b'etterstotheEditor_ ,1-/J-;,[Zd v September Open Forum Letter toEditor the Firestone ~1ultilinerresponse from the MRCA and oth teealsoappreciatesthatFireDiscontinueders in the roofing industry when itsstone\'s action will help control, EarlyinAugust,F tonesold its products and lent its nameeven in away, the applicaires small authorized applicators and distrib totheMenards home improve tion of EP products and DMsysutors of E fing productsment chain tomarket its EPDMtems that makeaicant PDM roo inupsignifthe states of Illinois, Indiana, Iow roofing products under the nameportion of the roofing marke It is a,t. Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska,of "Firestone Multiner." This wasouro nionthatuncontrolled li piNorth Dakota, South Dakota anddone w hspecific purpose ofinstallation of roofing systems by it the Wisconsinreceivedsomewel promotingtohomeownersthethe public will create roof failures. come n ability to re-roof their own homes.T failures tarnish our image ews.hese The news came in afromFirestonealsoprovidedtoasroofing contractorsandthe letter James Hoff, v president of mar Menards a filmstrip which detailedimage of the roofing industry in ice ketingevaluationofFirestoneEPDM roofing made easy for general. doMultiliner for the retaillu it-yourself homeowners, marketedBusiness demands are chmber/anghardwaremarket.Thisprogramby Menards to the public$5.ing very rapidly for manufacturers, for will be discontinued. Hoff repor The MRCA E ive Commit as well as distributorscontedxecut and that "Ratherthanpursuingthistee applauds Firesto rdeci tractors, with industry conne fo itssolidasales channel at this time,willsion to discontinue the Multilinertion becoming more and more the we renew our focus on our primarymarketingeffort.Bydoing so,norm. Inbusiness climate it this customers - the professional roof F stone demonstrates its dedica wouldeasy for atur ire bemanufacing contractor and distributor."tion to its customer base,tosacrifice systemcontraand particu I Hoff went on to say that Filarly the small roofing co orquality forincreased sales and re ntractstone appreciates the input of thewho depends on residential low production.F Building irestone po ofitsmanage enconcerned parties on this issueslope roofing for artionhisProducts andtopm t and will continue to listen to theyearlyas wellthe dis obviou have thought this over volume,assly questions and concerns of theirtributorwhocompetesdirectlyseriously and opted forhigh the customersandof theroofingwith the home improvement mar road, which once again shows its industry as aket.de tion to the roofing industry. whole.dicaFirestone met with aThe MRCA Executive Commit- - MRCA Executive Committee concerted Kansas City Area Built-up Roofers Apprentice Program By Wes Weddle The Built-upAppren Program in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area - One of the best, if not the best, Rooferstice Built- Up Training Program in the U.S. Thisbegan1 13 apprentices, one experienced apprentice teacher,knew very little programoperation969 withwho ilt process and th ho about the bu -up roofing,ree instructors, w where the best built-up roofing foremen in the area. Themet oneper week, in the classroom and one eveningweek, for skill instruction infferent classeveningperdiroofing company\'s warehouse yards. L were held on Saturday mornings for skill instruction. Over the years classes have beenldmetal ater classeshe on decks,out in the open, or intaschool. Presently, program sessions are held in a= builtthe basemen ofvocationalbuild-usedfire station. ing formerlyas acontinued on next page 4'