b'Don\'t Bypass the Contractor By John Larimer With all the new products, sys manufacturers,is method of prod rialperformance.Withmanufacthtems andies introduced touct marketing lessens the contrac tu to-owner sales, no con actual technolog rer- trthe commercial roofing market eachtor\'s role to nothing more than arelationshipbetween the conexists year, roofing contractorsgeneric installer. This concerns ustractorethand th manufacturer,erehavecometoexpectgreatly,larly ii this trendfore, questions of r n ty mparticu isespo sibili ay change.However,onesupported by contractors,Farise in maintenance and re ir sitasire paunexpectedandstone will likely have to consideruations. disturbingparticipation of some sort in theseRoofingn rsoften co tracto have changeismarket channels.voiced concern about manufacturers thetrendFor thep twodecades,wesellingto owners,e it astdirectlybecausam on ghave worked in partnership with ourdoes not allow th toldlaembui resome man customers-commercialroofingtionships with theirstomers-a cuufacturerscontractors-to helpmlishcritical component to a company\'the estab nys andmar and buildownerlationsh Isuccess. keyre ipsong-term ketersofby emph izingimportanceIn this highly-competitive indusas theof membranequalitybefore, during andaftertry, contractorsbe allowed to must andinstallation.buildstrong relationshipsw h itasphalt systems to sellm Co havebeeninstru buildingo ers.T needan co mercialntractorswn hey roofing materialsto buildingmentalinsharingtheirroofingopportunitydifferen thr )For the pastdirectlytotiate\' \\ owners. While owners may initiallyk wledge and educating their cus selvesfromthecompetitionuy notwo decades, wethink this approach will save themtomers-commercialbuildingdem problem-solving onstrating have worked inmanyomplexity ofno dge money, there areconcerns owners-about the c qualities, imparting their k wlematerial selection,site coordi materials used indeck, insu ofcompliance and warranjobroofla codeties, partnership with ournation, warranty coverage, contrac tion and roof system construction.highlighting their preventative maintual obligation safety issues andKnowing h th ever-changingtenancecapabilitiesandmuch s,owese customers more.components work together deter more. commercial roofmgUnderthismanufacturer-to mines which materials contractorsThe trend todirect" requires "go approach ow erseachConowner,n seek labor select and install forjob.continued scrutiny and concern. At contractors-to helponlycontractstorroofsystemsequ many contractors haveFirestone,intend to watch ently,wethe installation. Instead of allowing theestablished aserviceevolvingstrategycloselyand them establish andtremendous roofingcontractor supplying theand value to their customers. It is ae all M roofing conncourageRCA build key ownerlabor to purchase and supply theserv manufacturers shouldtractors to do so as well.Please ice that commercial roofing system, thesenot circumvent.reminde andamarket rsmanuf cturrelationships bymanufacturers bypass the importantFor the vast majority of buildingers ofposition on this im ryourpoemphasizing theroleofroofingcontractorsandowners,theprimary concernintant issue. diminish the contractor\'s value inachieving a high roofingJohn Larimer is the vice presi-quality importance ofthe process.systemis theroofing contractordent of worldwide sales for Firequality From au perspec installing it. Regardless of what per stoneing Products Company before, during andmanufact rer\'sBuildtive, Firestone continues to heed theformance criteria is built nto ai prodafter installation.strongrecommendationsofitsuct, material man gufacturin reprecommercial roofing contractors andsents o h the process. nlyalf distributors,is n among thoseThe roofing contractor completes andot c pursuing this b iness.the s on the roof and enurrentlyus ystemsures While we recognize the prospect ofthatowneraity end thereceivesqualselling directly to building ownersproduct. The contractor typically mayinitially appear lucrativetoguarantees workmanship and mate-4'