Industry professionals recently packed the North Halls at the Las Vegas Convention Center on Feb. 16-18 for the 2011 International Roofing Expo, further solidifying the annual event as the industry’s most trusted source for leading-edge products, education and networking.

Industry professionals recently packed the North Halls at the Las Vegas Convention Center on Feb. 16-18 for the 2011 International Roofing Expo, further solidifying the annual event as the industry’s most trusted source for leading-edge products, education and networking.

Total attendance was 8,139, with a staggering 18 percent increase in verified attendees over the 2010 show in New Orleans. Participants came from all segments of the roofing industry, including commercial and residential contractors, builders, remodelers, building owners, facility managers, manufacturers, architects, engineers and other ancillary industry professionals.

“We are thrilled with the number of attendees and the enthusiasm they brought to the buying and selling activity on the show floor,” said Lindsay Roberts, Director of the Expo. “The innovative products on display, the unmatched conference program, the demonstrations and clinics, along with the strong partnership with NRCA, made this the industry’s must-attend event for 2011!”

In attendance were representatives from the industry’s leading roofing and construction companies, including Home Depot, Tecta America, CentiMark, PetersenDean, Baker Roofing, Nations Roof, Advanced Roofing, Beldon Roofing, D.C. Taylor, Aspen Contracting, Commercial Roofers, D&D Roofing, Burns & Scalo, KPost Company, Parsons Roofing and Porter Roofing Contractors.

Attendees represented all 50 states, with the largest number from California, Texas, Colorado, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Ohio, Minnesota, Arizona, New York, Michigan, and Missouri. The largest number of international attendees came from Canada, Mexico, Japan, Sweden, Brazil and Germany.

“The IRE is a must-attend for all roofing contractors,” said Ronnie L. Rogers II, Project Manager at Mr. Roof Inc. “I attended the show mainly for the seminars, although the show floor absolutely astounded me.”

Exhibit Hall

With 879 booths and 394 exhibiting companies, the tradeshow floor featured an array of products, new value-added services and the most innovative ideas in roofing materials and related products, including gutters, insulation, ladders, coatings/adhesives, built up, fasteners, machinery equipment/tools, metal roofing, modified bitumen, roof/decking materials, roof pavers, renewable energy, walkways/ballast, shingles, skylights, slate, solar, spray polyurethane foam, tile, vapor retarders, ventilation, waterproofing, and much more.

Exhibitors were pleased with the number of leads and inquiries that were generated. “We signed up 100 new customers and came away with 300 leads,” said Karen L. Edwards of EagleView Technologies. “The show met and surpassed our expectations.”

“We’re delighted with the caliber and quantity of booth visitors and the press attention our new roofing underlayment products received this year,” said Morris Collins, President, RKW US, Inc. “We consider the IRE the critical venue to reach decision makers in the building envelope.” “The show was well attended and we had a great turnout at our booth,” said Melissa Mulligan of Polyglass USA, Inc. “Overall, a great show!”

“The show was a great success for us,” said Tony Del Papa of Lanco & Harris. “The show was well attended and the quality of attendees was very good.”

Of the 394 exhibiting companies, 101 were first-time exhibitors or exhibitors who haven’t exhibited in several years, including High Tide Escape Hatch, Palfinger North America, Xact Link, Solar Universe, and Admirals Bank Home Improvement Lending.

“This is our first time exhibiting and we will definitely be back next year,” said Leo Caron of Maxiflo. “The quality of attendees was outstanding.”

“There was a positive buzz amongst our members all three days of show,” said Bill Good, Executive Vice President of NRCA, the show’s official sponsor, who had an 800 square foot booth at the event. “The success of the show establishes IRE as the most efficient and cost-effective way to do business, find new products and stay on the cutting-edge of technology.”

Educational Conference

In addition to the show floor’s buying and selling activity, the Expo’s educational conference featured 41 educational sessions addressing a myriad of industry issues. Conference attendance increased 25% and totaled an impressive 4,163 sessions sold.

Educational tracks included technical and workplace safety classes, as well as business-related sessions including leadership/management, green building, legal/HR, money matters, sales/service and general business.

“I attended the 2011 IRE because it is the one place for anyone in our industry to find a full compliment of educational seminars presented by leading industry experts that are focused on and specific to roofing contractors,” said Rob Therrien, President, The Melanson Co. “I had a very positive experience at the 2011 IRE,” Scott Shaeffer, Account Manager at Wholesale Roofing Supply, said. “The classes were very informative and my company and customers will benefit from my attendance."

“The seminars presented by Mark Graham were exceptional,” said T. Retych, Product Manager at Viridian Systems. “Mark’s depth of knowledge regarding codes and standards is a great asset for those who want to stay current and informed."

Show Floor Highlights and Special Events

The show's opening day featured an inspirational Keynote Address by legendary Super Bowl champion quarterback, Joe Theismann. Discussing how the lessons he learned on the gridiron helped him succeed in the business world, the NFL broadcaster explained his strategies for succeeding under pressure and adapting quickly to unexpected situations. He received two standing ovations from the audience of more than 1,000, the largest crowd in the show’s history.

Once again the Product Showcase offered the hottest industry trends and the latest new, cool and green products. From a selection of 27 products, a panel of industry experts awarded EverCo, LLC, with the “Best New Product” for its skylight guard. The panelists also awarded Tremco Roofing and Building Maintenance with “Best Green Product” for its biotray vegetated roof delivery system.

Debuting this year was the Renewable Energy Pavilion, a designated area on the show floor that provided education and resources to attendees about this innovative and cutting-edge segment. Featuring exhibits and a product showcase area, this new pavilion also provided a two-day series of 45-minute educational demonstrations.

The Live Demonstrations taught attendees how to use, sell and install the latest roofing equipment, materials and techniques through a series of demonstrations from Dow Building Solutions, Duo-Fast Construction, Carlisle Construction Materials, Roof Hugger, Gerard/Allmet Roofing, Kingspan Insulated Panels and Roofers Success International.

Through the Exhibitor Product Clinics, OMG, Soprema, Equipter and the Tech Know How clinic held multiple demonstrations that taught attendees tricks, tips and detailed instructions of their products and services.

Attendees focused on metal roofing found a multitude of resources in the Metal Marketplace, featuring 44 companies displaying creative and innovative designs, building concepts, tools and services.

Giving back to the Las Vegas community, a pre-show Community Service Day took place on Tuesday, Feb. 15, where 40 attendees and exhibitors enthusiastically volunteered to perform renovations on two homes of elderly veterans. Helping transform the exterior of the houses both received a new paint job, while the roof was replaced on one and repaired on the other.

The opening night Welcome Party on Wednesday, Feb. 16, was held at TAO at the Venetian Hotel. This high-energy event attracted 900 show participants who enjoyed delicious hors d’oeuvres, wine, beer and soda, while mixing and mingling with old friends, networking with industry leaders and innovators.

Save the Date for 2012

The 2012 International Roofing Expo will be held February 22-24, 2012, in the South Hall A at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. Housing will open in May and online registration will open in late August. For more information, visit www.TheRoofingExpo.com.