By Emma Peterson.

This renovation of seven Cambridge buildings showcases how modern products can be used to honour historic structures.

The University of Cambridge is one of the oldest universities in the world, with a history that dates back to 1209. Its famous campus draws visitors and students from around the world for its academic achievements and scholarly collections.

Finding a way to honour this centuries-long legacy was front of mind for the Axel Group, who recently renovated multiple flat and pitched roofs around Cambridge’s campus due to issues with the existing roof and gutter systems related to water intrusion.

And the historic nature and architectural significance of these buildings was not the only challenge the team faced. The lively academic environment also meant that “highly stringent safety and access strategy was essential to protect staff, students and visitors, while also maintaining the privacy of residents within this highly esteemed Cambridge college.”

The Axel team started the project by conducting detailed surveys to “assess the condition of each roof and to develop a coordinated refurbishment programme covering pitched roofs, flat roofs and rainwater goods.” In total, seven roofs were identified for refurbishment.

The reroofing itself began by building floating roof systems. These systems enabled “full strip-up works to be carried out” with “minimal disruption to college life and adherence to strict safeguarding and privacy requirements.” During this time, the Axel team removed old insulation and installed new insulation in order to improve thermal performance and meet current UK energy efficiency regulations. They also carefully removed an ageing Georgian rooflight and replaced it with modern rooflights that are both more thermally sound and easier to maintain.

Once the insulation and other interior aspects were prepared, the Axel team moved on to the roof itself. They used Tremco’s AlphaGuard PUMA Flat Roof System for these roofs as it is “fast-curing in low and high temperatures, certified with Broof(t4) classification and comes with a 25-year warranty.” Overall, this project is a prime example of how roofers can provide high-quality solutions that not only resolve leak issues, enhance energy efficiency and provide long-term protection, but also honours historic architecture.

Por The Coffee Shops®.  

Tremco nos explica por qué el desarrollo de empleados es clave para el futuro del roofing. 

En un episodio de La Voz de los Ruferos, Jessica Bravo conversó con Lorna Rojas de Tremco sobre la importancia del reclutamiento en la industria del roofing. Durante la charla, abordaron los desafíos actuales para atraer y retener talento, las estrategias que están ayudando a las empresas a fortalecer sus equipos y las oportunidades disponibles para desarrollar una fuerza laboral preparada para el futuro.  

Con cerca de 20 años de experiencia en reclutamiento, desarrollo de personal y capacitación, Lorna destacó la importancia de crear una experiencia positiva para los nuevos empleados desde el primer día. Como explicó, “Los primeros 30 días para cualquier compañía son determinantes para retener un empleado.”  

A lo largo de su carrera, también ha trabajado para conectar a los trabajadores hispanohablantes con oportunidades de desarrollo profesional y recursos que les permitan crecer dentro de la industria. Por ello señaló, “Yo creo que más nosotros como hispanos tenemos la obligación moral de ayudar a otros hispanos que también, igual que uno, llegan de otro país, de otra cultura y de una forma u otra todos enfrentamos los mismos desafíos.”  

Lorna ha sido una fuerte defensora de ampliar el acceso a recursos en español, desde el proceso de solicitud hasta la capacitación y la integración de nuevos empleados. En su opinión, ofrecer apoyo en el idioma de los trabajadores no solo facilita el aprendizaje, sino que también fortalece la retención y el compromiso de los equipos. Como afirmó, “Las compañías de roofing o cualquier compañía de construcción, para mí es imperativo que tengan un programa de adiestramiento en español.”  

Sin embargo, explicó que el apoyo a los trabajadores hispanos va mucho más allá de traducir materiales. También requiere comprender sus experiencias, retos y contexto cultural. Según comentó, “Cuando tú provees materiales en español pero no entiendes la cultura ni la inteligencia emocional de las personas, hay necesidades que existen y que ellos no conocen porque no las han vivido.” 

Escucha el episodio completo para conocer estrategias prácticas de reclutamiento, capacitación y retención que pueden ayudar a fortalecer tu equipo.

By Emma Peterson.

A recent Coffee Conversations panel explored the connection between mental health, physical safety and workforce success.

Last month, we got the chance to host a special Coffee Conversations webinar with Mandy McIntyre from Weatherproofing Technologies Inc. (WTI), Kara (Houck) McCaffrey from Houck Group, and McKay Daniels of National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) all about mental health safety in roofing.

When we asked this panel to explain the importance of mental health in the roofing industry, they had a lot to share, which makes sense given the trio’s backgrounds. Mandy is a mental health first aid instructor and has been integral to Tremco’s mental health initiatives. And Kara, in addition to being a third-generation commercial roofing company owner, is the board chair of Construction Suicide Prevention Week (which is hosted every September). And last but not least, McKay is the CEO of NRCA, where he has had the opportunity to help push the industry’s mental health support forward with the BeToughEnough campaign.

In response to our original question, Kara shared, “Mental health is an important part of safety and protecting a person's mental health can help keep them safe.” This connection between mental and physical health is something that is too often disconnected in our industry. As McKay put it, “If your head's not in the game, that creates consequences craftsmanship and physical safety...We work in a high-skilled profession, and people need to be focused and ready at work. If your crew is struggling mentally, that’s like having rocks in your pack that you're coming to work with. It all just compounds, makes everything harder and puts everyone at risk.”

And this goes the other way, too – physical risks and safety can directly impact mental states. As Kara gave an example, "It’s not just mental health impacting the safety side, but safety incidents impact the mental health side as well. If someone has a near miss and could have fallen off of a roof, they are left probably scared from that. And that traumatic impact could really impact their mental health.”

In these ways, mental and physical health cannot be disconnected from each other. And even beyond the individual, the mental state of your crew is directly tied to your business’ success. Mandy explained, “Aside from just the humanity importance of mental health care, it’s also risk mitigation for your company. The ROI on this is huge, every investment in mental health awareness has a $3-5 return in employee engagement, retention rates and recruitment statistics.”

At the end of the day, whether you look at it from a safety perspective, a teambuilding perspective or a business perspective, mental health safety must be prioritized. And prioritizing it doesn’t have to be hard. Mandy gave some tips, sharing, “Mental health is a legitimate safety concern and needs to be a part of every safety program. And the minimum is just doing a mental health toolbox talk once a month where you promote resources like 988 (suicide and crisis hotline) and create space for people to share. Just show your crew that you care and want to take care of them.”

Want to learn more about supporting your team’s mental health safety? Listen to the whole episode or Watch the recording!

By Emma Peterson. 

Why owner education, contractor training and proactive planning are just as important as the materials themselves when it comes to extending the life of a structure. 

As markets and budgets stay tight, finding affordable ways to extend the lifespan of a building has become the biggest priority for many property managers and facility owners. To learn how partnering with the right manufacturer is key to delivering durable, worry-free structures, we hosted Rick Johnson of Tremco CPG for an episode of Roofing Road Trips®. 

When it comes to extending the lifespan of a structure, education and training are key. Rick explained, “Owner education is important. A lot of people defer maintenance, but deferred maintenance can be one of the worst things for a structure. The longer things get deferred, the bigger the challenge it is when you actually get around to restoring the structure, and the more expensive it gets.” He continued, “The other big thing is training. Contractors need to have the knowledge and expertise to pick the right products and install them correctly in order for a maintenance plan to succeed.”  

And for both of these factors, owner education and contractor training, Tremco is ready to help. On the owner education front, Tremco’s team can organize meetings to help contractors explain the importance of this maintenance. Rick shared: 

We can arrange meetings with the owner, the engineers and the contractors to discuss the unique challenges of the project and build a plan for how the structure is going to be restored and maintained... And not only is this good to get the project started, it’s also a really good way to build an expectation with the owner so that they understand what’s going on and what needs to happen to succeed. 

As for the contractor training aspect, the Tremco team works to provide all the training that a crew needs to succeed. Rick elaborated, “We have training facilities across North America. And the whole reason is that we want to train contractors so that they have project success and we as a product manufacturer have less issues after installation.” He went on, “I say all the time, ‘If we're meeting after the job is complete, we're all losing money. Let's talk about it before it's done and make sure everybody's trained up so we can have a quality installation which leads to a great project and a happy owner.’” 

In these ways, Tremco showcases how working with the right manufacturer is about more than just products; it’s about maximizing building performance, reducing long-term costs and creating more successful projects. 

Listen to the whole episode or Watch the recording on YouTube to learn more!  

By Emma Peterson. 

Explore the certifications, technologies and best practices that help roofing professionals build more fire-resilient structures.  

As wildfires rage across the Western United States, the importance of fire-resistant roofing and building solutions has never been more crucial. To learn more about how we can build a more fire-safe future with the right materials and systems, Megan Ellsworth hosted Andrew LeCampion and Ron Velichka of Tremco for an episode of Roofing Road Trips®. 

Finding fire-resistant products 

The conversation began with Andrew and Ron establishing how you can find out if a product is fire-resistant. Andrew highlighted the role of certification laboratories:  

The certification laboratories, UL, FM and Enertech are an invaluable resource when it comes to finding out more about fire-resistant products... Their websites have all the information you need to deep dive into what some different fire-resistant assemblies look like. You can look at all the different aspects, learn about how they're sealed and more. 

Ron added that another great resource is product manufacturers themselves, explaining, “Check with your manufacturer. Here at Tremco, we are testing all our products and systems against the same certifications those labs are doing, and we are always willing to help contractors determine if what they’re looking at actually has the fire-performance they want.”  

The future of fire safe structures 

Looking to the future, Andrew shared some insight into the technological advancements playing a role in the development of new fire-resistant products, saying, “There's quite a bit of impressive technology coming out in more dynamic fire suppression techniques. For example, there are now fire putties that can be installed in things like electrical boxes that can suffocate a fire right away.” He went on, “There’s also new chemically driven suppression systems that work to isolate fires so that the rest of the building can be occupied safely and evacuated safely.”  

It is technologies like this that the Tremco team is working with to try and build a more fire-safe future. As Ron put it, “There’s always new technologies that we're attempting to utilize in addition to the fine tuning we’re constantly doing to our current formulas... Our goal is make those modifications, those new products and those new systems so that we can create better, safer structures.”  

Listen to the whole episode or Watch the recording to learn more about using fire-resistant products and systems to create a more fire-safe future.

By Emma Peterson. 

Tremco’s Vulkem® Pro Series gives homeowners, prosumers and contractors access to products built for tougher applications.  

Recently, Tremco Roofing Products made their first move into the retail market with the Vulkem Pro Series. This series is a line of products aimed to deliver the performance that has made Tremco a leader in the commercial space to retail consumers. To learn more about how commercial-grade products like Tremco’s benefit retail markets, Megan Ellsworth spoke to Nathon “Nate” Laws in a CoatingsCast™ all about the Vulkem Pro Series.   

Nate started by highlighting some of the reasons Tremco decided to expand into retail. One was to meet the needs of retail customers. He explained, “There’s a known performance gap between what retail products and what commercial products offer. And there’s a growing category of prosumers out there who are not full-time professionals but take a lot of pride in their work and want to do it once, right.” 

For this growing category, that gap between traditional retail options and commercial grade has become a friction point. Nate elaborated, “Typical retail caulking products are great for everyday household repairs. But they don’t do as well for heavier duty applications.” He gave an example:  

If you have a control joint on your sidewalk in front of your house and you want to fill that joint, you could use a traditional retail latex caulk and get it to look halfway decent. But long term, it doesn't have the durability or the abrasion resistance to handle that application. By bringing the commercial-grade Vulkem Pro Series into these retail spaces, we are making sure that products that do meet those heavier-duty needs are available.  

The other big reason for the expansion into retail was to better serve the needs of their existing commercial contractors. Nate went into more detail of this use-case, sharing, “A lot of contractors that primarily buy through commercial distribution find themselves in retail centers looking for products at night, on the weekend or on a holiday when their traditional supplier isn't able to supply to them.” By bringing the Vulkem line into retail spaces, Tremco is helping these contractors make sure they have the right products when they need them.  

Listen to the whole podcast or Watch the recording to learn more about how Tremco is bringing commercial-grade products to retail locations. 

By Emma Peterson. 

By focusing on culture in addition to compliance, Tremco aims to strengthen safety practices across the industry. 

At Tremco, September is not just Hispanic Heritage month or Suicide Prevention month – it's also Safety Month! Recently, we brought Ro Lewis, vice president of HS&E for Tremco CPG Field Services, and Tony Kotnik, assistant director of field safety, onto an episode of Roofing Road Trips® to talk about Safety Month and how to build a true safety culture. 

Tony started the discussion with an explanation of what Tremco’s Safety Month is:  

Safety in our industry has come a long way. We're really proud of where we've gotten to, but we also understand that the journey does not end here and Safety Month is an initiative to keep us moving forward. Our slogan is Own it. Live it. Lead it. And what we mean by that is that safety is a responsibility of us all. Every person is important and should be both valued and cared for, and at the same time they have a voice in making the safe work possible. 

And when Tremco says safe work, they don’t just mean being compliant with regulatory bodies like OSHA. No, to their team, safety goes further than that. Ro explained, “Compliance in my estimation is basically the floor, it’s the starting point not the destination. True safety goes beyond that and into the culture of an organization. It’s all the stuff that happens when nobody's watching.” He went on, adding an example of what he’s talking about, saying, “True safety culture is when one employee says to another employee, ‘Hey, I need you to tie off,’ and that person hears it, sees it as somebody looking out for them as opposed to someone standing over them.” 

By encouraging individuals and organizations to create cultures where this scenario plays out, where people own, live and lead with safety in mind, Tremco hopes to help the entire industry move forward. As Tony put it, “The goal of Safety Month is to strengthen ownership across our teams, contractor partners and industry relationships.”  

Listen to the whole episode or Watch the recording to learn more about Tremco’s Safety Month initiative!  

By The Coffee Shops®. 

How this day brings colleagues together to strengthen safety knowledge, awareness and responsibility. 

Creating a strong safety culture requires more than policies and procedures. It depends on the everyday choices people make, the conversations they have and the support available when it is needed. It's that community aspect that is at the heart of StructureCare’s second U.K. Safety Day, which will take place on September 25, 2026, as part of Tremco CPG’s global Lead with Safety initiative. 

This year’s event builds upon the same idea as StructureCare’s inaugural U.K. Safety Day in 2025 – that safety is a shared responsibility that extends beyond compliance and into everyday workplace culture. How does it impart this theme upon participants? The U.K. Safety Day focuses on investing in the learning and wellbeing of internal teams through a combination of practical demonstrations and open communication workshops.  

For the 2026 event, the schedule is already full of sessions led by industry leaders such as Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity, viva Digicare, V1 Industrial Supplies, Quin Global and The Hire Place U.K. Each of these sessions will cover a different aspect of safety and leadership, with topics such as: 

• Emotional, physical and financial wellbeing resources 
• Confidential support networks 
• Accessing to employee benefits (GP access, health checks, second medical opinions, psychological safety consultations, nutritional support, etc.) 
• Warehouse safety complete with motorized pallet-truck obstacle challenge 

Colleagues will also take part in award presentations and a team activity intended to reinforce positive practices and collaboration. As the Tremco team put it, this “programme has been designed to make safety engaging, relevant and practical.”  

Overall, the U.K. Safety Day is an opportunity for teams to strengthen their behaviours and develop knowledge that keeps crews safe across every site. 

Learn more about the upcoming U.K. Safety Day!

By Heidi J. Ellsworth.

Construction Suicide Prevention Week reminds us that every company can help employees find support before a crisis becomes a tragedy. 

The construction industry knows how to protect people from physical hazards. We hold safety meetings, conduct jobsite inspections, require fall protection and make sure crews understand the procedures that can save their lives. During Construction Suicide Prevention Week, September 14-18, 2026, we must bring that same commitment and consistency to mental health and suicide prevention. 

This year's theme, "Building on Progress," recognizes that progress is being made while reminding us that the work is far from finished. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to identify construction as one of the industries with the highest suicide rates, making this an issue every roofing and construction company must be prepared to address. 

For company owners and leaders, the first step does not require becoming a mental health professional. It begins with creating a workplace where people know it is safe to speak up, supervisors know how to respond and everyone understands where immediate help is available. 

One of the most important resources we can share is 988. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline gives employees and employers an easy-to-remember number they can use when they or someone they know needs emotional support. 

The Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week across the United States and its territories. Employees can call or text 988 or chat online to connect with a skilled crisis counselor for free, confidential and judgment-free support. 

A person does not need to be actively considering suicide to reach out to 988. The Lifeline can also help people experiencing depression, anxiety, substance-use concerns, financial worries, relationship problems, loneliness or other forms of emotional distress. Employers, supervisors and coworkers can also call 988 when they are concerned about someone and need guidance on how to help. 

Construction companies should make 988 as visible and familiar as every other emergency and safety resource. Put it on jobsite posters, safety boards, hard-hat stickers, employee handbooks, company intranets and payroll communications. Include it in new-employee orientation and regularly remind employees that using 988 is a sign of strength, not weakness. 

Most importantly, talk about it often enough that employees remember it when they need it. A phone number only helps when people know what it is, understand when to use it and believe they will not be judged for reaching out. 

This is where toolbox talks can make an immediate difference. Construction companies already use these short conversations to address fall protection, heat stress, personal protective equipment and other jobsite hazards. Mental health and suicide prevention deserve a place in that same safety routine. 

A toolbox talk can explain what 988 is, identify warning signs that someone may be struggling and remind employees to check on one another. It can also give supervisors the language they need to begin a difficult conversation with care and respect. Employers do not have to wait until someone is in crisis to make mental health part of their safety culture. 

The resources available through Construction Suicide Prevention Week make these conversations easier. Companies can register their participation, take the pledge and access toolbox talks and other materials that can be shared with crews. The 2026 pledge asks participants to learn at least one new way to seek help for someone in need, including learning about 988, company Employee Assistance Programs and toolbox-talk resources. 

Roofing companies should also visit the National Roofing Contractors Association's Be Tough Enough website. NRCA has developed roofing-specific mental health and suicide prevention resources, including a toolbox talk, suicide prevention fact sheet, break room poster, educational programs, hard-hat stickers and its powerful "Be Tough Enough" video. Many of these resources are available in both English and Spanish, helping companies bring this vital message to their entire workforce. 

The message behind Be Tough Enough is one our industry needs to embrace. Real toughness includes being willing to say you are struggling, asking someone if they are okay and standing beside a coworker as they connect with help. NRCA's materials give contractors practical ways to make those actions part of everyday business. 

I also encourage roofing and construction leaders to learn from Mandy McIntyre, a dedicated advocate for mental health in our industry. Mandy has worked tirelessly to help companies move beyond awareness by developing people who can recognize when someone may need support and help connect that person with appropriate resources. 

Through Mental Health First Aid, individuals can learn how to notice signs of mental health or substance-use challenges, approach a person with care and guide them toward professional help. Mandy's Mental Health First Aider resources are designed for the roofing and construction community, helping trained employees bring practical tools and greater understanding back into their businesses. 

Having trained Mental Health First Aiders within a company does not replace professional care. It gives employees trusted people who are prepared to listen, respond without judgment and help someone take the next step. Just as employees are trained in CPR or first aid, mental health training prepares them to respond when the warning signs are emotional rather than physical. 

At The Coffee Shops®, we are committed to spreading the word about suicide prevention and the lifesaving support available through 988. As part of that commitment, we will host two special Coffee Conversations, sponsored by Tremco, during Construction Suicide Prevention Week. 

On September 15, 2026,  we will be joined by Mandy McIntyre of Tremco for an English-language Coffee Conversation focused on mental health, suicide prevention and the actions companies can take to support their employees. On September 17, 2026, we will present a Spanish-language Coffee Conversation with Lorna Rojas of Tremco, ensuring this important information reaches Spanish-speaking roofing professionals, crews and their families. 

These conversations are intended for owners, managers, safety professionals and every person who works in roofing and construction. We encourage companies to watch as a team, share the programs with employees and use them to begin ongoing conversations within their organizations. We are grateful to Tremco for sponsoring both programs and helping us bring this message to English- and Spanish-speaking members of our industry. 

During Construction Suicide Prevention Week, please visit ConstructionSuicidePrevention.com, explore NRCA's resources at BeToughEnough.org and bring a suicide prevention toolbox talk to your company. Share 988 with your employees, participate in The Coffee Shops' upcoming Coffee Conversations and consider Mental Health First Aid training for members of your team. 

We build businesses, roofs, buildings and communities together. We must also build workplaces where people look out for one another, where difficult conversations are welcomed and where every employee knows they do not have to struggle alone. 

If you or someone you know needs emotional support, call or text 988 or visit 988Lifeline.org. If there is an immediate, life-threatening emergency, call 911. These resources should be shared now, before someone needs them, because one conversation and one connection to help can save a life. 

By Emma Peterson. 

Tremco's Safety Month serves as a reminder that the most effective safety programs go beyond checklists. 

Safety is not just about regulatory compliance and checking off boxes on a to-do list – it's about making sure every person on your job site and in your company gets home safe every night. To highlight the importance of safety, and all its forms, Tremco has designated September as their safety month and planned a variety of training sessions and activities to help professionals learn about creating safer workplaces.  

What are the safety concerns in roofing?  

The first and most obvious safety risk in roofing is physical. Roofing is a very physical trade with professionals often being exposed to high powered machinery, dangerous chemicals and unstable working conditions. And when the correct safety plans are not in place, the exposure to these risks can cause irreparable harm. Elise Vue, Tremco’s content marketing manager, used working at heights as an example of how high the stakes are in roofing safety:  

In roofing, employees are expected to work at heights, climb ladders and expose themselves to hazards on a regular basis. Negativity around safety policing and subsequent fines can make employees jaded or skeptical about the protocols put in place by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). However, the data shows that workers who are elevated only six feet or more are at risk for serious injury or death should they fall.  

And the physical risks are just half of the story when it comes to safety concerns in roofing. Something that impacts every member of your team, whether they are in the field or in the office, is mental health. And mental health is a huge concern, as Elise points out, “The construction industry has one of highest rates of suicide compared to other careers.” 

The safe solution 

So how do you promote safety for your team? It takes more than just providing PPE or once-a-year presentations. The best way to keep everyone safe, both physically and mentally, is by building a comprehensive culture of safety at your business. And the first step to doing that is by making a commitment as leaders. Elise explained:  

Leaders should actively articulate their commitment to safety so that it is top of mind, whether in virtual meetings, on job sites or through company-wide communications. This visible support starts to build an environment where safety is not perceived as a controlling activity but as a shared responsibility. For a safety culture to thrive, it must also listen to those on the front lines, empower everyone to speak up and give them a sense of ownership over their safety and that of their colleagues. 

The second step to building a safety culture in your business is to empower your workers. Elise recommends incorporating a “stop-work authority.” What is this? It’s a principle that gives any and every employee the ability to halt any activity that they believe is unsafe without fear of punishment. “The workers on the roof are often the first to spot a potential hazard, but employees may hesitate to challenge a supervisor and may question their own judgement...” Elise explained. “[This type of policy] recognizes that sometimes doing the hard thing is the right thing for everyone’s protection, and everyone is equally responsible for safety and equally successful when safe practices are followed.”  

And last but certainly not least, make sure you are celebrating your safety wins! Talking only about what goes wrong or what not to do can be overwhelming for many people. And while it is important to not forget those scenarios, it is also important to highlight the positives. Consider measuring periods with zero incidents and finding ways of recognizing safety leadership from within your team to help people stay motivated and encouraged to work towards a safer workplace.  

Learn more about safety and Tremco’s safety month programming.