Private equity portfolio firm Omnia Exterior Solutions, one of the roofing industry's early ‘growth through acquisition’ business model adopters, made eight acquisitions in 2024, capped off by the inclusion of James & Whitney Company, a residential roofing and exteriors company in New England. operating in Maine and New Hampshire.

The partnership marks Omnia’s eighth consummated partnership in 2024 and the final acquisition of the year, the company said in a Dec. 5 news release. Omnia, formed in 2023 by New York-based CCMP Growth Advisors, LP, has brought 11 brands into its portfolio since inception.

With Maine-based James & Whitney, a deal announced at the close of last year, Omnia now has a reach from New England to the Rockies.

Omnia company Chairman Jim Ziminski said of Omnia’s latest acquisition: “James and Whitney’s commitment to a five-star experience aligns with our mission. We’re excited to welcome one of the best roofing and remodeling companies in the Northeast to our platform and look forward to the benefits this partnership will bring.”

The portfolio firm named Ryan McCaslin as president of James & Whitney Co., who enthused about the compatibility of the firms brought into the Omnia fold.

“Our team, our people, and the way we operate offer unique advantages to Omnia partners,” he said. “[T]here’s a lot of depth and talent, and a key objective for us has always been to help as many people as possible – clients and employees.”

Photo courtesy of the Iowa Economic Development Corporation

Guardian Roofing, Gutters & Insulation announced its recognition as the Best of Business Rate 2024 Roofing Contractor in Auburn, Wash., about 30 minutes south of Seattle. The company said the honor underscores its commitment to innovative roofing solutions for the Pacific Northwest.

Business Rate is an innovative platform that enhances how consumers and businesses use online reviews. Unlike traditional review aggregators, it focuses on the 100 most recent reviews, especially those from the last 90 days. This ensures that rankings accurately reflect current consumer experiences, helping users identify top businesses and assess service quality and customer satisfaction.

“We are truly honored to receive this award,” said Lori Swanson, Guardian Roofing’s founder. "Our mission has always been to protect homes and families by providing roofs that stand the test of time.”

The award reinforces Guardian Roofing’s position as an industry leader and reflects its loyal customers' trust.

The Roofing Technology Think Tank, or RT3, named Paul Spies, CEO of Smart Safety Solutions, its 2024 Innovator of the Year during the 2024 Best of Success conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bonita Springs, Fla.

The award recognizes individuals who advocate for advancing technology in the roofing industry and contribute to product development in areas like safety, production, client service, employee recruitment and environmental impact.

Smart Safety Solutions is developing a patent-pending harness camera that checks if workers are wearing their safety equipment correctly. By using artificial intelligence for real-time monitoring, it alerts site managers to safety risks, helping to prevent workplace injuries.

“This year's Innovator of the Year Award winner aims to fundamentally shift the culture of safety in high-risk industries like roofing," said Jon Gardner, Owens Corning’s senior leader, strategic partnerships and learning and development and RT3 board member. "By integrating cutting-edge AI technology with practical safety solutions, they are sending a new standard for fall protection."

Spies, a former Marine, is also the co-founder of Ironhead Roofing in Corvallis, Ore., giving him first-hand knowledge of what roofing companies undergo to keep their workers safe.

“We're really excited, we think we've got an opportunity for roofing companies to deal with the kind of fall protection compliance issues that we struggle with,” Spies said.

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A news brief first appearing in Bloomberg News was conspicuous for its brevity: the private equity owners of Tecta America, America’s largest commercial roofing firm — and perennial No. 1 on RC’s Top 100 Roofing Contractors list — may be going on the sales block.

The company's private equity owners, Altas Partners and Leonard Green & Partners, have reportedly appointed advisers to solicit interest in the company. According to Bloomberg sources, who asked not to be identified due to discussing confidential information, the effort is set to kick off early this year.

Tecta had self-reported revenue of approximately $1.4 billion in 2023; Bloomberg sources said the company could be valued at between $3 billion and $4 billion and is expected to attract interest from peers and other private equity firms.

Tecta America was formed in 2000 by consolidating several regional roofing companies. The Rosemont, Ill.-based firm now employs more than 4,300 professionals in 32 states. Over its first two decades, the company grew from 17 to 75 locations nationwide through an aggressive growth strategy to expand its footprint and diversify its capabilities.

Commenting in response to this story, Tecta’s CFO, Marc Benson, emailed a statement saying: “There is a lot of private equity activity in the roofing industry, and our investors explore refinancing opportunities from time to time,” adding, “There is nothing more than speculation at this time.”

Representatives Altas and Leonard Green each declined to comment.

The Department of Homeland Security said in a news release that it would make 64,716 additional H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas available for Fiscal Year 2025 in addition to the congressionally mandated 66,000 H-2B visas that are available each fiscal year.

These additional H-2B visas, which are identical to those provided for fiscal year 2024, represent the maximum allowed by Congress. The departments were authorized to allocate supplemental cap numbers from fiscal years 2017 to 2024 under the statutory authority granted for each year.

American businesses in roofing, hospitality, landscaping, and seafood processing rely on the H-2B visa program for seasonal and temporary workers to meet demand. The additional visa allocation aims to address shortages in areas with insufficient U.S. workers.

Employers must first recruit American workers for jobs, as mandated by the H-2B program, to prevent the exploitation of foreign workers.

“The Department of Homeland Security is committed to further growing our nation’s strong economy,” said outgoing Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “By maximizing the use of the H-2B visa program, the Department of Homeland Security is helping to ensure the labor needs of American businesses are met, keeping prices down for consumers while strengthening worker protections and deterring irregular migration to the United States."

The H-2B supplemental rule allocates 20,000 visas to workers from Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Haiti, Colombia, Ecuador, and Costa Rica, along with 44,716 visas for returning workers who held H-2B visas in the past three fiscal years.

The regulation will allocate supplemental visas for returning workers across the fiscal year, reserving part of the second half specifically to meet the demand for seasonal workers during the peak summer season.

Photo courtesy of the Iowa Economic Development Corporation