Storm-Season Supply Issues?
Preparing For The Unknown.
Ask five people when “storm season” is and you’ll likely get five different answers. Do you mean hurricane season? Tornadoes? How about “blanket-half-the-country-with-snow-and-ice season?” (That one apparently started last month). Take your pick, it really doesn’t matter to roofers. We’re either preparing for it or out in it, it seems, all year long. And if weather woes weren’t enough to deal with, our post-pandemic economy adds in some challenges as well.
Supply chain issues were brutal during and immediately following Covid. From disruptions to global manufacturing to the historic Port of Los Angeles bottleneck, we learned that “smooth sailing” might be a thing of the past. More recently, tariff wars have taken a toll on material costs and availability as well.
What have we learned from all of this? It’s that smart roofers need to be proactive and prepared, especially during the traditional “storm season” when extreme weather drives the demand for roof repairs. Customers expect timely results, not excuses, so here are some practical tips that can help:
Plan Ahead. Order materials as soon as possible. From tarps and plywood you need to start post-storm jobs immediately to the actual roofing materials needed for the repairs, order early. Don’t assume they’ll be readily available every time. As we’ve learned, the unexpected often happens. Be prepared!
Talk To Your Suppliers. Communication is key. Ask them about availability and price changes. They should be able to tell you what products they anticipate having in stock, what they can order, and when stock should arrive. Our suppliers, for example, know they can always count on us for quick delivery and contact us any time they need to, to make sure they keep their customers—roofers like you—supplied.
Update Your Contracts. If you haven’t already, add wording in your contract that addresses delays caused by supply chain issues. This will help ensure you’re not in breach of contract should a shortage or delay impact your finish date. Also, include some flexible pricing language in your contract (an attorney should be able to help you do this). This will allow you to pass on unforeseen increased materials costs to the customer. If this happens, ask your supplier for any letter they may have received from the manufacturer announcing the price increase (this will help you justify the additional cost).
If there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that “business as usual” may not be as common as it once was. At Marco, we have almost 220,000 square feet of made-in-the-USA manufacturing and warehousing centrally located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. From here, and through six distribution facilities across North America, we deliver Marco quality coast to coast. Other manufacturers, however, may rely more heavily on foreign facilities and supplies, which could affect timelines and costs. You never know. So, it’s always good to be prepared and plan ahead. If last month’s “snowmageddon” is any indication, Mother Nature will be sending you plenty of business. Be ready for it.
To learn more about Marco, visit www.MarcoIndustries.com. To contact Marco directly, you can email or call 1-800-800-8590.