one of METALCON’s metal-dedicated shows. 
8. Metal Rollforming Systems: When asked why their team has made it a priority to attend METALCON all 35 years, the Metal Rollforming Systems team put it simply, “These connections allow us to stay ahead of market trends.” 
9. PPG: PPG has been in front of customers and behind the scenes supporting METALCON through initiatives like the Design District for decades now. 
10. Roof Hugger: Since METALCON’s inception, Roof Hugger has been there. Their longstanding commitment exemplifies the collaborative spirit that defines the event. 

Overall, this bash is a must-attend of the 2026 show as it boasts a full schedule of food, drinks, entertainment and community that you won’t want to miss.  

Get your tickets today 

Don’t miss your chance to attend these incredible events, as well as explore METALCON’s extensive expo floor and education programming! The show will be hosted October 7-9, 2026, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. All events listed above are included in your registration except for the Forge, which is a separately ticketed event. Advance sign-up is encouraged.  

Register for the show today and use code 30MCS for $30 off your show pass!