Who would have ever thought this pandemic would drag out for more than two years? I recall that when it started, the world seemed to stop. But slowly it came back to life — albeit cautiously. And in 2021, the industry surged ahead. We polled manufacturers and roofing business owners for the State of the Industry report in this edition. While many shared similar problems and challenges (labor shortages, supply chain issues, and price increases), there are also suggestions for how to overcome and move past these challenges.
Furthermore, reinforcing the positive outlook of the construction industry, we just returned a few days ago from the Frame Building Expo, which was held in Nashville January 18-20. Conversations with the exhibitors were upbeat at the well-attended show. Exhibitors were focused on serving their customers by doing everything within their power to source quality materials and provide the best customer service possible to keep building the relationships that are so imperative to not only keep a business alive, but help it to thrive. The State of the Industry report begins on page 20.
With the February/March edition wrapped up, we look ahead to the IDEA Book in April. Time will be tight, but if you hurry, you just might be able to get your finished metal roofing projects submitted in time to have them published in this very special edition. In case you were wondering, there’s never any cost associated with submitting a project or getting it published. And if there’s no room for your project in the IDEA Book, we’ll keep it on hand and may publish it as a Project of the Month, which, according to reader feedback, is one of the most popular features in each magazine.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Karen Knapstein, Managing Editor
