SELLING METAL - s22327.pcdn.co · lishers of Rural Builder, Metal Roofing Magazine and Frame...

PREMIERISSUE

COILIS NOT

CREATED EQUAL

PRODUCTPROFILESROLLFORMINGMACHINES & BRAKES

SELLING METAL:HOW TO CLOSETHE DEAL

FALL 2018Vol. 1, No. 1

ALLCOVER STORY:

DIVERSIFYING YOUR WORKLOAD

PICKING THE BEST ROLL FORMER TO FIT YOUR NEEDS

1-ROLLFORMING FALL 2018 cvr.indd 1 8/22/18 7:30 AM

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Contents )Contents )

Departments 4 Editor’s Page35 Ad Index

46 Product Profiles48 Supplier News

Cover Story6: All Coil Is Not Created Equal Maximizing the metal.

Features26: Selling Metal: How To Close The Deal The market share for metal is increasing in both segments.

32: Picking The Best Roll Former To Fit Your Needs Tips on how to pick the best equipment for starting up your business

38: Diversifying Your Workload Are you ready to roll your own metal roofing panels?

45: Producing Metal Building Panels With Felt Underlayment That Lay Flat

50: Simplifying The Placement Of Induction Motor Or Servo Motors In Your Line

EditorSharon Glorioso • [email protected]

EditorSharon Thatcher • [email protected]

VP Advertising SalesKevin D. Smith

Advertising SalesGary Reichert • [email protected]

Senior Graphic DesignerKevin Ulrich

Production CoordinatorsKathy Budsberg • [email protected]

Patti Kirchner • [email protected]

Subscription Services386-246-3450

F+W, A CONTENT + ECOMMERCE COMPANY

Gregory J. Osberg, Chief Executive Offi cer Kenneth Kharbanda, Chief Financial Offi cer Ray Chelstowski, SVP, General Manager- F+W Fine Art, Writing, Outdoors and Small Business GroupJames Woollam, Managing Director - F+W InternationalJohn Phelan, VP, Consumer MarketingRobert Sporn, VP, General CounselGigi Healy, VP of Human Resources, Customer Service and TradePhil Graham, VP, Manufacturing & LogisticsPat Fitzgerald, VP, Product Management

Scott T. Hill, [email protected], Newsstand Sales

Rollforming Magazine : Member of Metal Roofing Alliance, Metal Construction Association.

ROLLFORMING MAGAZINE (ISSN: Currently being ap-plied for) (Volume 1, Issue 1) is published four times annu-ally in Fall (October), Summer (July), Spring (May), Winter (February) by F+W Media, 5225 Joerns Drive, Ste 2, Stevens Point, WI 54481. Periodical postage paid at Stevens Point, Wis., and at additional mailing offi ces. Canadian Agree-ment Number: 40665675. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Rollforming Magazine, Circulation Department, 10151 Carver Road, STE 300, Blue Ash, Ohio, 45242-9903. Copyright 2018 by F+W. Rollforming Magazine and its logo are registered trademarks. Other names and logos referred to or displayed in editorial or advertising content may be trademarked or copyright. Rollforming Magazine assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials sent to it. Pub-lisher and advertisers are not liable for typographical errors that may appear in prices or descriptions in advertisements. Mailed free to roll forming contractors and their suppliers throughout North America. Others may subscribe: $19.98 for 1 year, $36.98 for 2 years, and $50.98 for 3 years.

ROLLFORMING / FALL 2018 3

32

6 46

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4 ROLLFORMING / FALL 2018

Editor’s Note )Editor’s Note )

W■ By Sharon Glorioso

Our Premiere Issue Of Rollforming Magazine

Welcome to the very first issue of Rollforming Magazine! From the pub-lishers of Rural Builder, Metal Roofing Magazine and Frame Building News, we are excited about this new publication. One huge market segment transcends all three of our existing publications. Roll formed metal wall and roof panels com-prise an enormous portion of the agri-cultural, commercial, post-frame and residential construction markets. Our existing magazines are aimed at the con-tractors. Rollforming Magazine will tar-get the roll formers in the construction industry. Targeted products that we will cover include:

• Stationary or portable;• Panels, gutter or trim;• Roll formers, seamers, decoilers,

benders and brakes;• Coil, coatings, accessories and con-

sumables; and • Controls, software and after-market

accessories and much more.If you sell to roll formers, this is your

audience. This issue has been in the works for a while now and we thought what better time to showcase all of our hard work than at METALCON? The metal industry has been evolving for a long time, and with that, so has many facets of the industry, including roll

forming. We also want to hear from you! If you and your business are doing any-thing exciting, please let us know. Please contact me (info below) or contact sales representative Gary Reichert at: [email protected]; or call 715-350-7080.

We are really looking forward to hear-ing from you. And, stop by and visit us at METALCON; we’ll be at booth #609. RF

[email protected]

4 Editors Note.indd 4 8/22/18 12:43 PM

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Cover Story )Cover Story )

Maximizing the metal.■ By Sharon Thatcher

Y

All Coil Is Not Created Equal

You may be the best builder on the planet, but if you use inferior products your stellar reputation could only last as long as those products.

Because the larger percentage of a post-frame and steel-frame building is metal, doesn’t it behoove you to know a lot about it?

At Steel Dynamics, Don Switzer, sales manager of SDI Columbus, and Dan Knight, now vice president and general manager of Duracoat, believe so. Their presentation “Not all Metal is Created Equal” was well received back in 2014 at the Frame Building Expo, so Rural Builder recently caught up with them again to offer an overview of the topic.

Steel Dynamics is a major bare and painted steel coil provider in the construction industry. Like builders, get-ting the right product to the customer to use for the right purpose is crucial to main-taining its reputation.

So what is it they want all builders to know?

GAUGE OR THICKNESS OF THE METAL IS CRITICAL

“At the start of the process is the steel, and it’s making sure that the strength is correct, and making sure that the gauge is correct,” Switzer said.

There are four general grades of steel

but in the rural builder industry, the most common is Grade 50 used for trim and Grade 80 for building panels.

“All the product from a steel mill is cer-tified (also called a Cert or Test Report) from a strength level,” said Switzer,

“meaning that when you order a panel, it has an 80,000 yield strength or it has a 50,000 yield strength. Wherever you order it from, it’s important to ask your steel supplier for a test report.”

In addition to the strength of the mate-rials, the test report will also reveal how much coating is on the steel, the gauge and the width.

Gauge is where many problems arise. There is a legitimate decimal range of thickness that panels can be made with-in a given gauge. A Gauge 29 panel, for instance, might range from .0142 all the way to .020 in thickness, but most people are selling in the .0145 to .0153 range. The lower the gauge, the heavier (stron-ger) the panel.

“Some [suppliers] are always trying to be on the skinniest side of that gauge so they can still call it 29 gauge,” Switzer said.

There are legitimate uses for both ends of the range, yet builders and their cus-tomers should not be fooled into think-ing that one-gauge-fits-all.

Switzer is a strong believer that build-ers should stop thinking in terms of gauge and start thinking in terms of actual decimal thickness.

But even then, it’s important to know that the measurement of thickness never includes the paint.

“When you measure thick-ness or gauge of a panel, you have to take away the paint,” Switzer said. “The paint doesn’t provide any struc-tural value.”

An even better method than measuring thickness is actual weight since weight leaves little room for exag-geration.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PAINT While paint doesn’t provide any struc-

tural value, it certainly does add value to the end product. Unpainted panels still have a big audience, but painted coil is now more popular than ever and it’s what most customers see most clearly.

Dan Knight came up through the coil coating and paint industry and he

THICKNESS IN INCHESOF BARE COATED STEEL

(WITHOUT PAINT)

WEIGHT IN POUNDS/ SQUARE FEETOF BARE COATED STEEL

(WITHOUT PAINT)

Gauge Min. Nom. Max.Min. lb/sf

Nom. lb/sf

Max. lb/sf

30 0.0127 0.0157 0.0187 0.53085 0.65625 0.78165

29 0.0142 0.0172 0.0202 0.59339 0.71875 0.84411

26 0.0187 0.0217 0.0247 0.78096 0.90625 1.03154

6-22 CS Not All Coil Is Equal.indd 6 8/22/18 7:42 AM


explains the different types of paint. There are three types of paint systems

for metal that are commonly used here in the United States:

Polyesters: the least expensive, usually with a 10-year warranty on an exposed application.

“Polyesters are a very good workhorse but typically they don’t have the exte-rior durability that’s required on the warranted products,” Knight said. “So where you see them is on the low- or non-warranted systems such as interior liner panels, gutters, non-warranted or very low-warranted wall and roofing panels. There is always going to be a market need, some people call it shade-and-shelter. It’s located in the back 40 and it’s not expect-ed to last 40 years.”

SMP (silicone polyesters): The most widely used, averaging a 40-year war-ranty on the film, but fade and chalk can occur over time.

“It’s basically a more durable exte-rior grade system. This is the workhorse in the rural builder’s market,” Knight explained. “This is commonly referred to as a 40-year paint system.”

PVDF (Polyvinylidene fluoride—trade names include Kynar and Hylar): the premium paint system, averaging a 25-year warranty, but with the best pro-tection against fade and chalk.

“You see [PVDF] a lot in commercial

buildings,” said Knight. The thickness of the paint is impor-

tant. The thicker the paint, the better the panel can weather the elements and pro-tect the substrate.

For warranted material, the primer should be a minimum of .2 mils thick and the paint or topcoat at least .8 mils for a total of 1 mil thickness. Like steel, there is a range: for top primer the range is 0.2-0.3 mils; the top paint or coat is 0.7-0.8; and the bottom or backer with primer is 0.5-0.7 mils.

PAINT WARRANTY “This is where understanding the supply

chain of the paint system is important,” Knight said. “What you have to under-stand is that the paint warranty only

covers three facets: Chalk: This is a degradation of the

resin and the pigments over time. When you rub your hand on the coating, it leaves a white residue.

Fade: the depth of color difference, say when a dark brown paint turns to a light brown.

Film integrity: the ability of the paint to stick to the metal.

“What is interesting, everybody says 40-year warranted paint but [with SMPs] the film integrity is 40 years, the chalk and the fade are 30 years,” Knight said.

In the United States, the paint warranty comes from the paint company (an Akzo Nobel, a Sherwin-Williams, a Duracoat) and is held by the company that applies the paint. No paint warranties are trans-


The cause of this color variation was due to using mixed panels from two different paint systems. The fabricator was found to be at fault and left to correct the problem for the homeowner.

When you measure the gauge of a panel, you don’t consider the paint. Another method of measuring thickness is actual weight. Photos courtesy of Everlast Roofing.




ferable. The paint warranty remains with the fabricator.

When there is a problem, it goes up through the chain to evaluate the cause of the failure and who will take responsibil-ity, including the installer.

All roll formers should have available their agreements with the paint company, with the important facets of that language written into their own agreements as a protection for themselves and their cus-tomers. Confused yet? To builders Knight

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IS IT REALLY GALVALUME?

When Galvalume hit the metal industry, it was a true game chang-er. The mix of 55 percent aluminum and 45 percent zinc alloy allowed panels to hold its rust-inhibited beauty longer than any other prod-uct on the market. Twenty years of research went into its development by Bethlehem Steel and today its production under strict standards by a consortium of approved licens-ees around the world is maintained by BIEC International Inc.

As with any good product, espe-cially one with monetary value, there are unscrupulous dealers waiting in the wings. Galvalume is no different. While there are now other good products on the market with a 55-45 mix of aluminum and zinc, the problem is when they are mislabeled as Galvalume, which is a licensed brand.

Much of this questionable prod-uct is currently coming from Vietnam.

“I have seen [the term Galvalume] used illegally,” said Don Switzer, of Steel Dynamics, a licensed Galvalume producer. “And I have seen people in this country buying the aluminum zinc non-Galval-ume product, I’ve seen paperwork and it says 55 percent aluminum, 45 percent zinc, but by the time it gets to the consumer it is marketed as Galvalume. By the time it goes through the trading company to the reseller to the reformer, by the time it gets to the consumer at the end of that chain, it has been washed out and marketed as a Galvalume product.”

The BIEC is pursuing legal action. In the meantime, builders should ask for paperwork from their sup-pliers confirming they are buying registered Galvalume, with the Galvalume insignia clearly visible.


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noted: “I think it’s important to deal with a reputable roll former who has the depth to stand behind their product.”

HANDLE WITH CARE

Once off the production line and on

the job site, it’s up to the builder to make sure the panel is handled correctly. Don Switzer offers these job site tips.

Job site storage: “I know you think, well it’s building panels, we can store it outside,” he said, “but building pan-

els are built to be on a building, not to be in a stack ... In particular you don’t want water to get between the sheets so it causes the paint to delaminate. The pres-sure of the stack, and the water, forces the water through the paint and makes it delaminate. Once they are on the build-ing, and the water is hitting them, the water is just running off. But when you have the water trapped, that’s where you have a problem.”

Installation: “The key is that you don’t damage the surface,” he said. “The metal-lic coatings without paint (Galvalume or galvanized) or the metallic coatings with paint are not as hard as the steel substrates beneath those paints. So you want to make sure you don’t compromise the integrity of the painted or metal-lic surface. Again, once they’re up and they’re not scratched, you don’t have a problem. But if you scratch that product all the way down to the base metal, it’s going to rust because you’ve damaged the barrier placed there to protect it.”

MORE ON WARRANTIES The longevity of metal panels is a sell-

ing point but also can create an issue when warranties are involved. “You have these warranties for a long time, so do your due diligence,” said Dan Knight.

Knight recommends that builders have their suppliers walk them through the claims process. “If someone says ‘I have a 40-year warranty,’ understand what that means, and understand the remedy.”

What is covered for 40 years and what isn’t?

“Maybe the best thing to do is to say [to your supplier]: walk through the claims process with me. If I have this product for 10 years and I have a claim in 10 years, what happens? Whoever they’re buying it from should be able to tell them how it works.”

Also make sure you keep your receipts. Your bill of receipt will contain impor-tant coil numbers, batch numbers and paint code numbers. Assuming you are working with a legitimate company, all that information will help track down

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vital information about the coil’s pro-duction process and warranty details. Paint codes will tell you the type of paint and the years it is expected to last.

A note of warning: while there is a lot of good foreign steel, there is also a fair share of cheap and poorly-made foreign steel. Getting satisfaction on a warran-ty from thousands of miles away, and across multinational lines, can get tricky.

Then there are the instances where a company is not legitimate. The guys at Steel Dynamics have seen it all. “What we find with off-shore steel in particu-lar, they might mimic our warranty. It may be all misspelled, but they’ll copy it, except for the remedy. That’s important. The warranty may say ‘this warranty is only for the cost of the paint.’ So you just paid $12,000 for metal and the paint cost is $800. Or it may say ‘this warranty is not valid within a thousand meters of

water, man made or otherwise; or not in areas of high humidity; or all claims are settled in Chinese court.’ So you have to really understand these things. And compare that to other warranties.”

Switzer has even seen bogus compa-nies passing out Bethlehem Steel warran-ties and Bethlehem Steel hasn’t been in business since 2002.

The victim is ultimately the building owner, but of course everyone along the supply chain are victims as well, from the roll former who purchased that prob-lem steel, to the builder who bought the finished panel and installed it.

Understand the claims process and

your level of risk exposure. “It’s one thing to sell a building to

someone with a 40-year warranty, but it’s another thing to have that person come back and discover there’s nothing behind that warranty. And you live in the same town and go to the same church. It’s going to be hard to tell him, ‘well, I can’t really fix this.’”

Unfortunately, the consequences may come when you least expect it. “Even a marginal product will last 10 years pretty much anywhere in the country. So what’s going to happen in 10 years, faster in the south, there’s going to be a day of reckon-ing, where the offshore stuff people buy, the red is going to turn pink, the green is going to turn white or yellow.”

Bottom line: “Just understand there is a lot of exposure to this. To replace or repaint a roof is considerably more expensive than the cost of the metal.” RF

BOOTH #531

“Builders should stop thinking in terms of gauge

and start thinking in terms of actual decimal thickness.”


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BOOTH #507

Rolling With The CompetitionThe changing landscape of roll forming.

■ By Sharon Thatcher

The explosive growth of regional metal roll forming businesses in the United States coupled with an influx of foreign raw material has had a significant impact on established companies that once exclusively supplied wall and roof panels for the metal construction industry. How are leading manufacturers competing in this tumultuous climate?

IDENTIFYING THE COMPETITION

The issue of the influx of foreign raw material is complex but one important facet is the issue of how steel is made and governed elsewhere in the world as com-

pared to the United States.Globally, for example, Australia,

Europe, Canada, the steel mill is very much determining the specifications of coil stock. The steel mill controls the complete process. They typically specify the gauge and substrate right down to the paint systems and color palette. For example, where they offer a palette of 25 or 30 colors, they are the primary sup-plier in those markets, so those colors are the colors offered in the marketplace.

In the U.S. market place, the OEM manufacturers determine what their specifications are: paint systems, colors, gauges and substrates, so it brings vari-ability into the supply chain.

That variability sometimes brings

confusion to the marketplace, making it difficult for the consumer to deter-mine which product will provide the maximum performance and longev-ity. With so many players in the game, price becomes a main selling point, while quality can vary widely.

REGIONAL ROLL-FORMING COMPETITION CHANGING THE INDUSTRY

In the United States, historically, a number of companies have taken the steel coil and fabricated their own prod-ucts, then sold them through distribu-tors who then sell to the builders.

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the south, cutting out the distributors and going direct to the builders. The proliferation of those smaller guys during the past 10 years as they spread north, east and west, has made a major impact on the industry. Cutting out the middleman has lowered prices on end product, but has also challenged the old model of distribution.

Ken Gieseke, vice president of marketing at McElroy Metal, has also been on the front lines of the change. McElroy is head-quartered in the south in Bossier City, Louisiana, in the region where the trend for regional roll formers began.

“The barriers to entry are not real high,” Gieseke said of the smaller start-ups. More and more affordable machines have made it possible and lower price points for the end roof and wall products have made it attractive to companies.

“I can’t paint a broad brush,” Gieseke said. “Like any indus-try, when you have so many manufacturers supplying products, you’re going to have some that don’t do it well or cut corners on quality. I would argue this point even against some of the larger national competitors.”

What bothers some manufacturers, are those larger, estab-lished companies that have faced this newer competition of

regional roll formers by lowering the quality of their own prod-ucts and are now making a product less durable than some of their best regional competitors.

Caught in between is the consumer who must be self-educat-ed about what is needed vs. what he or she is really buying.

SEPARATING THEMSELVES FROM THE COMPETITION

Proprietary products are naturally something that companies use to separate themselves from the competition.

McElroy has a team of engineers tasked with developing new ideas and improving established products. They can argue that their products are based on real science.

The paint system is important. McElroy uses a top-of-the-line PVDF paint system. “That’s

a paint system that’s been used for decades on commercial and architectural projects,” said Gieseke. “And it’s our belief that PVDF paint systems should be just as important to post-frame buildings and residential roofs … so we’ve made that our stan-dard offering on all of our products.”

Another factor heavily emphasized by McElroy is the thickness of their metal, the thickness and quality of the coatings, and the transparency in providing that information to the customer.

INVENTORYPart of the affordability of small roll formers comes from

the fact that they don’t have the overhead of inventory. Gieseke spins that in another direction, contending that the lack of inventory can mean a slow-down in the overall process when special orders are necessary, or even worse, the use of lower- or inconsistent-quality products.

One area in particular where unproven roll formers may not be properly prepared, Gieseke noted, is in the inventory of trim vs. panel coil.

“There are different tensile strengths and we use a different tensile strength for trim coil than we do for panel coil,” Gieseke said. “The panel coil is typically harder and if you make trim out of it, cracks will often develop creating an opportunity for corrosion and premature failure. A lot of people don’t invest in the inventories. We think it’s important to have trim coil that’s softer, that will be used specifically for trim and not one that’s a combination.”

LET THE BUYER BEWARESavvy builders want to know they are buying quality roof and

wall panel that will provide their customers with longevity, and they are learning to ask the necessary questions ahead of pur-chase. Roll formers unwilling or unable to provide answers are not likely to stay in business for the long haul.

Gieseke said that too many roll formers, and even distribu-tors and contractors, are not upfront about what their substrate coating is. “They’re basically selling painted metal with a long-


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effort. Capture the sale and give your cutomers the best condensation

control solution.

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RF1018.indd 17 8/22/18 1:09 PM



How much is left on the Coil?Charts help eliminate guesswork—and leftover material.■ By Brian Partyka

Many metal roofing contractors are realizing the benefits of owning a portable standing-seam panel roll-forming machine rather than purchasing preformed panels. This offers the abil-ity to produce engineered profiles, longer lengths, and less han-dling and freight. And in many cases, it’s cheaper to roll form your own panels.

However, keep in mind that once you own a roll-forming

machine, you now assume the role of manufacturer—and the responsibility for ordering the proper amount of coils to com-plete the project.

Coils are available to fit every profile, from standing seam to R-panel, from Kynar 500/Hylar 5000 to polyester paint systems.

Each profile requires a particular gauge and width. For roll forming of standing-seam and snap-lock profiles, the industry

life warranty,” he said. “In our case we always tell people the exact substrate and coating they are buying. We always encourage all our customers, and any end users, to make sure whoever is going to install their building, ask them what their coating is, ask them what their sub-strate is. If they won’t tell, or don’t know, that could be a red flag. They should always know those important compo-nents of a metal panel.”

Being able to determine quality based on looks is difficult. Here are some important points to keep in mind:

• The thickness of the metal does not

determine the performance against cor-rosion. Pre-treatments, coatings and paint are what allow metal to perform against corrosion.

• Thinner metals can lead more eas-ily to oil canning, waviness at overlap areas, and over-drilling of screws into the metal. The latter can lead to dimples and the early degradation of the paint.

• Instead of concentrating on gauge, learn to understand the importance of thickness and weight, not only of the metal, but of the coatings. What is the true base-metal thickness? What does this weigh per lineal foot? What types

of metallic coatings, pre-treatments and topcoats are being used and how sub-stantially are they applied?

Aside from all that, and not even covered here, are issues of roll-forming equipment and whether or not your panel is being roll formed properly.

It’s a dizzying array of things to remember, but a panel’s life is only as good as the weakest point, so wherever you cut it, scratch it, roll form it, pene-trate it, that’s where the panel is going to break down first.

When it does break down, your busi-ness’s reputation may go with it. RF

Step #1: Measure the coil’s inner diameter. Step #2: Measure the material’s thickness on one side of the coil.

ALL

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RF1018.indd 19 8/20/18 2:29 PM



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uses standard coil widths of 24, 22, 20 and 16 inches. For agri-cultural products, such as the R-Panel, the standard widths are 40.875 and 41.562 inches.

In some cases, coil is left over on a project because the machine operator forgot to keep track of the amount of lineal footage on the coil. But how can you tell how much coil is left?

It’s easy. Follow these four simple steps:1. Measure the inner diameter of the coil (it’s probably going

to be 16 or 20 inches).2. Measure the thickness of material on one side of the coil.3. Determine the gauge and width.4. Refer to the charts provided on pages 22 to 25 to determine

the theoretical weight, square footage and lineal footage left on the coil.

The charts include many of the standard gauges and coil widths used in our industry. The calculations were based on the theoretical multipliers and are medians. The multipliers will vary with each individual coil, and the numbers listed should be used as a point of reference and an estimate.

• 24 gauge = theoretical multiplier of 0.9791 pounds per square foot



Hopefully these charts will help you determine how much material is left over from past projects. By taking the time to measure and calculate the amount of material remaining, you will no longer look at an assortment of coils and ask yourself, “What should I do with them?” Who knows, you may be sur-prised how much material is there and turn your leftovers into cash. RF

Brian Partyka is manager of the coil and sheet division of Drexel Metals Corp. He has years of experience in selling and helping con-tractors and architects specify the proper painted steel and alumi-num products for roofing applications. He can be reached at 888-321-9630, ext. 115 or via e-mail at [email protected].


BOOTH #637

RF1018.indd 21 8/20/18 2:31 PM



Coils With A 16-Inch Inner Diameter24 gauge x 24-inch width

Thickness of

Material (inch)

Theoretical

Weight (lbs)

Theoretical

Square Footage

Theoretical

Lineal Footage

1⁄2 240 245 123

1 480 490 245

11⁄2 624 637 319

2 816 833 417

21⁄2 960 980 490

3 1104 1128 564

31⁄2 1296 1324 662

4 1488 1520 760

41⁄2 1680 1716 858

5 1920 1961 980

51⁄2 2160 2206 1103

6 2400 2451 1226


Thickness of

Material (inch)

Theoretical

Weight (lbs)

Theoretical

Square Footage

Theoretical

Lineal Footage

1⁄2 220 225 123

1 440 449 245

11⁄2 572 584 319

2 748 764 418

21⁄2 880 899 491

3 1012 1034 565

31⁄2 1188 1213 663

4 1364 1393 761

41⁄2 1540 1573 860

5 1760 1798 983

51⁄2 1980 2022 1105

6 2200 2247 1228


Thickness of

Material (inch)

Theoretical

Weight (lbs)

Theoretical

Square Footage

Theoretical

Lineal Footage

1⁄2 200 204 122

1 400 409 245

11⁄2 520 531 318

2 680 695 416

21⁄2 800 817 489

3 920 940 563

31⁄2 1080 1103 661

4 1240 1266 758

41⁄2 1400 1430 856

5 1600 1634 978

51⁄2 1800 1838 1101

6 2000 2043 1223


Thickness of

Material (inch)

Theoretical

Weight (lbs)

Theoretical

Square Footage

Theoretical

Lineal Footage

1⁄2 160 163 122

1 320 327 246

11⁄2 416 425 320

2 544 556 418

21⁄2 640 654 492

3 736 752 565

31⁄2 864 882 663

4 992 1013 762

41⁄2 1120 1144 860

5 1280 1307 983

51⁄2 1440 1471 1106

6 1600 1634 1229


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Thickness of

Material (inch)

Theoretical

Weight (lbs)

Theoretical

Square Footage

Theoretical

Lineal Footage

1⁄2 240 306 153

1 384 492 246

11⁄2 480 614 307

2 624 798 399

21⁄2 960 1228 614

3 1104 1412 706

31⁄2 1296 1658 829

4 1488 1904 952

41⁄2 1680 2148 1074

5 1920 2456 1228

51⁄2 2160 2762 1381

6 2400 3070 1535


Thickness of

Material (inch)

Theoretical

Weight (lbs)

Theoretical

Square Footage

Theoretical

Lineal Footage

1⁄2 240 246 123

1 480 490 245

11⁄2 720 734 368

2 960 980 490

21⁄2 1200 1226 613

3 1440 1470 735

31⁄2 1680 1716 858

4 1920 1960 980

41⁄2 2160 2206 1103

5 2400 2452 1226

51⁄2 2640 2696 1348

6 2880 2942 1471


Thickness of

Material (inch)

Theoretical

Weight (lbs)

Theoretical

Square Footage

Theoretical

Lineal Footage

1⁄2 220 225 123

1 440 449 245

11⁄2 660 674 368

2 880 899 491

21⁄2 1100 1123 614

3 1320 1348 737

31⁄2 1540 1573 860

4 1760 1798 983

41⁄2 1980 2022 1105

5 2200 2247 1228

51⁄2 2420 2472 1351

6 2640 2696 1473


Thickness of

Material (inch)

Theoretical

Weight (lbs)

Theoretical

Square Footage

Theoretical

Lineal Footage

1⁄2 200 204 122

1 400 409 245

11⁄2 600 613 359

2 800 817 489

21⁄2 1000 1021 611

3 1200 1226 734

31⁄2 1400 1430 856

4 1600 1634 978

41⁄2 1800 1838 1101

5 2000 2043 1223

51⁄2 2200 2247 1346

6 2400 2451 1468





Thickness of

Material (inch)

Theoretical

Weight (lbs)

Theoretical

Square Footage

Theoretical

Lineal Footage

1⁄2 160 163 123

1 320 327 245

11⁄2 480 490 368

2 640 654 492

21⁄2 800 817 614

3 960 980 737

31⁄2 1120 1144 860

4 1280 1307 983

41⁄2 1440 1471 1106

5 1600 1634 1229

51⁄2 1760 1798 1352

6 1920 1961 1474


Thickness of

Material (inch)

Theoretical

Weight (lbs)

Theoretical

Square Footage

Theoretical

Lineal Footage

1⁄2 240 306 153

1 480 614 307

11⁄2 720 922 461

2 960 1228 614

21⁄2 1200 1536 768

3 1440 1842 921

31⁄2 1680 2150 1075

4 1920 2456 1228

41⁄2 2160 2764 1382

5 2400 3070 1535

51⁄2 2640 3377 1689

6 2880 3684 1842

Coils With A 20-Inch Inner Diameter26 gauge x 41.562-inch width

Thickness of

Material (inch)

Theoretical

Weight (lbs)

Theoretical

Square Footage

Theoretical

Lineal Footage

1⁄2 416 532 154

1 831 1063 307

11⁄2 1247 1595 461

2 1662 2126 614

21⁄2 2078 2658 768

3 2494 3190 922

31⁄2 2909 3721 1070

4 3325 4253 1229

41⁄2 3741 4785 1383

5 4156 5316 1536

51⁄2 4572 5848 1690

6 4987 6379 1844

Coils With A 20-Inch Inner Diameter29 gauge x 40.875-inch width

Thickness of

Material (inch)

Theoretical

Weight (lbs)

Theoretical

Square Footage

Theoretical

Lineal Footage

1⁄2 409 668 196

1 818 1336 392

11⁄2 1226 2004 588

2 1635 2672 784

21⁄2 2044 3339 979

3 2453 4007 1175

31⁄2 2861 4675 1371

4 3270 5343 1567

41⁄2 3679 6011 1762

5 4088 6679 1959

51⁄2 4496 7347 2155

6 4905 8015 2350



TThe selling points for metal roofs are well known: longevity, aesthetics and eco-friendliness. Yet the higher cost of metal vs. other traditional roofing mate-rials, which is usually the main objec-tion from potential customers, is also a fact of reality. However, with increased education and the increased popularity of metal roofs over recent years, selling metal roofs has definitely gotten easier.

How to sell the benefits and overcome the objections differ on whether a con-tractor is selling metal roofs to the com-mercial or the residential market.

COMMERCIAL CHALLENGESThe challenges of marketing metal

roofing to the commercial construction sector are a daily reality for Dan Smeja, a principal at Metalmaster Roofmaster in McHenry, Illinois. A sheet metal and metal roofing contractor, the company serves a 150-mile radius around Chicago and has worked on projects ranging from schools, churches and fire departments to big-box stores and municipal buildings.

Unlike residential projects in which the contractor must pitch the benefits of metal roofing directly to a homeown-er, in the commercial sector “we come on the scene to bid on projects where a metal roof has already been specified,” says Smeja. Success depends on “estab-lishing a reputation as a premium, high-quality metal roofing contractor,” he said. “So when projects with metal roofs

come along, we’ll be invited to bid.”Metalmaster Roofmaster markets

itself for commercial roofing projects in two ways. First, the company builds rap-port with general contractors.

“Our reputation starts with the GCs [general contractors] and then works its way up to the architects and owners,” Smeja says. When the project team is confident that Metalmaster Roofmaster

can meet the prequalification require-ments and handle the job, an invitation to bid is likely.

But more commercial projects are being done using a design/build pro-cess, Smeja says. Thus, if Metalmaster Roofmaster is known as a dependable source of information on the design and pricing of metal roofing options, it can enjoy a competitive edge.

The market share for metal is increasing and gaining momentum in both segments—commercial & residential.

Selling Metal:How To Close The Deal

Applications In The Industry )Applications In The Industry )

ME

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Commercial roofing projects are primarily bid on, where a metal roof is already specified. Success is dependent on the company’s reputation as a premium, high-quality metal roofing contractor. Metalmaster Roofmaster, Inc. has a staff dedicated to searching for projects.

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Nevertheless, says Smeja, “We can’t survive only on what we’re invited to do. The market goes in waves. Metal roofing goes through cycles of popularity, some-times more and sometimes less. So jobs won’t always fall in our lap. We have to search every day for potential new proj-ects.”

Metalmaster Roofmaster has a staff dedicated to this search. Leads are found in project bulletins published by BidClerk and Reed Construction Data, as well as by monitoring government agen-cy websites for new public construction announcements.

In the end, however, Smeja says his company gets much of its work from projects whose architects already have a preference for metal roofs “or when the owner—for example, a church or an

office complex—is involved in the design and has a preference for metal. As the economy improves, we’re seeing that the desire for unique buildings is coming back—and unique means metal.”

Ongoing advances in metal roofing paints and coatings help contractors such as Metalmaster Roofmaster keep up with owners’ and architects’ changing tastes.

“In the past, warmer tones were the most specified. But now we’re seeing a trend toward a more contemporary look—maybe silver, black, or panels that are prefinished to resemble specialty metals,” Smeja says.

But the main draw for metal roofs in the commercial construction sector remains their longevity.

“Metal roofs are one of the only exterior building products that can last the entire

service life of a building,” Smeja says. Though projects installed by

Metalmaster Roofmaster average between $100,000 and $250,000, the higher up-front cost is offset by savings in life-cycle costs. Moreover, the cost of a metal roof is a comparatively small frac-tion of the total building cost.

Metalmaster Roofmaster depends on its sources for metal roofing systems, including Firestone Building Products and Berridge Manufacturing, to keep the company abreast of technical advances and aesthetic trends. These and other manufacturers, along with the Metal Construction Association (MCA), do the actual work of “selling” the benefits of metal roofing to commercial building owners and architects.

“Educating architects is a big priority

Applications in the Industry )Applications in the Industry )

Ongoing advances in metal roofing paints and coatings help contractors such as Metalmaster Roofmaster keep up with owners’ and architects’ changing tastes. The main draw for metal roofs in the commercial construction sector remains their longevity.


RF1018.indd 29 8/20/18 2:33 PM


for us [MCA],” says John Ryan, former director of marketing for the Chicago-based MCA. “We offer courses approved by the American Institute of Architects and we work with universities. A metal roof may be a premium cost option for a commercial building. But you’re look-ing at a service life of 60 or more years, vs. 20 to 30 years for traditional roofing materials.”

To sell the aesthetics of metal roofing, MCA publicizes a gallery of signature building projects.

“We show architects that they can achieve any look they want with metal,” Ryan says. The association also generates technical data to document the perfor-mance of metal roofs, including energy savings that come from a surface that reflects rather than absorbs heat like dark asphalt.

In its continuing advocacy for com-mercial metal roofing, MCA launched a course to certify installers.

“That will help give architects confi-dence to specify metal,” says Ryan. “In fact, metal roofing contractors may find in the future that to bid on a project, the owner or general contractor is going to ask if they’re certified.”

By the same token, Ryan advises con-tractors to source their metal roofing

“from manufacturers and suppliers who are leaders in the marketplace as far as educating architects, participating in research, improving their products and actively advocating for metal.”

RESIDENTIAL REALITIESIn residential metal roofing, manufac-

turers and the Metal Roofing Alliance (MRA) are directly targeting homeown-ers with their educational efforts.

As respondents to a Metal Roofing Magazine survey published every February on the state of the industry, education remains the key. As one manu-facturer put it recently, “People aren’t f lipping houses anymore; they are choos-ing to stay where they are. They want value in their homes and you get that with a metal roof.”

According to MRA executive direc-tor Renee Ramey, this is true. “The lat-est market data shows homeowners are choosing to stay in their homes longer. They view their home as an investment and, as such, understand the true value a metal roof can bring to their home,” says Ramey.

Yet the latest market research con-ducted by MRA also has discovered some misperceptions among homeowners about the benefits of metal roofing.

“We are here to share the facts about metal roofing in detail. The MRA is working to educate homeowners about the wide variety of metal roofing prod-ucts available … from those that mimic slate, shake and tile, to vertical seam and stone-coated products. In short, it’s important for homeowners to realize that metal roofing can aesthetically look like virtually any other roofing material available,” shared Ramey.

Beyond aesthetics, metal roofing offers a wide variety of benefits—includ-ing durability, sustainability, ease of maintenance, longevity and more—that appeals to homeowners in many differ-ent regions.

“Homeowners need to understand

that metal roofs do not increase the likelihood of lightning strikes, are not noisier than other roofs in rain or hail-storms, and do not rust like the roof on your old red barn,” says Ramey. “In fact, more than any other type of roof, metal can withstand hail, high winds and snow without denting or compromising per-formance.”

AN INVESTMENT THAT PAYS OFF

According to Ramey, metal roofing products are not a commodity but rather an investment that also pays off for the trades. “Profit margins are better for metal than for most other roofing prod-ucts, allowing contractors to achieve higher revenue with fewer projects. In fact, for about two-thirds of contractors who install metal roofs, that’s all they do,” she says.

To help support the trade, MRA offers a suite of marketing and sales tools. For contractors, the biggest benefit of MRA membership are homeowner-generated leads available via the MRA website. In addition, the MRA offers everything from customizable literature and signage, to training and access to technical sup-


Beyond aesthetics, metal roofing offers a wide variety of benefits—including durability, sustain-ability, ease of maintenance, longevity and more—that appeals to homeowners in many different regions.



Applications in the Industry )Applications in the Industry )

port. “Of course, this support is in addi-tion to the ongoing consumer-focused promotional efforts we do, including TV, radio, print, digital, social and virtually every other platform designed to reach homeowners both nationally and region-ally,” adds Ramey.

Homeowners who visit the MRA web-site can upload photos of their homes and actually see what different styles and colors of metal roofing would look like on their home. This tool also is a tremen-dous asset for contractors, since poten-tial customers don’t have to guess what their home would look like with a new metal roof.

In contrast to selling a commercial metal roof, which means getting on a bid list, selling a residential metal roof means getting into a homeowner’s liv-ing room. The latter requires a mix of advertising, marketing and public rela-tions. Advertising influences the buying behavior of targeted consumers, mar-keting promotes a product or service to those consumers and public relations secures goodwill from consumers, as well as local officials and others part of the decision-making process.

Integrating these three activities—advertising, marketing, public rela-tions—into a single plan involves four steps: research, planning, communi-cation and evaluation. The first step, research, identifies the target audience, its attitudes toward metal roofs, mes-sages that may change those attitudes and available media for conveying those messages.

The goal of the second step, planning, is deciding on a mix of media tactics that give the most bang for the budget (which is usually set as a percentage of annual sales). Communication, the third step, is executing a “creative and content strat-egy” geared to consumer education. The final step, evaluation, helps launch the research and refinement phase for the next campaign.

FOLLOWING THE STEPS TO CLOSE THE SALE

These steps help mirror consumer edu-cation campaigns of the manufacturers and the MRA on a local level. National advertising and marketing create a

“brand presence” for residential metal roofs, while contractors’ local efforts create opportunities to make a personal pitch with interested prospects and close the sale.

The good news for metal roofing is that market share within the residen-tial arena is increasing. A study by F.W. Dodge reports that the market share for residential metal roofing hit a record 12 percent in 2017. The market continues to increase as the MRA’s educational efforts, and those within our industry, work to drive consumer education and aware-ness.

Respondents to the Metal Roofing Magazine state-of-the-industry survey agreed that such multilevel education remains the key. “As people know more about it, they see the benefits of the qual-ity products, the greener aspects and the more sophisticated options,” said one manufacturer. Added another: “The industry . . . [is] making great strides to educate consumers about the benefits of metal roofing and I think that effort trickles down to everyone.”

The good news, though, is that the mar-ket share for metal is increasing in both commercial and residential segments. For example, the market share for residential metal roofing more than tripled between 2000 and 2008, climbing from about 3.5 percent to 11 percent and year after year those figures keep rising. RF

Ongoing advances in metal roofing paints and coatings help contractors keep up with archi-tects’ changing tastes.

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In contrast to selling a commercial metal roof, which means getting on a bid list, selling a resi-dential metal roof means getting into a homeowner’s living room.

26-31 Selling Metal.indd 31 8/22/18 2:12 PM


Roll Forming Industry At Work )Roll Forming Industry At Work )

DTips on how to pick the best equipment for starting up your business.

Picking The Best Roll Former To Fit Your Needs

Do you have a lot of questions about choosing a roll former? That is to be expected with so many manufactur-ers out there offering so many different types and options to help you with your business.

When you are considering what manufacturer to go with when choos-ing the right roll former for your busi-ness, Bill Griffin, a partner with Metal Rollforming Systems (MRS), based in Spokane, Washington, says experi-ence matters. MRS has a team of sales engineers that are proud of the support, knowledge and industry connections that the company has built over many years in business.

“We offer unparalleled service to all our customers, from new startups to estab-lished industry veterans,” Griffin said.

“We understand that you’ll have plenty of questions and concerns to prepare to launch or expand your business. MRS is here to help every step along the way, from initial business planning all the way to starting your roll-forming business.

Here are four important things to con-sider when purchasing equipment:

STEP 1: EVALUATE YOUR MARKETPLACE

Researching into the activity and the needs of your intended market is an important first step in determining the direction your budding business should go.

A. What profile or profiles do you plan on selling?

This is an important first step in iden-tifying the proper piece of equipment

and price point for the equipment. It will also dictate inventory requirements and shop space. You can gauge what your competitors are doing to better grasp the needs of the market place. The panel pro-files and needs can vary geographically as well.

B. What is your estimated volume of sales for year one?

The sales volume relates directly to your production needs for both equip-ment; roll forming and trim, as well as your facility and ancillary items like forklifts and delivery needs.

C. What is your estimated or goal for sales in year five?

Determining your goals for the future will help you to better plan how to get there. It is not uncommon to double in sales by the second year and to continue to grow at a rapid pace. Determining the

Determine what profile or profiles you want to sell. This is an important first step in identify-ing the proper piece of equipment and price point for the equipment.

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volume you will need to produce will greatly influence which machine is right for your operation.

STEP 2: EVALUATE YOUR NEEDS & DETERMINE YOUR BUDGET

Now that you understand your mar-ket place how are you going to service it, and what equipment is needed to service it properly? Most roll-forming opera-tions start with three important pieces of equipment. Keep in mind most opera-tions have a positive cash flow the first year and a ROI of three to five years.

Griffin says that MRS works closely with financing companies and provides an excellent financial analysis tool for use in estimating growth and profitability.

A. Panel Rollformer “This machine is the heart of your pro-

duction shop and should be of the high-est quality,” Griffin says. All MRS equip-ment is designed and manufactured in

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the USA. “The majority of MRS panel lines also offer the ability to blank flat sheets for your trim shop, a significant advantage that saves you funds and shop space.”

B. Folder / Trim Brake The trim folder will be used to bend

up all of your trim parts. Although MRS does not sell any folders, the company has numerous connections throughout the industry and would be happy to assist in your search. Sizes can range from 10’ –

20’ in length. Production capacity of your folder should be directly related to esti-mated sales volumes from 1(B) and 1(C).

C. Slitter / Shear The MRS Pre Cut Rollformers can take

coil and blank it to length for trim; 10’, 12’, and 20’ and more. Once a stack of sheets is made, either a Slitter or a Shear can be used to reduce the width of the coil (typically 40.875” to 43”) down to the appropriate width for your trim piec-es. Shears are advantageous for making

quick width changes. Slitters shine when you set up to run production quantities as they make multiple cuts in a single pass.

Griffin says that any one of MRS’ sales engineers can help review your project in great detail and tell you what items best suits your needs and budget.

STEP 3: DETERMINE YOUR PARTNERS

A quality piece of equipment, if prop-erly maintained, will provide decades worth of service.

“We pride ourselves on support and service both during and after the sales process,” Griffin said. “With a compre-hensive inventory, a full machine and


ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

COMPANY PAGE #ABC Supply Company ...................5AkzoNobel ................................. C2ASC Machine Tools, Inc. ..............15Bradbury Group, The .....................4Direct Metals, Inc. .......................14Dripstop / Filc USA ......................17Eastside Machine .......................34Englert, Inc. ................................13Hershey’s Metal Meister .............29International Roofi ng Expo ..........41Levi’s Building Components ........12Metal Rollforming Systems .........16Metal Roof Components .............20Metalcon ....................................39National Frame Building Assn. ....43New Tech Machinery Corp. .........27Paint Valley Parts, LTD ................20Plyco ..........................................33Roll Former Corporation ..............36Sherwin-Williams Coil Coatings ...23Skyline Enterprises .................... C4ST Fastening Systems ..................8Swenson Shear ..........................21Taylor Steel, Inc. .........................10United Steel Supply ....................19Ventco, Inc. ...................................9Zimmerman Metals ....................11Quality equipment, if properly maintained, will provide decades worth of service.

Financing companies will help provide an estimated growth and profitability analysis.

32-36 Picking The Best Roll Former.indd 35 8/22/18 12:42 PM



fabrication shop, along with technical support staff that have experience building the equipment, we have the parts and ser-vice you need at a moments notice.”

In addition to its equipment, MRS also has contacts in the following areas:

A. Coil suppliersB. Lending institutionsC. Screw suppliersD. Closure and accessory suppliers and more.

STEP 4: DEVELOP & EXECUTE YOUR BUSINESS PLAN

Now that you have ascertained a need, and found the best equipment and partners, it is time to formulate and execute a business plan that will set you up for success. There are three main things to consider when formulating a successful business strategy in the metal roofing industry.

A. Service As a smaller company you will be more maneuverable and

find it easier to provide same or next day service to your cus-tomers.

It is imperative to make offering the highest level of service your number one priority. Many times, a small startup will go toe to toe with the larger corporations and have been very suc-cessful by offering the best service available.

B. Price Price is a large motivator for contractors and homeowners.

“Work closely with your coil supplier to negotiate the best pricing structure. Keep in mind that as a startup your buying power may not rival the larger companies, but your overhead will be small allowing you to operate on a tighter margin,” Griffin says.

C. Capability Here you can find a niche that may not be currently filled in

your market place, such as: 1. Long trim for one-piece corners or rakes;2. Delivery and packaging options such as roll-off trucks,

rental trailers or Moffett-style forklifts; 3. Additional color offerings or exotic colors like wood grain

or camouflage; and4. Additional designer profiles

SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMEThese suggestions should provide the ingredients for choos-

ing the right roll-forming equipment for your business. The remainder of the business plan is hard work, persever-

ance and a desire to offer a higher level of service. “This is the same recipe that we at Metal Rollforming Systems

work hard towards daily,” Griffin said. Adding, “you will see it when dealing with anyone from our organization, from sales engineers to service techs, we all abide by the saying: ‘Service is the lifeblood of our organization. Everything flows from it and is nourished by it. Customer service is not a department, it’s an attitude.’” RF

MRS’ sales engineers can help review your project in great detail and tell you what items best suits your needs and budget.

We are now offering a

Universal Hemming Machine UH – 36

Double Sided Hemming½” Hems /

8” to 36” Coil Width

Pick and Choose your Options• Double Sided Hemming• Flat or “Tear Drop” Hems — Base Machine – 1/2” Hem• “Hem & Kick” - Base Machine — 5/8” kickout with 1/2” hem• “PIPE LOCK” Hems (Double Sided)• Slitting Knife (1) for increased production• Perforation Dies (2) Sets maximum• Small Stiffening Ribs (2) • “Valley Crease” Rolls

Call today at 215-997-2511 • Fax: 215-997-5544www.rollformercorp.com

140 Independence Lane • Chalfont, PA 18914

Use this “Multi Option” piece of machinery in conjunction with your Brake or Folder to save you time and money

on all of your Trim Product needs.

Dou

8”

Booth#731


We are celebrating our 30th Anniversary with a Special “Collector’s Edition” issue of Frame Building News. Our issue will look at the last 30 years of Frame Building News and the post-frame industry.

We will feature top articles from each decade and the manufacturing stalwarts who support the industry. Only companies in continuous operation for 25 years or longer are invited to participate.

This issue will be polybagged and mailed to the 73,000 readers of Frame Building News, Metal Roofi ng Magazine and Rural Builder.

We need to confi rm your participation by November 9, 2018.BONUS DISTRIBUTION AT METALCON, FRAME BUILDING

EXPO AND IRE.

Your Story Is Our Story.

You can be a part of the issue at no charge. Anyone who responds will be listed in their longevity category. Listings will be: 25+ Years, 50+ Years, 75+ Years & 100+ Years.

You can add your logo and a 50 word description for $275.Tell your complete story with the single-page or two-page spread options

listed above.If you need more than two pages, we can discuss your specifi c needs.

This issue is exclusively about Anniversaries and will not include traditional ads.

Help us take a look back at the last 30 years.

For more information or to be a part of our 30th Anniversary Issue contact: Gary Reichert

[email protected] • Phone: 715-350-7080

Special Edition Issue

Full-Page Option:One or two large pictures

400 words of textIncludes logo & description20 Complementary copiesReprints at $120 per 100

$3,350.00

Two-Page Option:Four or fi ve large pictures

800 words of textIncludes logo & description25 Complementary copiesReprints at $160 per 100

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I

10 RURAL BUILDER / 50th Anniversary Issue

Maze Nails is a sixth-generation

family-owned business that stands

alone. Once sharing the stage with many

domestic nail companies, it is the only

one remaining that can claim its nails

are 100 percent “Made in the USA.”

Its lineage stretches back 169 years.

The company was started by Irish

immigrant Samuel Nesbitt Maze, who

arrived in the United States in 1836

from Castleblaney, County Monaghan,

Ireland. He worked as a masonry con-

tractor for several years before decid-

ing in 1848 to try his hand at the

lumber business, locating his modest

yard in the small town of Peru, Illinois,

on the banks of the Illinois River.

The yard stood just a few hundred

yards from the south end of the new

Illinois-Michigan Canal. Dug by men

and horsepower, it was also 1848 when

the canal first linked Peru and the

Illinois and Mississippi rivers to Lake

Michigan.

Maze had a small barge built—

named the Elk—and used mules to haul

loads of local grain to Chicago by way of

the I-M canal. Before leaving Chicago to

return to Peru, the Elk was loaded with

white pine from the huge timber stands

in Wisconsin, for sale to Samuel Maze’s

contractor friends, and later to every-

one, when farmers and others asked

him to bring them lumber.

In the late 1800s, the

Maze Lumber yard was

selling a great many

cedar shingle roof jobs.

The shingles lasted fine,

but the bright steel-cut

nails that Maze Lumber

sold, though they were

the best available at the

time, just didn’t last. The result

was blow-offs of the wood shingles

due to nail failures. The lumberyard,

then operated by Samuel’s son, Walter,

bought a used nail machine to make

their own, higher-quality nails from

pure zinc strips.

It was fortunate that LaSalle-Peru

was also home to M & H Zinc and

Illinois Zinc—suppliers of the zinc

needed to make the cut cedar shin-

gle nails that the small nail machine

produced. Pure zinc nails, while they

didn’t drive extremely well because

they were rather soft, accomplished the

Maze goal of providing a long-lasting,

“rust-proof” nail to customers, espe-

cially in short lengths.

Maze Lumber promot-

ed its cedar shingle roof

packages far and wide.

They even gave away

the zinc cut nails free

if the rest of the job

was purchased at their

yard. So the little nail

machine now had to run

more hours a week to keep

up with the growing demand.

It didn’t take long for word of these

fine zinc nails to spread to lumber-

yards outside the area and soon other

area dealers arrived by wagon, f lat-

MAZE NAILS

This contractor is loading 5-pound boxes of Maze

Zinclad Nails into his wagon full of cedar shingles

at Maze Lumber around the turn of the 20th century.

Zinclad nails being loaded

into 100-pound wooden cases.

sixth-generation

family-owned

business

Established

1848

10-Maze-Advertorial.indd 10

10 Maze-Advertorial.indd 10

11/16/16 12:40 PM

11/16/16 12:40 PM

WWW.RURALBUILDER.COM 11

neers went to work on a new design.

The first automated nail dipping line

was completed in 1955 when Double-

Dipped STORMGUARD® nails were

born. Double-dipping the nails pre-

cluded pinholes, globs of zinc and

other imperfections, further guaran-

teeing homeowners that Maze hot-

dipped nails would give them decades

of rust-free service on their roofing,

siding and decking jobs.

Maze Nail engineers were respon-

sible for many other major innova-

tions in the nail business. As build-

ing materials changed and improved,

it was imperative to develop new

methods of fastening them. Maze

developed spiral-shank threading to

increase the holding power of its

nails, reducing the problems caused

by nails backing out of roofing and

siding products.

Maze Nails was also the first mill

to pack nails into both 50-pound and

5-pound boxes—quite a departure

from the old 100-pound kegs consid-

ered standard packing.

Maze Nails has always been on

the leading edge of developing nails

to apply ever-changing and mod-

ern building materials. For example,

when hardboard siding first entered

the market, contractors found that

regular box nails and siding nails

didn’t drive well through the new,

tough materials. Maze Nails was

quickly contacted, and within sev-

eral weeks had developed high-carbon

steel, small-headed Stormguard sid-

ing nails. Those nails soon became

the industry standard for hardboard

siding nails, and they continue to hold

that distinction.

Maze Nails also had the first pres-

sure-treated lumber (P.T.L.®) nails to

hit the market after the strong emer-

gence of treated lumber. Maze Nails is

now providing both bulk and collated

hot-dipped nails for the huge, emerg-

ing fiber-cement siding market.

Of course, during wartime, Maze

was always a dependable supplier of

special nails to the military.

In 1990, Maze Nails added to its

corporate family with the purchase

of Independent Nail, founded in 1915

in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, by the

Stone family. Independent Nail was

once the nation’s largest supplier of

specialty nails. Its STRONGHOLD®

nail line was a brand name that most

other nail makers were unable to

match for many years.

The acquisition of Independent

Nail further galvanized Maze

Company’s position at the top of its

industry, providing an even greater

diversity of quality products, includ-

ing stainless steel nails, copper nails,

plastic head cap nails, metal head cap

nails, paneling nails, hardwood trim

nails and aluminum nails.

boat and sidewheeler. As Maze Lumber

began selling nails to other lumber-

yards, the nail machine eventually ran

full time—then was joined by addi-

tional machines as nail orders poured

in. So was born the Nail Division of

W.H. Maze Company.

In the early 1900s, when the cost

of the base metals such as zinc began

to skyrocket, the fledgling nail mill

devised a way to conserve zinc by mak-

ing steel nails, then dipping them into

a vat of molten zinc. These ZINCLAD®

nails drove much better than the old

pure zinc cut nails, but still had the

excellent rust-resistance to which Maze

customers had become accustomed.

For years, Zinclad nails were dipped

manually using a small basket to lower

the nails into the molten zinc.

As nail sales climbed to the point

where this manual nail dipping meth-

od just didn’t keep up, the Maze engi-

Zinclad, the nails that started the

Maze Nails division of the company.

The first Maze delivery truck, a 1925 one-and-a-half ton Federal was purchased new by Maze for $423.

Maze Nails

100 Church St., Peru, IL 61354

PHONE: 800-435-5949

WEBSITE: mazenails.com

10-Maze-Advertorial.indd 11

Advertorial.indd 11

11/16/16 12:40 PM

11/16/16 12:40 PM

the issue at no charge Anyone who

In2

16 RURAL BUILDER / 50th Anniversary Issue

Built on the foundation of providing the market with quality building solu-tions, Varco Pruden Buildings has grown from a small regional supplier to a worldwide leader over the past 50 years.

The history of Varco Pruden began in the post-WWII era with Robert Varner using repurposed steel tubes from the oil fields of Oklahoma to build steel-framed structures for the agricultural market. During the same period, Clark Prudhon had begun welding plate steel into building frames for agricultural and industrial applica-tions in Wisconsin.In 1968, the two growing regional

suppliers—Varner Steel and Pruden Products—merged to become Varco Pruden Buildings. With four region-al service centers, the new company quickly developed into a national brand.

Varco Pruden Buildings 3200 Players Club Cir.Memphis, TN 38125PHONE: 901-748-8000WEBSITE: vp.com

for sustainable buildings and energy-efficiency, VP’s new ThermaLift™ pro-vides space for increased insulation. SSR with ThermaLift can meet thermal per-formance as good as U=0.029, which meets or exceeds most building code requirements.

Technology has been the key to much of VP’s product and design suc-cess. From the earliest developments of custom-concept, VP explored com-puter-aided technology to expand and refine their industry-leading products. VP took a giant leap forward with the introduction of VP Command™. This proprietary software gives VP Builders the ability to quickly and cor-rectly design, estimate and order their VP building.

SUCCESS THROUGH OUR BUILDER NETWORKThroughout the past 50 years one fact has remained constant—VP’s success is tied to the success of the VP Builder network. This elite group of contractors and building specialists use VP’s prod-ucts and technology to provide building solutions for virtually any commercial, industrial or retail application.

VP TODAYVarco Pruden Buildings is one of the nation’s largest providers of building solu-tions. With advanced engineering, propri-etary building products and our network of authorized builders, Varco Pruden offers innovative steel building solutions worldwide for low- and mid-rise commer-cial and industrial applications.Whether for new construction or

upgrading existing facilities, Varco Pruden specializes in cost-effective solutions to meet project requirements for design, func-tion, energy-efficiency and sustainability. Varco Pruden: Building Solutions One

Relationship at a Time

BRINGING PRODUCTS AND TECHNOLOGY TO MARKETAs market demand for efficient and affordable steel structures grew beyond agricultural applications, Varco Pruden Buildings developed building solu-tions to meet the need. VP pioneered the “custom concept” approach which allowed pre-engineered metal buildings to meet customer design requirements within one-sixteenth of an inch. VP researched and developed fram-

ing options for both solid-web and open-web applications. VP engineering provided designs to accommodate clear spans in excess of 300 feet. Today, with VP’s new WideBay™ Trussed Purlin, bay spacing of 50 feet between frames can be achieved. This innovation allows build-ing owners more clear floor space for equipment, storage or workspace.Along with framing innovations,

VP developed its patented SSR™ stand-ing seam roof. With features including 3-inch standing seams, sliding clips for thermal expansion and a patented fully-seamed ridge cap, VP’s SSR is one of the most durable and reliable roof-ing options on the market. VP continues to develop products to

meet owner’s needs. With today’s demand

VARCO PRUDEN BUILDINGS Established1948

Building Success Since 1948

16-VP-Advertorial.indd 1616-VP-Advertorial.indd 16

11/16/16 1:17 PM11/1

g y pof Frame Building News. Our issue will look at the last 30 years of Frame Building News and the post-frame industry.s

f h d de and the manufacturing stalwarts

We are celebrating our 30th Anniversary with a Special “Collector’s Edition” issue

RF1018.indd 37 8/22/18 12:46 PM



MAre you ready to roll your own metal roofing panels? Many in the industry thinks it makes sense.■ By Sharon Glorioso

Diversifying Your Workload

More and more roofing contractors these days are answering “yes” to that question. Manufacturing independence, waste management, shipping consider-ations and other factors paint a compel-ling case for contractors looking to buy a roll former and produce their own pan-els. But it’s not that simple—additional manufacturing costs, employee train-ing, warehousing and a different set of transportation considerations must be weighed before pulling the trigger on this very significant purchase and investment.

Mike Milliman of Rain Trade in Lake Bluff, Illinois, decided it was worth it. Rain Trade has been selling New Tech Machinery’s gutter systems for years and has had such a positive experience with their equipment, the company recently became a new distributor for New Tech’s roll-former equipment.

“There are so many benefits for com-panies to purchase their own machine,” Milliman says. “Just not having to depend on anyone else is a big advantage. It saves time as well as money.”

Ken McLauchlan, director of sales with Drexel Metals, headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, agrees, and says it’s about controlling what kinds of projects you want to take on. “You can control your own destiny and have the flexibility of what jobs you can do—and be con-fident that you are putting out a better product,” he says.

For 40 years, Roll Former Corp., of

Chalfont, Pennsylvania, has designed and developed custom machinery for companies looking for a roll-forming application. “We design our custom equipment from scratch and we offer about 25 standard products,” said John Dumke, director of sales and marketing for Roll Former Corp. Dumke says that roll forming has many cost advantages over brake forming and preformed pan-els, including:

• No expensive shipping and crating of long panels. Coils are delivered right to the shop or job site;

• No panel shipping damage and delays are minimal;

• Less labor and waste;• The ability to work on your own

schedule, not the factory’s; and• Form perfect panels to any length.

Additionally, Bruce Pearson, with

A contractor looking to purchase a roll former should shop around, and consider not only the price but quality reputation, warranties and service.

38-44 Diversifying Your Workload.indd 38 8/22/18 12:43 PM

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Zimmerman Metals, in Denver, Colorado, has been in the business for 45 years, and he says that you can reduce your cost of doing business by using a portable roll former in many ways.

“On-site fabrication eliminates shipping damage, you don’t have to worry about packaging materials, sizing errors and the panels can be custom manufactured. Also, as you make your panels on site, you don’t have to worry that the manu-factured panels will get damaged laying around on the job site,” he says.

ROLL FORMERS: IN-HOUSE VS. PORTABLE

Ready to roll your own? Your next decision will be to choose between the two distinct types of roll formers—por-table and in-house machines. In-house machines are usually larger units designed and built for high-production rates. Portable roll formers are smaller for simpler transportation and tend to be more flexible in their ability to produce a variety of panel profiles.

For in-house manufacturers, you don’t have to keep your machine busy to justify its expense, as they are built for increased orders and high-production rates.

However, portable roll formers tend to save on transportations costs—they save

on packaging and freight costs while giv-ing the roofer the ability to reduce the time of a project, instead of ordering fac-tory-formed panels. As an added bonus, on-site panel fabrication eliminates the possibility of shipping damage to panels, miscalculated sizing, etc. Also, on-site roll formers can produce panel lengths varying in size required by the specific roof, as they are not regulated by ship-ping rules.

WHAT THE INVESTMENT COSTSSo you’ve decided to open up the check-

book and buy a roll former. Will it be worth their investment? Cost varies, and your priorities will drive just how large a check you will need to write.

“There’s the entry level and the com-mercial level. But having the flexibility and the ability to cut the middle man out may be beneficial to your business,” says Drexel’s McLauchlan. “The entry level roll former may start in the low $20,000 range, where the very specific commercial machines might be as high as $150,000. But being able to diversify your jobs will be worth the cost.”

There are a number of companies in the industry that will work with contractors on equipment financing. Another option would be to lease equipment. Leasing pay-ments are much less expensive of the total purchase price of a roll former and it can be a pre-tax expense. Leasing also allows for upgrades and equipment add-ons.

According to Pearson at Zimmerman Metals, they train on maintenance and adjustment of their machines. “We pro-vide training on all of our equipment. You can either do it on-site in our factory, or we will send one of our manufacturers out to you to do the training and it usually only takes one day. We don’t charge for this on any new machines that are pur-chased,” Pearson said.

Additionally, Dumke at Roll Former Corp., says they offer training as well.

“We do this in two ways; you can either come to our plant to get the free training on your new machine or we send some-one to your location for a fee. Either way,

There are a number of companies in the indus-try that will work with contractors on equip-ment financing.

Portable Roll Formers Make Tapered Projects Easier & More Efficient

Tapered metal roofing panels may not be considered unique these days, but portable roll formers can make it easier for contractors to perform more unique jobs. For example, New Tech Machinery’s equipment was ideal in completing a Dallas job where an unusual copper roof had to be replaced. For this particular project, the existing 16,000-square-foot roof was originally hand built using interlocking 3x3 pieces. Because the roof was shaped like the letter “S,” every single piece had to be tapered. The original copper roof had taken installers eight months to complete.

Metal Master Roofing and Construction used copper-colored steel to replace the copper roof. New Tech’s tapered panel equipment was used to fabricate con-tinuous panels from eave to ridge. Other contractors asked to submit bids on the project were unable to provide the continuous panels manufactured by New Tech’s portable roll former.

“The equipment was easy to use and the crew was ready to start fabbing pan-els after only a few experimental panels,” says Phil Miller, who worked on the project. “The most difficult part of the roof was calculating the amount of taper each panel would need in order to have every panel the same size from first to last. Because every section of the roof was a different length, the math had to be done differently each time.” RF



Applications in the IndustryApplications in the Industry ) )

we will make sure that you know how to operate our custom machine,” Dumke said.

As with any significant purchase, a con-tractor looking to purchase a roll former should shop around, and consider not only the price but quality reputation, war-ranties and service. “Quality is the most important factor when choosing a roll

former, as the machine will be an integral part of your business,” says Roger Geer, former COO of New Tech Machinery, based in Denver, Colorado.

Tom Laird, national sales manager of New Tech, says that it is important to keep

in mind that the roll formers’ versatility and quality is extremely important, as the more versatile the machine is, the more jobs you can potentially bid on and land.

“There are single-profile machines as well as multi-profile machines, so make

Re-Roofing ProjectWith this project, the original

roof and building was built in 1976 in Clinton, Illinois.

• The reroofed section was 150x300 or 45,000 square feet;

• The new roof panel was McElroy Metal’s 238T symmetri-cal standing seam system;

• Panels were 24-inches wide in an acrylic-coated Galvalume sub-strate;

• Panels were manufactured on-site using McElroy Metal’s High Roller Job Site Production Equipment;

• Roll formers enabled contrac-tors to manufacture and install long length panels from eave to ridge, while eliminating the need for laps;

• The south side of the building had 100-foot panels;

• The north side of the building had 50-foot panels; and

• The project took about two weeks for contractors to complete the work. RF

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sure you get a machine that can grow with your business and will stand the test of time as well. New Tech Machinery offers one of the most comprehensive warranties in the business with three years on parts and labor (including electrical components), along with lim-ited LIFETIME warranties on drive and forming rollers,” Laird said.

Additionally, Pearson with Zimmerman says to do reference checks.

“It’s also important to know how long they have been building their machines; check to see if they offer training, see where they make their equipment. I per-sonally prefer American made, but make sure it is a quality company with a quali-ty product. We offer a three-year warran-ty on our machines, but we never have any problems. I built my first machine 29 years ago, and the owner today of this machine has only replaced one part in 29 years,” he said.

ALWAYS EVOLVINGToday, portable roll formers tend to

be more advanced and use modern tech-nology that can produce quality panels that are competitive with in-factory roll-forming machines. Portable roll formers can cut metals more quickly, without any waste.

Many roll formers sold today feature computer controllers software that offers users more options and benefits than in the past. Many offer proximity sensors, multiple-length memory storage, batch and length control, and some even recog-nize coil color for state-of-the-art user-friendly settings.

Another key distinction among differ-ent types of roll formers is multi-panel vs. fixed-panel machines. Users report that the multi-panel options are gaining popularity in recent years, as contrac-tors want to be able to diversify their jobs and workload and get more of the mar-ket share in their business. Additionally, more customized projects are being sought out and gaining increased popu-larity among homeowners and commer-cial project contractors. RF

Long Panels Warrant Creative Installation Techniques

When hauling manufactured panels from the factory to the job site, there are over-the-road restrictions on trailer lengths that apply to the transport of lengthy panels. Consequently, jobs with panel lengths of 100 feet and up often require that the panels be roll formed right at the job site.

That was the case at the Silver Run Elementary School in Moorestown, New Jersey, where fabricator ADPI of Avenel, New Jersey, decided to roll form the panels with Englert equipment at roof level, using a crane to hoist a standing seam machine to the edge of the roof where the panels would be installed. ADPI’s team of seasoned fabricators also built what looked like a football crossbar made out of steel and planted it in the ground about four feet from the base of the school building. That crossbar played an important role in sta-bilizing the roll-forming machine against the side of the building while ADPI workers ran panels.

Each panel was run out of the machine across the top of the old roof. Fabricators would run each panel about three feet onto the roof where a small set of wheeled casters were attached to the front end of the panel. Then using the casters to smooth the movement of the panel, the operator ran scores of panels up to 136 feet in length. When a panel was run, a team of seven work-ers, spread across the width of the roof, lifted the panel in unison and walked it to the place where it would ultimately be installed. When that was com-pleted, the machine was moved to another section of the roof, a new crossbar was built and the process was repeated.

The installation process was particularly practical because the southern part of New Jersey where the school is located had been plagued by days of heavy rain at the time. The installation crew was able to run off enough panel for the installers to cover open framing on exposed areas of the old roof. RF


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Englert On-Site Roll Former Integral Part To Complete Unique Church Project

Another unique project produced with on-site roll formers was that of Erdy McHenry Architecture of Philadelphia, the architectural firm responsible for the design of St. Aloysius Church in Jackson, New Jersey. Extensive research into the life and ministry of St. Aloysius led to two significant conceptual explorations that give form to the design for this new Roman Catholic Church.

Called, “Repitching the tent,” which describes the delicate soaring roof lines evoking the concept of simple worship, the installers used Englert’s roll-form-ing machinery to complete this project. Four massive piers were anchored at the corners and provided the building’s foundation.

The standing seam roof structure serves as a distinguishable image for the church. The roof also serves to break up the inside space acoustically, while creating an intimate feeling. “The standing seam, hyperbolic parabolic roof structure was a wonderful aspect of this structure and it was important that its implementation be protected during the design phase,” said David McHenry, a partner at Erdy McHenry.

Hyperbolic paraboloids are often referred to as “saddles,” and the photo shows show why. Their official name stems from the fact that their vertical cross sections are parabolas, while the horizontal cross sections are hyperbolas. McHenry felt that metal could be the only material suitable for his complicated vertical cross section design. To McHenry’s knowledge, this

may be the world’s first large-scale hyperbolic parabolic roof executed in standing seam.

The architect chose an Englert Series 1300, 17-inch, 24-gauge standing seam panel for the roof material. More than 37,000 square feet of dove gray Galvalume metal cover the roof, cut using roll formers. Despite the impressions of curves in the

valleys of the roof, no curved material was used and each panel was meticu-lously planned and installed, said Brian Swarhout, of Excel Contracting, Inc., of Whiting, New Jersey, who installed the roof. All of this needed to be done in order to meet the requirements of the hyperbolic parabolic design.

“These were some of the best subcon-tractors we have ever worked with,” Erdy says. “We had several meetings with them while they were doing shop drawings to

figure out ways to accommodate the ‘curves.’ A lot of care went into determining how the bends would be accommodated and the twists absorbed.

“The hyperbolic parabolic type of construction is usually seen in the design of athletic facilities, allowing architects to create a large open space for economy and functionality. In this case, the design was executed for the imagery and aesthetics it projected of the meeting tent rising out of the ground. The four concrete buttresses represent the pegs of the tent anchoring the roof structure while the parabolic plywood sheathing allow the ‘tent’ structure to soar.” RF

Gutter Machine With Right-Hand Side OptionsIn an effort to make contractor’s jobs

easier, Englert recently began offering optional gutter machine controls and shear on the right side of its 5- and 6-inch machines. Historically, gutter machines have had the controls and shear on the left side. Englert was the first machine manufacturer to offer the optional right-hand side controls and shear as well as standard. The idea for the machine was the brainchild of New York sales representative Lance Ninomiya.

Additionally, Englert also offers an optional safety limit switch on the cam shear on 5- and 6-inch gutter machines. The switch offers additional safety to the operator and prevents the machine from jamming, which was developed by Ninomiya with assistance from machine technician Ed Sutton.

Mustafa Beler, owner of Magic Gutters of Brentwood, New York, has good reason to believe the spe-cial Englert 555 gutter machine will improve safety and speed up roll form-

ing. Why? He had personally modified his previous 5-inch gutter machine to put the shear on the right-hand side—which, in his opinion, made the job easier and faster.

“There’s no question that having the shear handle and the controls on the opposite side of the machine will make our work more efficient,” said Beler who is right-handed. “Having the switch will prevent any downtime from potential jamming of material.” RF



MMetal building panels with felt under-layment applied can look just as good as the panels you produce every day with-out underlayment. However, it does take some changes in the roll tooling design.

The demand for felt applied metal roof and wall panels is growing. These panels are typically used for controlling con-densation build up and occasionally for sound deadening. Many companies have tried to apply underlayment on their existing panel lines and have found it can be difficult to produce a panel without major cupping. (Ref Fig 1.) Usually the

overlap and underlap sides of the panel curl up several inches, causing prob-lems for panel producers because of the appearance of wavy panels after instal-lation. To compensate for this issue, the roll-form line operators often try to raise the roll tooling to allow for the addition-al material thickness. However, by rais-

ing the tooling it loses the effective over form needed to keep the panel within specifications. To make the process even more difficult, the underlayment is typi-cally not applied to the overlap. (Ref Fig 2 & 3.)

Experienced roll-forming equipment manufacturers have proven it is pos-sible to design roll tooling to run regular building panels and panels with under-layment applied—both meeting the same panel tolerances. (Ref Fig 4.) This does involve additional passes to give independent control and side roll fix-tures dedicated to the overlap rib. (Ref Fig 5.) To speed up the adjustment pro-cess between running felt and no felt panels, a manufacturer can equip the line with a single point adjustment on the stands. This allows the adjustments to be made from the operator side and keep the entire pass of tooling parallel.

When selecting the machine that best meets your needs for producing panels with and without underlayment, make sure the equipment manufacturer has felt underlayment experience and under-stands your manufacturing process. (Ref Fig 6.)

This article was provided by Bradbury Co. Inc. For more information, please visit www.bradburygroup.com. RF


Producing Metal Building Panels With Felt Underlayment That Lay Flat

Fig 1: Panel with underlayment formed with typical standard tooling.

Fig 2: Profile drawing showing no underlayment applied to overlap.

Fig 3: Profile drawing showing detailed panel overlap.

Fig 4: Ag panel no felt (left) and ag panel with felt applied (right) when formed on specialized combination tooling.

Fig 5: Side roll fixture dedicated to the overlap rib.

Fig 6: High Speed underlayment fixture and Bradbury BOSS shear.

45 Bradbury Article.indd 45 8/22/18 9:19 AM


PRODUCT PROFILES

[email protected]

Variobend USA is where service and long-term relationships are a way of life, not just a sales pitch. Variobend USA folding machines are assembled from the ground up in Illinois, with all the electrical, hydraulic, software and an increasing amount of manufacturing done in-house. This assures that the resources are nearby to keep your investment running at peak performance. Stay tuned for revolutionary innovations hitting the market soon!

Hershey’s Metal Meister, LLC.

www.englertinc.com

The Englert Metal Man FP1300 Panel Rollformer is a state-of-the-art rollforming machine that runs the A1300 Panel in various gauges and types of materials with minimal adjustment and less scrap. On-site fabrication eliminates shipping damage and short shipments while reducing sizing errors and providing packaging and freight savings. It’s available in 16-inch and 20-inch coverage. Financing is available.

Englert Inc.

www.eastsidemachine.com

Since 1960, Eastside Machine Co. has been providing the highest-quality roll-forming machines in the world by manufacturing the ultimate in quality and affordability, from seamless siding and gutter machines to in-plant and specialty machines. The 5½” fascia gutter machine features fully-driven forming stations, factory-sealed bearings, industrial paint fi nish and a powerful 1.5HP, 110-volt single-phase motor with heavy-gauge steel construction. Industrial nitrocarburized steel rollers allow for improved wear, lubricity, strength and corrosion resistance.

Eastside Machine Co.

www.diroofseamers.com

D.I. Roof Seamers is the world’s largest dedicated manufacturer of top-quality roof seamers with unmatched customer support. The company offers fast and lightweight machines designed to work with any metal roof panel that are used on job sites. The seamers rent to all locations in the United States and Canada. D.I. Roof Seamers handles a large product and service offering and is proud to offer multiple rental options along with a full line of hand crimpers, hand tools, roof removal tools and other accessories to help with any metal roofi ng needs.

D.I. Roof Seamers

www.bradburygroup.com

The B.O.S.S. Series, manufactured by Bradbury, is a closed-loop servo shear with speeds up to 300 FPM (90 mpm) and accuracy of 1/16” (1.5 mm). The B.O.S.S. can be closed coupled to a new or existing roll former. The B.O.S.S. is the leader in high production panel line roll forming.

Bradbury Co., Inc.

ROLL FORMING MACHINES & BRAKES

ASC MACHINE TOOLS, INC.

www.ASCMT.com

The ASC Alpha Series is a new revolutionary panel roll-forming line featuring heavy duty cast stands with cast bearing blocks. The close-coupled pre-cut front-end minimizes the equipment footprint to a total length of approximately 40 feet. The additional slitter pass and belt conveyor option allows the economic production of fl at sheets and trim blanks—both exiting at a convenient height of approximately 30”. The Alpha Series is also available as a post-cut line featuring rugged hydraulic post-cut shear to produce panels down to 1-foot length.

46-47 Product Profiles.indd 46 8/22/18 9:19 AM


PRODUCT PROFILESROLL FORMING MACHINES & BRAKES

www.zimmerman-metals.com

Zimmerman Metals manufactures a complete line of roll form machines for metal roofi ng and wall/soffi t panels. Panels are formed from aluminum, steel and copper for architectural, commercial and residential applications. Machines are available in portable or in-plant models. Roll formers feature welded tubular steel frame, independent drive system always centered on the panel, 304 stainless steel free-spinning forming rollers, variable width from 12-24 inches, multiple panel profi les, tooling change in approximately one hour and UL90 rated panels. Zimmerman also offers the Quick-Span Arch Building Machine. Zimmerman Metals has delivered quality workmanship and service since 1936.

Zimmerman Metals

www.swensonshear.com

The SnapTable PRO is the perfect complement to your roof panel machine. The SnapTable is an all-in-one panel preparation system for snaplock and standing seam metal roofi ng. This machine can accommodate any manufacturer’s panel profi le and pairs with any roll former. It is fully equipped to notch, cut and hem your snaplock and standing seam profi les at your eaves, hips and valleys. With the SnapTable PRO (now available on a trailer), you can prep consistent panels and take on more jobs!

Swenson Shear

www.rollformercorp.com

Roll Former Corporation has been in business since 1978. For 40 years Roll Former Corp. has designed and manufactured machinery for the metal roofi ng and construction industry. Today it offers more than 25 standard product pieces of equipment. For the last 28 years it has been producing “custom profi le” machines. Call, fax or email the machinery profi le that you need to expand your business. Made in the USA.

Roll Former Corp.

[email protected]

Acu-Form (a division of Paint Valley Parts) is a manufacturer of metal forming equipment, such as the Ag Panel, Post Cut Shear, Uncoiler, Cormer, J-Channel, Ridge Cap, Rat Guard, Hemmer, Slitter, Wrapper, and more, along with machines made to your specs. Acu-Form’s goal is to meet and exceed a customer’s expectations, and to deliver a durable top-performing machine that will give you years of trouble-free service.

Paint Valley Parts, Ltd.

www.newtechmachinery.com

Since 1991, New Tech Machinery has assisted contractors worldwide gain more control and profi tability on their projects by manufacturing the fi nest portable roll-forming equipment. Seamless gutter machines, metal roof panel machines and specialty equipment have revolutionized the metal construction industry by bringing versatile, easy-to-use roll-forming products right to the job site. New Tech equipment is also backed by some of the best warranties in the business.

New Tech Machinery

www.mrsrollform.com

Metal Rollforming Systems (MRS) designs and manufactures industry-leading roll-forming equipment and accessories. Its complete in-house design and manufacturing facility allows MRS to price the equipment at a very competitive price, making it a leader in roll-forming equipment manufacturing. MRS’ product lines consist of single and double-deck roll formers, single and multi-trim roll formers, slitters, sheet stackers and much more. Metal Rollforming Systems takes great pride in customer support both before and after the sale.

Metal Rollforming Systems

46-47 Product Profiles.indd 47 8/22/18 9:19 AM


Supplier News )Supplier News )

O

YMCA Features Curved Standing Seam Roof

One majestic wave tops the new Clover School District YMCA natatorium. The standing seam metal roof from McElroy Metal achieved the aesthetic the com-munity was looking for and the architect delivered.

“The main structures of the facility are a big box for the fitness area,” says David Bellamy, AIA, LEED AP, principal at LS3P Associates Ltd. Of Charlotte, North Carolina. “For the natatorium portion of the building, we wanted a more dynamic look, a look of fast-paced energy pro-duced by swimmers. It’s not just a red brick school-look. There’s glass at the top, more metal … it has a high-tech fast-paced feel.”

The 71,400-square-foot facility is part of a 2014 bond referendum in the Clover School District. The aquatic and fitness center features two indoor 25-yard pools, a gym-nasium, fitness room, dedicated exercise space for group classes, racquetball courts and a walking track.

The large natatorium roof has a radius that allowed the preformed panels to lay down without site curving. The ticket booths and outdoor locker room facilities required factory-formed panels that had to be curved in the field because of a tighter radius. This required strong coordina-tion and color match of the metal roof to the aluminum composite fascia and soffit material to tie everything together aesthetically.

“This was not the first metal roof we’ve done,” Bellamy says. “We know what metal can do and we knew the radii on the natatorium was something we could achieve with McElroy products.”

Achelpohl Roofing of Prosperity, South Carolina, installed a total of 21,000 square feet of 24-gauge Maxima 216. The panels for the natatorium roof were manufactured at the McElroy plant. The panels for the ticket booth and lock-er room were formed and curved onsite. The color was Premium Silver Metallic.

“We were actively onsite for about six months,” says Amanda Achelpohl Childs of Achelpohl Roofing & Sheet Metal of Prosperity, South Carolina. “We did the insulated and composite walls as well.

“We had about 10 people on the roof to handle the 111-foot panels coming off the roll former. The installation of the long panels went pretty quick because we had to have so many people there to help run them out, so we installed at the same time.” The main entrance, with Premium Silver Metallic fascia and soffits to match the metal roofing, is highlighted by green screening above the entrance. Visitors have said it resembles the look of a f lying saucer. McElroy Metal supplied 60 sheets of 24-gauge flat sheet for the formed trim, including fascia and soffits. The color was also Premium Silver Metallic.

ABC SUPPLY CO. INC.ACQUIRES NEW ASSETS

Building products distributor ABC Supply Co. Inc. has acquired the assets of Alliance Wholesale Supply, a dis-

About 10 people were on the roof to handle the 111-foot panels coming off the roll former.

48-49 Supplier News.indd 48 8/22/18 12:43 PM


tributor of roofing and other exterior building materials, which was founded in 2000. The company has one location in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Current Alliance Wholesale Supply associates will continue to work at the location, provid-ing an easy transition for its current cus-tomers.

“Alliance Wholesale has an experienced team that shares our commitment to building trust with contractors and to making it easy for them to do their jobs,” said Tom Kuchan, vice president of ABC Supply’s Northeast Region. “We’re con-fident that current Alliance Wholesale associates and customers will quickly feel at home with ABC Supply and receive the ongoing support they need to succeed.”

Additionally, professional contrac-tors on the northwest side of San Diego now have access to ABC Supply Co. Inc.’s expansive selection of steep- and low-slope roofing, roofing insulation and other exterior building products with the opening of a location at 7250 Convoy Court, Suite A in San Diego.

In addition to the exterior building products and tools available, the branch offers services like customizable market-ing materials, rooftop delivery and war-ranty claims assistance to contractors. Joey King will manage the branch.

ABC Supply Co. Inc. also opened a branch at 1050 S. 96th St. in Seattle, Washington, to benefit local professional contractors. Andrew Matthews will man-age the branch.

HERSHEY’S METAL MEISTER INNOVATES INDUSTRY FIRST

An industry-first innovation called the Slit Frei, from Hershey’s The Metal Meister, has an interesting origin. “It all started with a request from one of our customers,” said owner Nelson Hershberger, recalling his conversation with a man named Mr. Frey, for whom the new feature has been named. “He asked us for something he thought was impossible, and to be honest, we thought

it couldn’t be done either, at first.” Hershberger goes on to explain: “He

asked for the ability to load a full piece of metal in the machine, bend the profile, and then cut the piece to width after it is bent. We talked with our partners over-seas to see what they thought, and they said it couldn’t be done.”

For most companies, that’s where the story would have ended. “It’s not that we’re smarter, we just stick to the problem longer...” said Hershberger. “I just kept mulling over the problem in my mind. It would keep me up at night, and I just kept praying that God would show me a way to make it work.”

The answer finally came with develop-ment of the Slit Frei. The company says it has the potential to dramatically increase trim production and reduce waste since less handling is required. Hershberger isn’t finished looking for challenges. “We love to hear from our customers,” he said.

“We want to know what their ‘impossible’ dreams are.”

BRADBURY REP PRESENTS“WHEN FLAT ISN’T FLAT”

A common issue many manufactur-ers face is providing flat material to their customers. What appears to be flat, is not. The problem is residual stress in the steel.

Jim Sugars, industry sales leader—flat products for The Bradbury Group of Cos., recently presented a presentation at the South East Asia Iron and Steel Institute Conference. “When Flat isn’t Flat–Equalizing Internal Stresses Through Roller Leveling” covered newly devel-oped methods of equalizing the internal stress allowing the strip to stay flat after secondary operations. By implementing the latest technologies, an operator can understand the strip condition more than ever before, providing end-users with the flat product they require.

CRC TRANSITIONS TO NEW LEADERSHIP

Custom Rollforming Corp. (CRC), a

member of The Bradbury Group, has announced a transition in leadership.

Bryan Smith will step into his new role as general manager of CRC, setting the vision and direction for future growth. Smith has been with CRC for the past six months as the national sales direc-tor, focusing on sales growth and familiariz-ing himself with opera-tions.

As the current gener-al manager, Stan Bruce, transitions toward retirement, he will continue his career as a management advisor and mentor to Smith.

ROLL FORMER CORP. CELEBRATES 40 YEARS

Roll Former Corporation, Chalfont, Pennsylvania, is celebrating 40 years in

business. The business started in 1978 designing and manufacturing machinery for the metal roofing and construction industries.

Today it offers more than 25 standard product pieces of equipment and for more than 29 years has provided custom profile machines, all made in the United States. RF

Supplier News )Supplier News )

Bryan Smith

48-49 Supplier News.indd 49 8/22/18 12:43 PM



C■ By Jim Harmer, electrical designer

Simplifying The Placement Of Induction Motor Or Servo Motors In Your Line

Custom-designing and manufacturing equipment for an entire roll-forming line requires a thorough understanding of the multiple applications contained within that line. Engineering these machines to perform to customer requirements can be a challenging process.

Among the considerations during the design process is motor selection for each and every application. From a stand-alone roll former to a roll-forming line featuring an uncoiler, f lattener, roll former, stacker, nester and packaging station, the motor is what makes the machine run efficiently for the customer.

There are many elements to consider when choosing the type of motor to use, such as: Motion Profile; Torque; Inertia Matching; Required acceleration and deceleration time; Control system archi-tecture; Cost; and “Real Estate” available on system.

Induction motors are common on rollforming applications, conveyor systems, pumps and fans. These systems will typi-cally run at maximum speed and may or may not require the use of a variable fre-quency drive (VFD). If a VFD is not used, these systems will use a contactor/over-load and will run at maximum speed.

A servo motor, on the other hand, is a better option for any application, like punch patterns, different dies, where positioning is key. A servo motor also provides feedback, letting the operator know when proper positioning has been achieved.

Differences between Servo motor and Induction motor:

Servo motor• Permanent magnet;• Smaller size than induction motor;• Able to maintain full torque at low

speeds;• More efficient;• Aggressive acceleration/deceleration

times;• Feedback of rotor position by resolver

or encoder;• Always requires a drive;• Extreme precision & repeatability; • Low inertia.Induction motor• Electromagnets produce a rotating

field;• Typically, lower ‘cost;’• Larger physical size;• Less efficient;• Some applications can be controlled

without a VFD (variable frequency drive). (Contractors used instead);

• Will not have full torque at low speeds; and

• Feedback is optional: Incremental encoder or resolver.

Understanding the capabilities and flexibilities of these motors goes a long way to designing and producing the best equipment. At the risk of oversimplifi-cation, induction motors are generally used for speed control and servo motors are typically used for applications that require dynamic speed and/or position control.

USAGES IN ROLL FORMINGInduction motors with a VFD are

used on most roll-forming applications. They offer the torque required to form the material yet typically do not require aggressive acceleration or deceleration times. The induction motor can run the line at variable speeds; however, will typically run at the maximum set speed until the operator intervenes (roll form-ers often run at 300 feet per minute or

over.) The Induction motors allow for a straightforward setup, operation and maintenance.

A flying punch or shear will catch up to the speed of the material, perform its function and return back to the home position. Flying shears can be controlled by an open-loop system (pneumatic/no motor) or a closed-loop system (servo). A servo controlled flying shear uses the feedback from a line encoder to deter-mine the speed of the roll former. The servo will accelerate to the speed of the roll former, perform its operation while maintaining a synced speed with roll former, and then return to the home position. The servo is able to achieve the acceleration/deceleration speeds neces-sary for this operation to be successful.

In a rare application, a servo motor would be used for the roll former where you have a standing shear or punch application that requires the machine to stop for the shear or punch.

Jim Harmer is an electrical designer working with Samco Machinery. You can find the full article at www.construction-magnet.com. RF

Engineering machines to perform to require-ments can be a challenging process.

50 Samco Machinery.indd 50 8/22/18 11:27 AM

UPCOMING ISSUESROLLFORMING

MAGAZINEFrom the publishers of Rural Builder, Metal Roofi ng Magazine and Frame Building News

The only publication specifi cally for rollformers in the construction industry.

TO SUBSCRIBE, VISIT:www.constructionmagnet.com/subscribe

For more information contact: Gary [email protected]

715-350-7080 • Cell 715-252-6360

Winter 2019• Issue Mails February 2019• Selling Accessories That Fit and Compliment

Your Panel Profi les• Maintaining Your Rollformer for

Peak Performance• State of the Industry• Product Profi le: Coatings, Laminates

and Finishes

Spring 2019 • Mails May 2019• Roll More than Roof and Wall Panels• Pack and Ship Your Panels• After-Market Accessories and Software for

your Rollformer• Product Profi le: Tools and Machines

(snips, shears and seamers)

Summer 2019• Issue Mails July 2019• Rolling Long Panels• Steel Pricing, Imports and Raw Material Costs• Adapting Rollformers to Unique Situations• The Newest Colors and Finishes for Coil• Product Profi le: Sealants, Closures,

Ventilation and Moisture Control

Fall 2019• Issue Mails October 2019• Year in Review• Hot Panel Profi les• Minimizing Growing Pains• Product Profi le: Components (clips, clamps,

fasteners and accessories)

2019 ISSUES:

RF1018.indd IBC 8/20/18 2:35 PM

• Automatic Downspout & Elbow Machines • Commercial, Residential & Agricultural Trims, Flashings and Panels• Tool & Die for Progressive Stamping• CUSTOM EQUIPMENT Designed to Your Specifi cation

Specialists in Architectural Rollforming & Stamping Equipment for Over 40 Years

Call today for a free quote

Skyline Enterprises, Inc. 303-744-3233 • [email protected] • www.skyline-us.com

Rectangular Downspout & Elbow Round Downspout & Elbow Custom Stamping Tooling

Cedar EmbosserUncoilerGutter Re-Coiler

Flashing Rollformer Tool Steel Forming Dies Automated Packaging

RF1018.indd BC 8/22/18 9:33 AM

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