Metal Roofing Alliance Efforts Continue To Grow The Industry
By Bill Hippard, Metal Roofing Alliance
The Metal Roofing Alliance (MRA) is a not-for-profit coalition of metal roofing manufacturers, paint suppliers, coil coaters, dealers, metal industry associations and roofing contractors. Established in 1998, the MRA is committed to educating homeowners and contractors about the many valuable benefits of metal roofing.
"From the very beginning, one of the MRA’s key objectives was to increase the number of metal roofing installers in the United States and Canada. When we launched the initiative, many roofing contractors did not realize that the metal roofing industry had changed dramatically over the last several years. A number of new products are now on the markets that are easier to install. In addition, the margins on metal roofing products are very attractive,” states Tom Black, executive director of the MRA.
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Tom Black
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Since its foundation, the Metal Roofing Alliance has seen the residential metal roofing industry grow and expand. Within the last eight years, residential metal roofing sales have grown at double-digit rates, doubling the market share.
When first launched, the main component of the MRA program was a national consumer and trade awareness campaign. Funded by members of the coalition, the program included nationally-televised consumer advertising, a website and a toll-free metal roofing answer line where consumers could request an educational videotape to learn about metal roofing options and the roofing process.
Over the last several years, the MRA has launched several other efforts and programs that continue to advance and grow the industry. The website, www.metalroofing.com, has played an integral role in communicating the MRA’s message to both homeowners and roofing contractors. The site includes an online photo gallery, pressroom for media, an email newsletter and links to manufacturer and industry related sites.
One of the most popular features of the site is the Find-A-Contractor (FAC) tool. The tool allows homeowners to find qualified metal roofing contractors and helps contractors find potential customers. The FAC feature has proven to be a huge success, and is credited with helping to expand the metal roofing market. Contractors find the feature to be an effective resource because it provides qualified leads of homeowners who are considering a metal roof. The site receives nearly 90,000 unique visitors each month, which translates into an average of 2,500-3,000 consumer leads per month.
As consumer demand continues to rise, the need for metal roofing contractors is critical; therefore, the association hopes to expand its membership base. "Growing the Alliance is essential if we want to continue to be successful. We have a great, multi-faceted marketing campaign that includes advertising, public relations, roof donations and Internet search engine marketing; however, we need member support to expand our programs. We want and need more manufacturer members, as well as qualified roofing contractors. The numbers tell the story --consumers want metal. The market has never seen such growth," states Black.
Contractors, manufacturers or ancillary product suppliers that are interested in joining the MRA should contact Executive Director Tom Black at www.metalroofing.com or (360) 275-6164.
Bill Hippard serves as president of the Metal Roofing Alliance. An industry veteran, Bill is vice president of sales for Precoat Metals. For more information on the Metal Roofing Alliance, go to www.metalroofing.com.
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