Construction and Engineering Awards 2021

33 Construction and Engineering Awards 2021 BUILD hermal-Tec Inc is a full service, commercial and industrial roofing restoration company. It manufactures, installs and warranties its MR Multi-Ply® Roofing System, specifically designed for pre-engineered metal buildings with high-temperature environments like foundries, forges, chemicals and textile manufacturing facilities. Family owned since it’s 1983 inception, Thermal-Tec began as a local Michigan roofing contractor service. By the mid-nineties, owners Robert Siterlet and Linda Blanchard set their sights on innovating a 100% renewable roofing solution that could be custom retrofit to any type of metal roof. In addition to the engineered longevity of the roofing system, the brother and sister team also saw to it that their roofing system would hold a UL and FM class A fire rating. The MR Multi-Ply® Roofing Solution is the culmination of these efforts. However, it isn’t just a ‘roofing solution’; it’s the people involved and the cultural intent behind the service that positions Thermal-Tec in front of their contemporaries. “Safety defines us,” Linda states. “In the 90s, our company experienced a near miss on an employee falling from the roof. Thank goodness they weren’t seriously injured. It was a real shock to our company. I began the research, which was limited at the time, to design and build a safety program… What I didn’t know was we were building a world class, highly recognized program that was built on the need to keep our employees safe using every best practice and equipment available while adding our own creative spin to it. This program included items that were not required by OSHAor any other governing agency, but we always set that bar as the minimum and we were going above. What I love about this program is it is ever evolving, full of ways to create, and supported by every member of our team.” However, what is considered safe for one roofing company might not be comprehensive enough to ensure absolute safety for a specialist company, like Thermal-Tec. “You can’t be too careful when working directly above a mission- critical environment where even a single roof leak could potentially cause a catastrophic explosion.” In 2019, Thermal-Tec worked with Atlas Foundry in Marion, Indiana. The 90,000sq/ft facility was built in 1958 and is located right next to a neighborhood. This roof, like many roofing systems built at that time, was constructed with Transite panels. Transite is an asbestos-laden, fire-resistant, cement compound that was officially banned from use in the US in 1985, after long- term exposure-related illness numbers were undeniable. The volume of asbestos used to create these 40-inch roofing panels is staggering, with each panel weighing between 45 to 60lbs Thermal-Tec is the leading pitched roof restoration and protection solution for the steel, aluminum, and chemical processing industries. We speak to co-founder, Linda Blanchard, to find out more about this innovative product and how it has helped literally millions of people. T and containing far more of the toxic mineral than would ever be allowed today. But, because of that fact, Transite roofs were the perfect material for buildings housing high-heat and aggressive environments. The roofs performed so well with a lifespan of 50 to 70 years – Transite became a necessity for manufacturing facilities, built in the US between 1930 and 1980. To this day, hundreds if not thousands of original Transite roofs are still protecting chemical plants, paper mills, textile factories, forges and foundries. “This is a problem if we don’t handle it correctly,” says Linda. “All of these roofs are on an inevitable failure-continuum; we are already at the end of the 50-70 year lifespan for all of the roofs built before the 1950s. Essentially, we’ll be seeing Transite roofs needing to be removed or recycled, every decade, from now until 2065. “We take this inevitable outcome very seriously. Not simply because our roofing system is qualified, but because Transite can be incredibly harmful if mishandled. We have a solution and we’re putting it to work wherever we can.” To date, Thermal-Tec has restored and recycled nearly two million square foot of Transite roofing systems in the US. The unique proprietary blend of materials, when manufactured by our install specialists, contained in its product effectively forms a custom fit, monolithic membrane, with no penetrations, grabs hold to and strengthens the entire structure - up to 80,000-100,000lbs per square foot. What’s more - it’s 100% renewable - continually growing in strength each time it’s renewed. With its incredible product, and core values centered around honesty, hard work, safety and excellence, it’s no wonder Thermal-Tec is an award-winning company. Having accumulated more than 20 awards over the last 12 years, its most recent accolade to add to the trophy shelf is the title of Best Pitched Roof Maintenance & Repair Company – Midwest USA. Having covered the entire eastern half of the country, the firm is now in the process of expanding its reach westward. “We used to wonder: ‘Have we done enough? Will our employees always be safe?’” says Linda. “Now we wonder: ‘How can we be better? How can we continue to change our world and the world around us?’. This matters and I am so proud to be a small part that helped bring this change and culture to life.” Contact: Linda Blanchard Company: Thermal-Tec Web Address: www.thermal-tec.com Aug21007 Thermal-Tec Best Metal Pitched Roof Maintenance & Repair Company – Midwest USA