THE LATEST Raise the Roof event saw a group of members visiting family-owned liquid roofing manufacturer Roberts Group on 27 June 2024.

North Wales based Roberts Group, which produces the Polyroof and Restec roofing brands, welcomed Raise the Roof members on a guided tour of its premises by CEO Nick Roberts and Ginny Brown, Regional Sales Manager.

The group of a dozen Raise the Roof visitors from suppliers Danosa, SIG Building Solutions, Steadmans Roofing and Cladding and Premier Sealant Systems were shown around Roberts Group’s expanding site, where it now employs a team of 108.

Roberts Group Tour

Guided to the manufacturing building, Nick Roberts explained the process of mixing liquid applied roofing products, adding dyes and resins to optimise usability. Nick said, “While the ingredients and process of production is largely common to all liquids, it’s the 10% that Roberts Group does differently that sets it apart.”

Nick told the group how the company was started by his mother and has steadily expanded over its 40 years of operation with 88% turnover growth in the last four years alone. With a new product launch imminent and plans to expand into the US, the business continues its impressive advancement.

The company has recently expanded production with the purchase of a new mixer, as Nick explained: “We’re continually looking to the future and anticipating demand to ensure matching capacity.”

Sustainability

With a strong message of UK manufacturing, the company also bases its supply chain in the UK as much as possible. Sustainability is a major focus throughout the manufacturing process and the company has reduced its energy use and carbon emissions in the past four years while achieving almost 100% waste recycling.

“The River Dee is very close to our manufacturing base so this alone means sustainability and environmental considerations are important to us. All processes are strictly controlled to avoid spillages and our manufacturing plant flooring is designed like a roof to ensure any materials are controlled,” said Nick.

Quality Control

The tour also took in the Roberts Group laboratory where product quality controls check raw materials and ensure consistent production to exact specifications, guaranteeing performance for customer installations. Here the group was told how two products, Protec and Protec Evolve, now have Environmental Product Declarations, while each 20kg container of Restec GRPRoof contains the same amount of recycled plastic as 206 bottles.

“We must continually develop and evolve,” said Nick. “Even established product formulas have to keep up to comply with updated standards in the UK and elsewhere.”

Having just that day moved their sales, marketing, specification and technical teams onto one newly created mezzanine floor, the Raise the Roof group learned about Roberts Group’s employment strategies resulting in very low staff turnover. Nick highlighted the accessibility of the management team, which remains led by Roberts family members each heading a business section.

Last on the tour was the logistics centre where, unusually, the company manages its own transport system. The group was also given a product demonstration by Restec Lead Trainer Stewart Orton, who showed how to tackle difficult roofing details with ease using Restec Flexitec multi-surface GRP.

Mentoring Workshop

The Raise the Roof group then took part in a mentoring workshop at the Roberts Group onsite training centre. Participating in a guided mentoring session delivered by SIG Building Solutions Commercial Development Director, Sam Jones and NFRC Head of Careers, Ruth Scarrott, the group learned about essential listening skills and discussed a mentoring scheme for roofing. The Raise the Roof group sincerely thanked Roberts Group for their hospitality.

With a membership of now 76 roofing industry professionals – well on its way to its 100 membership target for its first year – the Raise the Roof group is continuing to define its agenda to educate, inspire and support members with a calendar of meetings and events. Already planned next is a panel discussion seminar at UKCW in October and a tour of Danosa in November.

>> Read more about Raise the Roof in the news

The post Raise the Roof Visits Roberts Group appeared first on Roofing Today.