Letter from the CEO

CEO of Advanced Roofing Inc., Rob Kornahrens, shares his update on company performance, roofing trends, and his outlook for 2017.

Coming out of very hectic 2016, we are busier than ever as a robust economy continues to shape the commercial re-roofing and solar energy markets. We had many new members join our team this year, and I’m excited to see them make their mark as we transition into the second half of the year. Looking forward, we are pushing our award-winning operations team to new levels through intense focus and training. Here’s an update on the latest happenings at Advanced:

We kicked off the first half of the year with many successes and milestones. All of our crews are running full-time, and there is a substantial backlog throughout the year. To support this growth, Senior Project Manager Todd Avery joined our team to ensure projects are completed on time and within budget. We also celebrated the 10th anniversary of Advanced Green Technologies (AGT) by installing an 84-kilowatt solar carport at our headquarters in Fort Lauderdale. It’s a great visual representation of where we’re going as a company. Ninety percent of the power for our offices is generated from renewable energy, so I challenge all of you to help us work towards becoming 100% non-dependent on the grid.

INDUSTRY TRENDS

Roofing

We’re seeing a few new trends and some of the most time-tested systems in the roofing, solar, and HVAC industries this year. Coal tar pitch roofing systems are back in high demand, with the Silver Thatch Condominium and Palm Beach County West Boca Library projects on the books for 2017. RhinoBond, the alternative membrane attachment system for TPO, PVC, and KEE membranes are becoming very popular. It uses thermal heat induction to seamlessly attach a roof system with fewer attachments and labor, making it an efficient choice. With efficiency comes cost savings, so we are happy to pass these savings on to our customers. We continue to invest in our equipment in order to provide top-notch service. Our Sheet Metal Division recently purchased a new $60,000 portable roll-forming machine to add to our existing roll-forming machines which can be used on remote job locations.

Solar Energy

Solar continues to be strong as the market is seeing projects with a four-year return on investment. With an unprecedented 12 to 15 percent internal rate of return and with the rising cost of traditional energy, the argument can be made for investing in solar–with or without incentives. Also helping to drive demand is the Federal 30% Investment Tax Credit for solar energy projects that is in place until 2019. The solar carport market continues to grow and we look forward to bringing renewable energy to businesses and institutions throughout the state.

Air Conditioning

With the summer heat making its presence felt in South Florida, our Air Conditioning Division is ready to meet the demand. With its Florida State Class-A Air Conditioning Contractor License, Advanced Air Systems can provide unlimited air conditioning services to commercial and industrial buildings. This includes performing rooftop, Chiller and Cooling Tower services. To ensure all of our service jobs are completed on time and within budget this summer, we hired Paul Murphy, a 10-year veteran of the industry, to lead the service team. Paul will be managing the service side of the division, allowing Manager Scott Mollan to focus on supporting our top customers. Be sure to check out  Advanced Air Systems’ mobile-friendly website to see our new service offerings and the latest in air conditioning news www.advancedairsystem.com.

NOTABLE PROJECTS

Our team was hard at work on a number of notable projects in the first half of the year, including the installation of Lockheed Martin’s second solar carport in Orlando completed in April. The 2.35 megawatts solar array is the largest privately funded non-utility solar project in Florida. AGT is also installing a 250-kilowatt carport and ground mounted solar array at United Therapeutics Call Center in Melbourne, Florida an effort to help the company become energy neutral. We are taking our roofing projects internationally as we complete three re-roofing projects in Freeport, Bahamas simultaneously so that the projects are completed before the hurricane season. I appreciate the efforts of everyone involved in the project, led by veteran project manager Jessica Kornahrens, for not only doing an outstanding job but also sacrificing time away from their families for three months.

Watch Lockheed Martin Solar Video

On the HVAC side, our Air Conditioning Division was recently hired to remove a 15-year-old traditional split HVAC system and replaced it with a new Daikin Variable Refrigerant Volume (VRV) system. The project was unique in that the old air conditioning system was to remain in place for the duration of the project to supply air throughout the occupied building. The new VRV system had to start immediately to supply air to the building. AAS made this a seamless process and prevented the need for temporary spot coolers.

Read the Case Study

 COMPANY ACHIEVEMENTS

These successes would not be possible without the hard work and dedication our team puts forth each day. I am very proud of Kevin and Mike Kornahrens for being recognized by Roofing Contractor Magazine as “Young Guns” future industry leaders. Advanced Roofing Safety Director Bryan Cardona was selected as the recipient of the 2016 Construction Association of South Florida (CASF) Safety Professional of the Year Award. We are proud of Bryan’s work to keep our clients and employees safe. We also earned second in the QARC Asphalt Roofing Awards for our work on the Broward County Stephen R. Booher building. Additionally, I would like to congratulate Shari Johnson from our Tampa Branch, who was named Chairperson of the National Women in Roofing Association Tampa Chapter.

Read Young Guns Article

COMMUNITY SERVICE

We remain strongly committed to giving back to our community. I can’t tell you how proud I am to cheer on the first graduating class of the ABC Apprenticeship program on July 22nd. A big thank you to everyone involved in making this happen. We recently put on our walking shoes and raised $25,000 for the American Heart Association Broward HeartWalk through the Kornahrens Foundation. We also took part in the Boys and Girls Club of Broward County’s General Construction Career Day for the ninth year. Our team was busy building houses for families in need throughout the state. Our Tampa Branch joined forces with CBRE and the USF Cheerleaders to build a house for a family in need through Habitat for Humanity Hillsborough County, and our Miami Branch Manager Julian Olarte and his team volunteered alongside the RCASF and CBS4’s Neighbors4Neighbors to help provide a new roof for a family in need. Lastly, we received the Community Involvement Award from the National Roofing Contractors Association (NCRA) for helping Sonrise Mission rehabilitation center continue to serve our community. We look forward to continuing our community service efforts throughout the year.

LOOKING FORWARD

In closing, I look forward to working together to close out the year as one of our strongest to date. As we move into Hurricane Season (June 1 – November 30), I strongly urge everyone to please be prepared. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), experts are predicting an active year, with up to 17 named storms and 9 hurricanes. Regardless of how many we see this season; it only takes one to cause major destruction to our communities. We are especially reminded of this as we mark the 25th anniversary of Hurricane Andrew on August 24, 2017. So be safe and be prepared. In preparations for Hurricane Season, we will host an event titled “Are You Smarter than a Service Vendor, Hurricane Edition” on August 31. Look for an invite soon.

View Hurricane Preparedness Video.

Tags:

You may also like