b'~ - - - - -resident\'sArticleQ Whose Products Do You Use? By Dennis Runyan, MRCA President Weroofingcontractorsformtheir material (andI mightadd,lackofeducationalmaterials and alliances with individual manufac adapting theto thosew ttenspecifications.Their warmaterialsitu riturers with whom we are most com ationsnotclearlyshownontheranties protect little but themselves fortable.shiny detailpages of theirmanu and usuallycostonly eitherthe Wheth thatpartnershipisals),maintaining th material,contractor or the ownerproberandeirwhen formedduetotheirmaterials,why do some of them forget wholems occur. respect for their technical expertise,"the customer" is?Those"other"manufacturers what we can make the most moneyOurindustryr a hugedon\'t Iin o towns and, equiresiveurcitiesfrom, or simply because we like theamountofknowledgetoinstallthey don\'t face the rumor m l on a iltrips they may reward us with is theroofsandwaterproofingsystemsdailybasis, andtheydon\'t care question.Thosealliancessome thatcanstandthetestoftime.about our repu ions ascontractattimesprovetobethesteppingSomemanufacturersspendthetors on they have used us to their ce stone tothenextlevelof roofingend. Oo not thinkr aour fo minute proficiency,whileothersleaduscustom haveforgottenthat we ers Manufacturersintothedarknessoftheroofingin led the roof that may be failstal"underwo ing, while never remembering the rld." that spend the timeHowdoyougoaboutthename ofthemanufactu r ofthe retakesprocess of choosing which manu stal heand money itproductwein led.T re are facturer\'s material you use for thosecontractorsthatcanmake4 mil to ensure theyroofs that youyour name on?visqueenandducttapelastten leave Dolet that process be dictatedyears, but they cannot make some choose the correctyou bythespecifyingcommunityoroftheuntested,untried,and contractors to installproperty owners?unworkable so-calroofing sysled their products are theucHowm h time do youspendtems work that are dreamed up by investigatingthemanufacturer\'sthe marketing departments of those ones with which webackground,references,financialmoney in testing and education to"other" manufacturers. stability,productreliabilityande the prod we receive andWe, as roo contractors, nensureuctsfinged should becomelongevity withinthemarketplace?install will stand that test of time.the communication, trust, and honpartners.When weapply to become"certi Manufacturers that spend the timeestinformationsharingthatis fied" contractors forrand money it takes to e theyaffordedjoining and participatthei products,nsureby don\'t w~allhavetoprovidethatchoosethecorrectc toing in roofingcontractor associaontractors information to them?Maybe mostinstall their products are thetions such as ours. T contractor oneshe of you perform the due diligence ofwith which we should become part agreementformthatourlegal checkingintoeachmanufacturerner These a the manufacturerscounsel peruses for you is only the s.re beforeinstalling their products.Ifthatstandbehindthewarrantiesbeginning ofrelationship. If you the you are one of those,they issue and take the responsibil have ationa then you canques aboutmanufacquit reading. This article is aboutity for not only their products, butturer and howhedealswiththe me and all the otherslikethatalso for contin our e everyday busin of d busimeuingducationessoing have made the mistake of "hitchingas roofing contractors and roofingness,kMRCA member. as another our wagon" to the wrong manufac technicians.Th manufactu If youk wor two to, eserersdon\'tno oneaskturer from time to time.are theonesworkingwithus toa the MRCA office togiveyou sk Sometimes I get confused as tomake our industry better each.some names to day call. nksme havefew who themanufacturer !hi"theThereareothermanufacturersOr call; Iaopinions customer"is.Ifwearetheonesthat prefer tolet theroofing con of my own. buyingtheirmaterial,installingtractors of the world become their R&Dm those depart ent. Andothers prefer to findcontractors that will install their productshout queswittioning"thesalespitch"ortheir 3'