b'8725 Rosehill Road, Suite 210, Lenexa, Kansas66215-4611 Phone:(913) 599-6600Fax:(913) 599-6500 The Changing Roofing IndustryPrez Sez. by Jim Wagner Braxton Associates, Inc.Certainchangesover thepast 10 to15 The Roofing Survey and Assessment report,years have been external to the industry, sponsoredbytheMidwestRoofingwhile others have been internal. One major 0:mtractors Association (MRCA), containsexternal factor has been the reduced level a significantamountof informationofof construction activity. interest to contractors. The study discusses thechangesthathaveoccurredintheAsExhibitAindicates,theconstruction roofingindustry,particularlyinthegross domestic product had aprecipitous Midwest. It is important that contractorsdecline from1979 through 1982 and has understand the changes, for by realizingsteadilyreboundedduringthemidand the significance oflater 1980s. This decline was true for the these factors, they canDouglas Kirberg,MRCA President strengthenandposition their companiesMidwestroofingmarket;however,the for the future.Midwest decline was slower, longerandMerryChristmas toallmyfellow the industry did not rebound as robustly.roofing contractors.I hope we all Theconstructionindustryasawholehad a profitable 1989. rebounded to its 1979 level during 1987, but the Midwest has yet to reach its 1979With the arrival of bad weather, this peak. Economic growth in the region is theisa goodtime toreflect back on primary reason for the slow recovery. Exhibit1989. If we were profitable or not, Billustratestheregionalemploymentthis is the time to look atbusiness our growth and clearly depicts that the Midwest,objectivelyusingsomeofthe along with the Plains states, significantlyinformationgained at the MRCA we laggedbehindgrowthinotherregions.Convention to evaluate our corporate The economic growth of the Midwest, instrengths and weaknesses. Can we some instances only half ofit was in whatexpandon these strongpointsto otherparts of thecountry,significantlymakebusiness profitable, or do our impacted the Midwest roofing contractor.we needtodevelopobjectivesto Jim WagnerContinued on Page 3Continued on Page 2 INSIDE Page Happy HolidaysStanding SeamSystems. .2fromMRCA!~Directly From aDirector 4c ~.5 Why ASTM is Important . ;,o~:MRCNNRCA wjj~ReportCorrection. 6'