Fully Equipped:
Owning a rollformer can be a smart investment
Posted
08/1/2010
Contractors in today's tough economic
environment need all the advantages offered by state-of-the-art
equipment. This is as true in the metal roofing business as
in other areas of metal construction. One aspect of the business
that is ripe for consideration by any metal roofing contractor is
the evaluation of portable rollforming for job-site panel
fabrication. Portable rollforming can overcome many challenges that
face any metal roofing contractor in the ultracompetitive world the
contractor is now operating. Purchasing rollforming equipment is an
efficient and effective means of streamlining business and
production operations and increasing profitability.
Whether a contractor is seeking to enter the metal roofing market,
increase its share of the market, or identify and integrate the
latest metal roofing technology, owning a rollformer will enable a
company to cut costs, gain project and production control, and meet
customer demands.
Lead-times, while less of an issue no than they were not long ago,
can still present obstacles to the pressured contractor.
Opportunities arise from the ability to accept jobs and perform on
a quick term basis. Owners want prompt decisions from potential
contractors and the ability to job-site rollform enhances the
contractor's flexibility and option to perform. Reliance on
factory-formed panels curtails some of the options available to the
contractor who has access to portable rollforming equipment. The
ability to fabricate panels on-site from coil stock enables a
contractor to reduce the lead time involved with ordering factory
formed panels.
An inherent advantage of the use of portable rollformers is the
ability to reduce costs. Cost reduction is obtained by controlling
production quality and eliminating waste product. Shipping costs
are also reduced by eliminating packaging associated with factory
fabricated panels and relying on coils, instead of formed panels,
shipped to the job site
Manufacturers take precautions to ensure factory-produced panels
are delivered in excellent condition and to reduce the risk of
intransit damage. While packaging and crating panels should be
performed with care, the nature of the procedure slows the
production process.
No matter how
careful the manufacturer may be, eliminating the need for crating
and transporting panels is an advantage of owning a rollformer. If
panels are damaged or the wrong size, the ordering process starts
over whereas field-formed panels are cut to size on the job
site.
Also, truckload restrictions limit panel lengths to 50 to 57 feet
(15 to 17 m), so contractors utilizing factory-produced panels have
additional constraints. Many architectural products are designed
for seamless, continuous-length installation. Rollformer-owning
contractors can tackle jobs calling for 80- to 100-foot (24- to
30-m) long panels by transporting coil and other materials to the
job site. Because roofing components are created on-site, there is
no need to resolve the cost of length-restricted panels.
There are countless brands and models of rollforming equipment on
the market today. When choosing a rollformer, it is important to
assess each piece of equipment based upon a contractor's particular
needs or demands. Each rollformer has relative advantages and
disadvantages based on a company's needs and target market
needs.
However, there are some general criteria contractors can utilize
when shopping around for rollforming equipment. First, a contractor
should invest in quality capital equipment in order to increase
productivity and to receive a return on that capital investment.
How can a contractor know if they are purchasing a quality,
high-end rollformer? Be a responsible consumer and do the research.
Utilize all the resources available. Gather information on
companies and equipment not only using the Internet but by asking
around. Word of mouth and referrals are great ways to narrow down
your list of manufacturers.
Once the background information is collected, contact the
distributor or manufacturer and ask questions about servicing or
financing and discuss any concerns you may have. Often times, a
rollforming equipment manufacturer offers training seminars
informing contractors how to operate the equipment or utilize the
rollformer to its fullest capacity. Rollformer manufacturers are an
excellent resource in deciding the type of rollformer appropriate
for a contractor. Contractors will continue to develop a
relationship with the manufacturer once their business has
purchased a rollformer.
Although the current economic climate affects businesses every day,
investing in quality rollforming equipment increases contractors'
chances of success in the quest for lucrative metal roofing
projects.
Rob Hinojosa is the marketing manager for Berridge
Manufacturing Co., San Antonio
Rob Hinojosa