Ask Your Distributors for Proper Documentation

RCS Influencer Arty Molinari says that to have a successful relationship with a distributor, they must have the right documentation.

Now I am not an expert with distribution even though I work for a large manufacturer, Tremco is different I believe with all of its companies. I am aware of the main channels of distribution such as, wholesaler, retailer, distributor and e-commerce. Tremco takes advantage of all of these, but in roofing they don’t. Due to the competitive nature and complexity of installation, cost of the project, and potential litigation, roofing has become an intense climate in construction. Maybe it always has been, but as an emerging professional in the industry I see it being far from easy and friendly.

Nevertheless, Tremco Roofing & Building Maintenance sells directly to certified contractors and applicators who have gone through and passed the required and necessary training to install their roofing systems. This is for both new construction and restoration assemblies. The biggest and fastest trending market for us right now, and has been for a number of years nationally, is the fluid applied systems in the existing building segment. Even though these roof systems are simple in application, the ingredients are scientifically complex (even though they are designed to be sustainable), and it can be easy to cut corners due to the speed at which they can be installed. This is in part by their amazing curing times and durability. The preparation time is longer than the main job itself.

With all this being said, working with distribution has (and I am voicing this in my own opinion, and it should be better responded to by upper management at Tremco RBM) been a challenge due to the high demand, yet lack of qualified contractors who may claim to know how to properly install, yet find ways to get ahold of the product without going through the approval process.

Therefore, to be successful in dealing with a distributor, or in Tremco’s case a qualified purchaser, the right documentation proving that they can buy the product along with effective communication seems to be all that is needed. Now call me crazy, but I see that easier said than done. However, Tremco has an amazing track record of keeping their projects in line, and if anything goes wrong they will pay to rectify any issue, because they have a great system in place that mitigates a lot of risk.

Arty Molinari is the building envelope and infrastructure specialist at Tremco Roofing & Building Maintenance. See his full bio here.