By Jesse Sanchez.

A new booth, a breakthrough machine and a reminder that precision and efficiency still drive the roofing industry forward.

At the International Roofing Expo (IRE) 2025, SOPREMA didn’t just show up — they redefined what a modern trade show experience can look like. Ryan Knippel, South Central regional sales manager for Tropical Roofing Products, a SOPREMA company, walked attendees through the booth's hands-on layout and digital integrations. His message was clear: good design supports great products.

He highlighted SOPREMA’s commitment to quality and warranty support. “Every product is displayed and highly visible for proper installation,” Ryan shared.  The booth mirrored the concept of SOPREMA’s U.S. headquarters in Ohio, giving visitors a seamless connection between brand identity and product performance.

Outside the walls, Kelly Piero, strategic marketing & PR representative for SOPREMA, noted new high-temperature self-adhering roof systems and advanced silicone coatings. Inside, QR codes gave immediate access to technical data and samples, showing how SOPREMA blends traditional craftsmanship with modern convenience.

But it was the Mini Macaden machine that turned heads. Described by SOPREMA's Jim Hanson as a “force multiplier,” the device allows a small crew to match the productivity of a team three times the size. Jim stated, “It doesn’t call in sick, doesn’t have an attitude — it just works and works every day.”

Equipped with laser-guided steering and a touchscreen control panel, the Mini Macaden promises not only faster installations but near-factory levels of precision — a game-changer for contractors facing labor shortages.

With its focus on boosting efficiency without cutting corners, SOPREMA’s IRE 2025 presence served as a reminder that smart tools, smart designs and smarter systems are shaping the next era of roofing.

Watch the full interview to learn more about how the right technology can transform a rooftop — and a business!

By Evelyn Witterholt. 

Learn about the many advantages roof coatings have to offer and when to know if the material is the right choice. 

Did you know that roofing materials are the third-largest contributors to landfills in the world? If your roofing business is looking to cut back on landfill waste, you should consider offering roof coatings to your customers. But you might still be wondering, what’s so great about roof coating systems? 

In an episode of our Read, Listen, Watch series (RLW), we spoke with Jeff Harvey, the national sales manager of maintenance, repair and operation at TRP Roofing Products, about the many advantages of roof coatings. Besides being one of the most sustainable roof materials, Jeff told us that fluid-applied roofing is a cost-effective choice for your building owners. And they won’t just save the building owner money either. 

“Right now, all facets of the industry are experiencing labor shortages. And so, with roof coatings, you can operate smaller crew sizes to be able to get those installations done, which is going to help you especially with that shortage,” he said. 

Like any other re-roofing job, you have to perform a thorough visual inspection of the current roof before deciding if a roof coating is the right way to go. Jeff outlines the most important things to look for when examining the current roof, including looking at the roof from the inside of the building. He also recommends determining the age and history of the roof, like what materials it's currently made of and what kind of maintenance it received over the years. 

“You're trying to make sure that you have a dry and sound roof. If you install a roof coating over a wet roof, 99% of the time, it's going to wind up failing,” he said. “We're really trying to make sure that we're taking the time to provide the right installation, and the right specification for that roof. So, assessing the roof and what the needs are is the most important thing.” 

Read the transcript, Listen to the podcast or Watch the RLW  to learn more about the many benefits of roof coatings!

By Anna Lockhart.  

Tune in to this upcoming CoatingsTalk as the experts dive into the importance of proper maintenance, restoration and operations (MRO) training!  

In an upcoming CoatingsTalk, “Maintenance, Restoration and Operation Excellence,” host Heidi J. Ellsworth will be joined with Dylan Wheeler of SOPREMA to discuss the quality roofing solutions for commercial building owners offered through their co-branded collaboration with TRP. As the Strategic Account Manager at TRP Roofing Products a SOPREMA Group Company, Dylan has a wealth of knowledge and insights to share about the latest solutions being offered to commercial contractors with long-term roofing performance needs.  

Tune in on Wednesday, April 10, at 11 a.m. PT to participate in this exciting webinar experience as the experts discuss the different levels of service and timelines needed for roofing projects depending on their maintenance, repair or reroofing needs. Heidi and Dylan will dive into the benefits of roof maintenance programs for building owners, the importance of service and repair programs and even break down the details of some recent case studies.  

For contractors and business owners looking to learn more about the restoration processes for different roof types, or what a re-roofing project entails, this is the webinar for you! Gain firsthand insights into the maintenance and repair processes for various roof types and how to maximize your knowledge through MRO programs. 

Join Heidi and Dylan as they dive deep into the various roof coating types on the market for all roof types and roofing needs, and which is best for the lifetime and durability of a project. Participate in the live webinar and ask questions as the experts share their stories!  

Register for the upcoming “Maintenance, Restoration and Operation Excellence” CoatingsTalk!

By Evelyn Witterholt. 

Learn the benefits of roof coatings and what types of roofs they work best on. 

Building owners everywhere are looking for ways to repair their roofs without burning a hole in their wallets. Offering roof coatings is a great way for roofing contractors to fix commercial roofs in a more sustainable and budget-friendly way. In a recent Read, Listen, Watch (RLW), we spoke with Jeff Harvey, the national sales manager of maintenance, repair and operation at TRP Roofing Products, about the advantages of coating a roof instead of re-roofing it. 

In our webinar, Jeff outlines what exactly makes roof coatings such an appealing choice for commercial roofs. These types of roof systems can save the building owner money as well as the contractor. Because roof coatings require a smaller crew to install, and many contracting companies are facing labor shortages, these companies can do more jobs with less people. Another benefit of roof coatings is that they are very sustainable since they do not require a complete roof tear-off. 

“You're not having to go in and replace that roof and put the roofing materials into a landfill,” Jeff said. “They're an eco-friendly option, and it's a longer lasting roof. So you're extending that lifecycle cost. You're taking a 20-year roof and making it a 35-year roof.” 

Jeff also breaks down which types of roofs are the best for roof coating systems. He said that most roofs can be candidates for a roof coating, but there are other factors to consider like how much damage it has.  

“What roof is the best would be the roof that has been well taken care of, little to no squares need to be replaced before coating,” he said. “What we're doing is we're going to come in there, we're going to restore that roof, and we're going to give them another 10 or 20 years before they have to touch that as long as they continue doing what they were doing in maintaining that roof.” 

Read the transcript, Listen to the podcast or Watch the RLW  to learn more about roof coatings and what types of roofs they are right for!

By Evelyn Witterholt. 

In an upcoming Read, Listen, Watch, you’ll hear from roof coating experts about when a roof should be coated. 

The market for roof coatings has been growing exponentially! So much so that we have even launched a new website, CoatingsCoffeeShop.com, that’s dedicated to providing you with up-to-date knowledge about roof coatings. But if you want to know more about when the right time to coat a roof is, tune into our upcoming Read, Listen, Watch (RLW) on Wednesday, September 27 at 11 a.m. PT / 2 p.m. ET. 

For this RLW, we will be joined by Jeff Harvey, national sales manager at TRP Roofing Products (TRP). TRP is a SOPREMA Group Company that has been manufacturing liquid roofing products for over 60 years. They offer a wide range of asphalt, acrylic and silicone roofing systems that are built to take on the most extreme types of weather. 

Jeff has years of experience in the roof coating industry. He has been with TRP for over seven years and currently oversees the maintenance, restoration and operations after their recent acquisition by SOPREMA. He has a great understanding of the roof coatings products that his company offers as well as market trends. 

Don't know which type of coating is best for each type of roof? Want to be able to tell if a roof needs a complete roof replacement or if a coating will do the trick? By the end of this RLW you’ll get the answers to these roof coating questions and more! 

Register for our upcoming RLW to learn more about the rapidly growing roof coating market!

By Evelyn Witterholt. 

Here’s what’s been trending on the RoofersCoffeeShop®(RCS) newsroom this past month. 

When looking at our most-read articles from last month, it’s clear to us that members of the roofing industry are very interested in drone technology. Two of our most popular articles were about utilizing drone photography in roofing jobs, one came to us from Project Map It and the other from Tremco WTI. 

Another topic that is still quite popular with our readers is safety. One of our top articles last month was written by John Kenney, CEO of Cotney Consulting Group, who offers tips on running effective safety committees. When safety committee meetings are organized, this can help ensure the safety of a roofing business’ crew.  

Our most popular article last month came to us from Trent Cotney, partner at Adams and Reese, where he discusses the new employee classification rules for subcontractors. Recently, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) established new rules about who you must classify as an employee. Trent thoroughly outlines how this could affect your construction business and offers advice on how to proceed doing business with subcontractors in the future. 

Here are the top 10 articles of June 2023:  

Honorable Mention (#6-#10): 

10 - SOPREMA and TRP Join Forces to Lead MRO Coatings Market 

9 - A Few Good Pointers for Installing Self-adhering Roofing Underlayments 

8 - How to Run Effective Safety Committee Meetings – Part One 

7 - The Importance of Drone Photography and Use of Before and After Photos to Help Build Trust of Homeowner 

6 - Portland Pier Stays Dry With This PVC Membrane 

Read the Top 5 articles: 

5 - NTM Announces New Board and Batten Profile for its SSQ II Portable Panel Machine 

4 - Answering Your Most-asked Roofing Material Questions – Part Two 

3 - GAF Hosts Inaugural Training Program in New Minneapolis Training Facility 

2 - How This Company Advanced Their Business by Using Drones 

1 - Subcontractors No More? NLRB Reverts to Stricter Employee Classification Rules

The addition of TRP’s full range of MRO coatings means that SOPREMA has an unparalled ability to offer solutions for any repair project.

In 2022, SOPREMA acquired TRP Roofing Products (TRP) as part of its strategy to better provide for its customers’ MRO (maintenance, restoration and operations) needs for roofing and waterproofing solutions. TRP offers professional grade asphalt, acrylic and silicone roofing products, including roof cements, primers, adhesives and coatings that are designed to withstand the harshest climates and extreme weather conditions. 

The addition of TRP’s full range of MRO coatings means that SOPREMA has an unparalled ability to offer solutions for any repair project.

Consider the case of the Mandalay Bay Club Condo Towers in Clearwater Beach, Florida. The modified bitumen roofs on the twin residential high-rises were nearing the end of their lives, with observed granule loss on the membranes. However, the contractor was able to clean and dry the roof, then apply TRP 996 Bleed Blocker to the asphaltic-based surfaces to eliminate potential asphalt discoloration in the restoration.

TRP 9400 Eterna-Sil Premium Silicone Mastic was used to seal off flashing details before the entire roof was covered with TRP 924 Eterna-Sil Premium Silicone Roof Coating to create an energy-efficient, monolithic, seamless system. Furthermore, TRP 924 comes in six standard colors, allowing the project team to apply white to most of the roof and safety yellow in the walkway grids.

The 114-year-old Stockyards Hotel in Fort Worth, Texas with a dilapidated system received a full restoration thanks to TRP products, including TRP 652 UltraGreen Roof Wash All-Purpose Cleaner to promote positive adhesion, followed by a foam application to make the roof completely waterproof and monolithic. The building was then topped off with TRP 901 High Solids Elastomeric Roof Coating, an Energy Star-rated acrylic product, to give the roof a reflective surface and fight off weathering.

Both projects demonstrate the power of TRP’s extensive product catalog and position SOPREMA as the MRO industry leader.

SOPREMA, of course has always offered lines of acrylic and silicone-based coatings, called ALSAN Coating AC 401 and SIL 402. Both products provide durable, flexible coatings that are VOC compliant and protect against UV and weather conditions.

Now, with those staples joining forces with TRP, the best MRO products on the market are all found in one place.

By Cayden Wemple.  

See how Tropical Roofing Products successfully reinstated a faulty roof.  

A judicial complex in Dulce, New Mexico was experiencing minor leaks around its roof drains and penetrations. Somewhere around 15% of the roof was experiencing these leaks. Luckily, Tropical Roofing Products were used to patch up the problems and get the roof back in tip-top shape.  

This project took place on a Native American reservation at an elevation of just under 7,000 feet. Upon inspection, it was noted that about 18% of the roof had moisture in the insulation board. Sections that were believed to be damp were removed and substituted with fresh insulation board. Afterwards, TPO was fastened over the mended spots through heat welding. 

Some of the Tropical Roofing Products that were used to repair the roof included: 

652 Utra-Green roof wash 

When the affected areas of the roof were repaired, the roof was washed with Tropical Roofing Products 652 Ultra-Green roof wash. 

TRP 9400 

TRP 9400 was used to prep the seams and penetrations that looked vulnerable. 

TRP 924 

Two gallons of TRP 924 was used to coat the roof and was backed by a 15-year warranty. Following the drying of the surface at 924, the contractor proceeded to identify the paths for walking from the doorway to the rooftop and around all air conditioning units, by utilizing 924 Tan silicone. 

Silicone was used on this project because the roof was already silicone. The customer received a Tropical 20 Year Labor & Material warranty. 

The sealing project was ultimately a success, leaving both the contractor and tribal members pleased with the outcome. Working collaboratively as a team, Tropical Roofing Products ensured that the roof was free of any leaks from the beginning to the end of the project. The contractor found the use of 924 to be effortless, and it covered and leveled the roof effectively. The tribal members are currently preparing another building to be coated soon!

TRP Roofing Products, a SOPREMA group company, will take on the new name going forward. 

Tropical Roofing Products (TRP), a national manufacturer of liquid roofing materials used to repair, maintain, and restore a variety of roofing systems, has been in business for over 60 years. The company is based in the United States and built its quality reputation in the asphaltic business and in recent years expanded that reputation for quality into elastomeric coatings and allied repair products. For brevity, people have often referred to Tropical Roofing Products as TRP, so the branding change feels natural.

In 2022, SOPREMA acquired TRP as part of its strategy to better provide for its customers’ MRO (maintenance, restoration, and operations) needs for roofing and waterproofing solutions. TRP offers a full range of professional grade asphalt, acrylic and silicone roofing products, including roof cements, primers, adhesives and coatings that are designed to withstand the harshest climates and extreme weather conditions.

These conditions are not, however, limited to southern, tropical areas, but also include extreme cold found in northern climates, thus providing the impetus for the company’s rebranding. While maintaining the legacy of the former name and logo, the brand has changed to TRP Roofing Products and the primary colors have changed to reflect the values and strengths that come with being a part of the SOPREMA group of companies.

Going forward, please think of TRP Roofing Products as your “go-to” whenever your job requires superior MRO liquid roofing products.

Highlights from the last day of IRE 2023.

Editor's note: The following is a transcript of a conversation the Coffee Shop crew had after day three of the International Roofing Expo 2023. 

Karen Edwards: This is late night with Karen Edwards and we at RoofersCoffeeShop, are going to talk about the IRE. So, guys, we went to a speakeasy after the show to celebrate and have a dirty martini and it was fabulous. And it was a little secret door. We had to put a code in it was at the Statlar Hotel. It was so much fun.

James Ellsworth: And the most memorable part I felt, was that to get in you had to know some esoteric history. And to know that the code to get in was the year the world First World War started. And the fact that the Titanic was part of the North Star liners.

Karen Edwards: Okay, I have to say that a highlight of the day for me was being on the Patrick Carr Show podcast. I had no idea who this guy was. I've been told he's an influencer in the industry. He has sponsors of his show in the form of Leap and JobProgress who are partners of RoofersCoffeeShop. And he listens to the Weekly Blend with Heidi and I, every week and said we give him the inside information on what's happening in the industry. And I couldn't believe that people actually watch the Weekly Blend. I know they do.

Tim Ellsworth: I had a person come up in the booth today. And it was the best experience I've ever witnessed. I handed them these new bumper stickers we have that are all in Spanish and he just about dropped on the ground. He was so excited and so happy to have this happen that someone appreciated that aspect and recognized the Spanish-speaking people in the industry. And anyway he's taking that back to Louisiana. Yeah, he was from Louisiana. And yeah, he was great. Yeah, that was my that was my highlight of the of the trade show.

Karen Edwards: Tim. I am so happy that you got to experience that because that is one topic that we talked about on the podcast with Patrick. And he was kind of saying he didn't see a lot of the field workers who are the ones who are actually installing roofs. And I see so many people on the roof at these shows. And immediately what popped into my head was, SRS Distribution. They have a Para Latinos lounge, they had a Para Latinos happy hour. On Tuesday they had a mariachi band, they are embracing this. And this is where our industry is going. And I was super excited to see that. 

James Ellsworth: Karen I couldn't agree with you more. 

Lauren White: James and I again, wandered around the show floor. We got 9,393 steps in today, we didn't quite hit 10,000 however. But it was so nice. Because it was a quieter day, day three is usually quieter, got to have more calmer conversations with people because not everyone was crowding to chat with them. And what was cool too when we were recording, we were having interviews in the booths to put on social media and promote later on and turn into articles. But what's cool too, is that people from those companies were filming us filming the interviews to put on their social medias. So there were just cameras and phones everywhere and it was surreal. But it was great and we had the chickens. The chickens made their debut on day three, check the chicken out on TikTok, aka ChikTok, because Chuck is making its debut and it's amazing. And now James gets to share more about the show floor.

James Ellsworth: I thoroughly enjoyed being able to talk with the folks on the floor and hear from the people about what they were seeing, hearing from everyone about what was important to them. Also seeing the new things we had Equipter give us a full demonstration of their rig up and down left and right forward and back. It was quite a scene. Not to mention, we had multiple demonstrations from Franklin International's Titebond product, Tropical Roofing Products, Chem Link. But we had great conversations. RESISTO talked with us about their products.

Lauren White: Vicwest was also great. We got to see their metal shingles and metal siding that look like wood paneling and wood shingles. They even have slate and they're introducing clay but it's all made out of metal and it looks so realistic. James has more because he was very excited about this.

James Ellsworth: Well speaking of slate reminds me of the Slate Roofing Contractors Association who had a guy on the floor crafting a slate roof, crafting the shingles on the floor with a drill and a hammer. And then at the end of the day just for fun made a hat and I love it and it was wonderful. And he also made a little decoration that said "Love it." It was great. And Lauren got to sit down with a fella who was in Russia just before the invasion.

Lauren White: Yes, I did. Him and the gentleman who was making the slate hat, went to Russia to learn onion dome metal roofing and they were the first people from the states to go over there and learn that technique. And the family who hosted them, is still safe thankfully, they're still in contact. But that was a very interesting conversation. So stay tuned for that one.

Karen Edwards: Well, we brought the chickens out. It's the last day of the trade show. We brought the chickens out and they are so much fun. They are so much fun. It just it brings you even closer to your neighbors. And have to commend Will Riley from Centerpoint Connect on his beef jerky, this hot and spicy jerky. We all had some. It was amazing. 

Tim Ellsworth: The flying chickens are always fun on the third day because you bring them out about two or three hours before the show closes. And it's just a kind of fun time. The show is slower always on the last day. It's a fun time to get to know your neighbors a little bit better. And it lightens the mood and everybody has a smile on their face when you fly a chicken 30 feet or 40 feet to your neighbor's booth and it hits them you know in the head or wherever. And they go, 'What the heck happened?' 

Lauren White: I have to say one more thing, this is my third IRE and they keep getting bigger. And I'd say this is probably the best attendance just in terms of people attending and booths, it was a huge floor. Everyone we talked to whether it's in the soundstage, in the booth or in their own customer booths, everyone was thrilled with the outcome, very happy with who they saw and how many people were there. And I mean we're exhausted. Heidi is already in bed.

Karen Edwards: Half our team is in bed.

James Ellsworth: Yes. But we had a great time we have almost no more swag left. And we're ready to go home tomorrow or go exploring Dallas tomorrow.

Karen Edwards: I am on a flight tomorrow morning. Driving in Hank the tank to get there. I've been here a week and it's nice to go home to family and pets and normalcy. Because it's crazy. When you're at the IRE. You don't even know what's happening in the world. You don't know what's happening in your business. You live in this world while you're here. Connected but disconnected as Lauren says it. But it's hard. It's tiring. We had a good time and yet we still get stuff done. So, signing off. Sleep well.

Until next time!

Tune into our YouTube channel to see all of our coverage from IRE 2023!