So long, 2009 | As I was saying …Bill Good
For many of us, 2009 brought a trifecta of bad events: The
economy went south; the weather was calm; and the Yankees won the
World Series. And yes, perhaps those are in the wrong order,
tragedy-wise. In the grand scheme of things, it was a year to
forget.
And yet companies in the roofing industry, with their
magnificent resiliency, figured out ways to survive. Contractors
did so by innovating and focusing more on reroofing, service and
maintenance work. Manufacturers found new markets for old products
and old markets for new products. The industry moved inexorably
toward reshaping itself as more customers understood the green
building movement not only is real but adds real value.
The year saw undeniable growth of government. Never mind the
politics of it, the fact is that government, at all levels, grew
larger, more powerful and more present. For the roofing industry,
this meant a combination of good and bad news. The good news was
more government work. The bad news was more government work.
Some banks that were "too large to fail" were bailed out. Size
does matter; scores of smaller banks were allowed to go under. Cash
became more of a king than in typical years as consumers and
businesses relearned the importance of saving. Until some of that
saved money finds its way back into capital investments, the
roofing industry likely...
To read the article in its entirety, please log in or register (registration is free).
Log in or register for FREE access to this article and other Professional Roofing online content.