Trade shows, technology and the power of partnership

By Jesse Sanchez. 

Roofing pros find strength in networking and educational opportunities at this annual North Texas event.  

In this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, host Megan Ellsworth sat down with industry veterans from the North Texas Roofing Contractors Association (NTRCA) to preview their upcoming trade show and explore why collaboration is one of the most powerful tools in roofing today. “I’ve been a member of the NTRCA, I can't tell you how long. As soon as I was eligible to join it, I did,” said Bret Foster, president of the NTRCA and owner of Bret Foster Roofing in Forney, Texas. “The networking is great. The contractors are great. I mean, we all compete, but if I run into something, I can ask if someone else's run into it and we’ll tell each other what we know on it.” 

Bret’s emphasis on the value of community sets the tone for the discussion. The conversation quickly turns to the trade show that the NTRCA hosts annually, an event designed not just for making connections, but for important dialogue. Chris Arrington, owner of Arrington Roofing, echoed Bret’s enthusiasm and added a personal plea to the next generation: “You need to get into a trade. Everybody out there with a college degree is battling for fewer and fewer jobs.” 

Chris, who calls himself a “recovering architect,” emphasized the growing complexity and innovation he’s seeing in the roofing industry. “You think of roofing as old-timey, but man, the technology, we just went to CertainTeed plant last month. You talk about fantastic. You take a roll of scrim, and it goes through this 100-yard, 200-yard building machine thing and it comes out a shingle.” That blend of cutting-edge technology and old-fashioned community spirit is what NTRCA’s show is all about. With more than 60 exhibitors and a low-key, approachable format, “just a tabletop,” as executive director Kristen Harford noted, the event is designed to strip away the noise and make space for real connections. 

“You get your money back at the door,” Kristen said. “Then you get to go on about it, have some lunch, have a couple of cold beers and win some fabulous door prizes.” 

Kristen put it simply: “You could come in and meet four new people, if that’s all you have time for in 30 minutes, even if you just stop by at lunchtime, grab your lunch, talk to a couple of people and then head out, you still are making some connections and meeting some new partners along the way.” 

Read the transcript or Listen to the podcast to learn more about how the NTRCA is building a stronger roofing community through collaboration, education and local industry connections!