IRE 2023 Event Recap
The Industry Engaged in Three Days of Connection, Education and Networking
International Roofing Expo (IRE), Informa Markets' premiere roofing and exteriors event serving the roofing industry, concluded the event's 68th annual event held earlier this month, March 7-9, at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas. With thousands of registered professionals, the annual event connected notable and emergent brands with thousands of buyers, while providing ample networking opportunities and a full range of education led by renowned industry experts.
Thank you to everyone that made IRE 2023 a successful event, and we look forward to seeing you next year. Mark your calendar for the 2024 International Roofing Expo taking place February 6-8 in Las Vegas, NV.
IRE SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
Education Highlights
The IRE conference program featured over 60 educational sessions presented by 111 speakers. Some of the industry's leading experts shared their knowledge and best practices on trending topics. The sessions are organized by tracks that include General Business, Leadership, Legal/HR, Money Matters, Sales/Service, Sustainable, Technical, and Workplace Safety. The most popular sessions included:
- How to Build your Brand and Drive More Leads
- State of the Industry Research – The Deep Dive
- Using Technology to your Growth Advantage
- Understanding Metal Roofing: Part I
- Single-Ply Material Science & Installation Conditions
- NRCA Update on Roofing Industry Technical Issues
- Selling Your Price: Real-World Strategies to Help Escape the Price-Driven Sale
- Low Slope Commercial Roofing
- How to Make Your Online Presence The Top Salesperson For Your Roofing Company
- Improve Profits In your Operations and Service Divisions with Better Estimating
Show Floor Highlights
The 2023 International Roofing Expo took over 175,000 NSF of the Dallas convention center, hosting almost 600 industry-leading suppliers in the expo hall. Manufacturers and suppliers showcased the latest products, services, and technology for the roofing and exterior industries, including notable companies such as ABC Supply Co. Inc., Beacon Building Products GAF, Owens Corning SRS Distribution, Beacon Building Products, Owens Corning, and more. In addition to the exhibits, there were a variety of other activities taking place on the show floor.
- The new Exteriors Pavillion included top manufactures/suppliers such as LP SmartSide, Westlake Royal, Jamies Hardie and Marvin Infinity.
- During Product Clinics attendee watched live product demonstrations.
- The SRS Distribution Para Latinos booth offered networking and education to help over 1000 Latino roofing contractors grow their businesses.
- The NRCA ProCertification exams took place on the show floor.
- Outside the SRS Extreme Tailgate Party was back and featured live music and drinks.
Networking & Special Events
New connections were made, and relationships strengthened during the three days at IRE. Industry friends were able to connect in person to share best practices and discuss current challenges. The IRE First-Timer Attendee reception (sponsored by RoofersCoffeeShop) and Welcome Party (sponsored by ABC Supply Co.) had a great turnout, and everyone had an amazing time at the House of Blues in Dallas.
Finding and keeping skilled, reliable workers is the biggest challenge facing the roofing industry. Author and award-winning speaker Chris Czarnik kicked-off IRE 2023 with a standing-room only keynote presentation centered on how to find and prepare the next generation of roofers.
The NRCA hosted their annual ROOFPAC reception on Monday, March 6th and the NRCA Awards Ceremony & Cocktail Reception took place on Wednesday, March 8. We also want to give a special shout out to all the college teams that participated in the Roofing Alliance Student Competition.
A record-breaking attendance of over 500 women in the roofing industry gathered Sunday, March 5 at the 6th annual NWiR conference for a day of collaboration and discussion aimed to empower women in the roofing industry. “It was better than I could have ever imagined,” said Michelle Boykin, COO of Rackley Roofing and President of NWiR. This year’s conference focused on the theme of "Follow Your Path," encouraging attendees to connect, discover and cultivate new relationships on their own paths to success.
IRE partnered with Rebuilding Together North Texas for the 14th annual Community Service Day. Over 70 roofing professionals gathered at three homes in the local Dallas-Fort Worth metro area to volunteer their time and services to make critical home repairs for disabled, elderly or veteran homeowners. The primary sponsor was Sika Sarnafil and other key sponsors included GAF, OMG Roofing Products and Carlisle.
