Everyone that knows me...

Knows that I believe that modified asphalt roofs are the best you can buy! They have withstood the test of time since I brought the first rolls to the US in 1982. However, with fuel costs nearing $5.00 per gallon at the pump, I couldn't help but think...

How does this play out in the commercial roofing arena?

It seems everywhere you look these days, people are still driving (albeit, more slowly and with purpose)... Nevertheless, who could have imagined we'd be paying close to $5.00 per gallon at the pump - and really, with no ceiling in sight? (I'll reserve the right "not to comment" on what a new Presidential Administration may or may not be able to do to help this effect...)

What's really of more concern to me than that however, is how this will ultimately affect our industry? Some might argue that it may very well play into the hands of the white single ply's, (no doubt the white membrane manufacturer's will all benefit to some degree) but I think it may go another way - still white, but nevertheless another direction...

See, white TPO's and PVC's are still very much Petroleum based products... Depending upon where and by whom they are manufactured, they can contain as much as 65%+ Petroleum, and Petroleum related materials. White Coatings, on the other hand, (primarily Acrylic) stand to do quite well, simply because they're made with water... They provide superior reflectivity and energy savings, and install in most cases, considerably less than what it costs to install a complete roof system - white single ply included! Add to that, (for reroof) the lack of tear off cost, and disposal (back to the big OUCH! at the pump when the tear off finally gets hauled off), as well as smaller budgets based upon tighter economic times, and the uncertain economic future, and coatings begin to look better and better!

For roofs not suitable for coatings, other alternative technologies are being developed. Innovative new ideas like infrared reflective pigments are being introduced to the market and may even have applications in residential buildings where the roof is visible from street level! Although there remains an order of magnitude difference between the performance of coatings containing these pigments and white reflective coatings - now that most states are beginning to pass energy savings regulations, advances in this area of pigment technology will most likely continue...

In closing, I'd like to reiterate what I've said at the top of this opinion... I'm a Modified guy through and through. It was actually that thought that got me to thinking this next one... I wonder how many millions of square feet of aged modified out there could use a good white coating?

It'll be interesting to see how the rest of 2008 (and on into 2009) goes... While the energy crunch and rising fuel costs continue to give building owners more reasons to consider alternatives for roof replacement, One thing is fairly certain... - U.S. PLY, and other white coating manufacturers (and coating contractors) might just be in a fairly good position to help building owners with those cost effective alternatives in roof coatings.

...just a thought.

Until next month...

Best Regards,

Danny Adair

CEO / President

U.S. PLY, INC.

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