Happy New Year, and to everyone associated with the Chicago Roofing Contractors Association, Welcome! You are a vital part of America’s oldest Professional Roofing Contractors Association….one that is nationally recognized for our trade show, educational programs, strong industry relationships and industry innovation. So, Congratulations for your continued involvement and support of this organization, and Welcome to 2011!

The Chicago Roofing Contractors Association recognizes that its longevity and success is the result of the dedication and spirit contributed by the many volunteers that participate in the organization. This includes the volunteers: of the various committees, that head those committees, that participate on the board of directors, that lead the board of directors, that continue on to participate on the executive committee of the board of directors. And all of this could not happen without the expert and amazingly dedicated management team led by both Bill and Linda McHugh.

Thank you to everyone that volunteers and participates at all of the various levels of the Chicago Roofing Contractors Association. It is the result of everyone working together that makes this Association the dynamic organization that it has been, and continues to be, today.

Your active participation is the lifeblood of this organization. It does not matter if you are a Union or Non-Union Roofing Contractor or an Associate Member. We need everyone of all ages and at all levels of the industry, all of our membership, to get actively involved.

To our younger members, this is a great industry to be a part of. If you want to grow in our industry, get involved and learn all you can from the membership and various committees. Now is your chance to participate and be active in the CRCA. Please, take the initiative today, and be an integral part of helping us all make this industry continue to be the best that it can be.

Remember, the Chicago Roofing Contractors Association represents only legally licensed, properly insured Professional Roofing Contractors. For more information, visit the CRCA website, or call the office today and see how you can actively participate in Your Association. I promise you that if you get actively involved, you will not regret it.

This year started out with a few interesting twists, and maybe now is the time for the Professional Roofing Contractors to educate the building owner and manager and the customer, that the costs to install a roof have changed dramatically.

You know, it wasn’t that long ago that there was a shortage of one of the chemicals required to manufacture Isocyanurate roof insulation. This caused material shortages, which led to allocation complications, which in turn led to material price increases in the range of approximately 175% over the course of a few months. World oil prices surged. Natural gas prices surged. Both of these rises resulted in higher material, fuel, shipping and transportation prices along with fuel surcharges. Then, about three years ago, there was a major industry consolidation in manufacturing. Residential material prices increased approximately 200% over the course of a few months.

Today, with oil prices threatening $110 a barrel, gasoline is being forecasted at $5.00 a gallon by the summer months. This forecast, coupled with the fact that every roofing material manufacturer and wholesale distributor is announcing or projecting monthly price increases in the double digits across the board with no foreseeable end in sight, forces the modern business owner to acknowledge that the cost of doing business has gone up.

Maybe now is time for the Professional Roofing Contractors to realize and understand that the cost to operate their business already has increased, and will continue to do so. Maybe now is the time to understand that the services our industry provides have real value. We should educate more about the value and quality that customers receive by using Professional Roofing Contractors. By selling value, we can keep the men busy, as well as improve the economic health of the Professional Roofing Contracting community!

Sincerely wishing you all the best that this year can bring!

Bruce Diederich

2011 CRCA President


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