BRI Roofing & Sheet Metal LLC: Where Quality Meets Safety and Production

BRI Roofing & Sheet Metal LLC (BRI) has developed a fierce reputation within the North Texas roofing industry since its inception in April of 2003. BRI has steadily grown its business by keeping its focus on clients from a performance perspective. The executive management team has also placed a large importance on the day-to-day financial management of the company in utilizing its assets.

The majority of leak problems in commercial roofing are the result of a workmanship failure. It’s been estimated that nearly 50 percent of building construction lawsuits relate to roofing problems. Most roofing systems need constant maintenance, if not complete re-roofing, before the industry’s 20-year benchmark for a successful performing roof. Michael Beeter, president and CEO of BRI, strives to avoid this frustration. Beeter is proud of his company’s strong reputation for quality, safety and production in the industry. “When our guys go out and do a project, we intend on doing it right the first time,” boasts Beeter.

BRI is based out of Haslet, Texas, which is about 10 miles north of Fort Worth, in Tarrant County. Beeter estimates that the company employs 120 personnel and cleared nearly $20 million in sales in 2010. The company has grown quickly, because in addition to getting the job done right the first time, BRI’s team of professionals pride themselves on treating each client with the respect and attention that they deserve.

Strong Safety Program Means Lower Costs

BRI is also making a name for itself in the industry due to its adherence to a strict safety program, which translates into lower insurance and project costs. The company places a heavy-focus on safety in the day-to-day operation of each job to avoid accidents altogether. The company hired an in-house safety director in 2010 who oversees all aspects of the BRI Safety Program including employee training and documentation, OSHA documentation and random jobsite inspections. Although the company hired an in-house safety director, BRI decided to also maintain its long standing relationship with its third-party safety consultant.

The company offers commercial and industrial clients a wide variety of services. These services include competitively bid and negotiated new construction and re-roofing within the public and private markets. Although the public and private markets have retracted in recent months, the company continues to invest in its staff with the addition of Patrick Moore, executive vice president of sales and marketing at BRI. In addition, BRI has expanded its roof repair and maintenance department under an “asset management” approach to the market. The company continues to place an importance on its architectural metal roofing and wall systems as well as maintaining a full service sheet metal shop at its facility in Haslet, Texas. For select clients, pre-construction budget services are also available from BRI.

Beeter says that the company’s employees will travel wherever a client needs them, but typically his crews can be found about 140 miles east and south of Fort Worth, and all throughout West Texas. “If we are offered repeat business in an area that we typically don’t work, we find a way to get there for our customers,” notes Beeter. The company is currently looking at an expansion into El Paso, Texas, and possibly Lubbock, Texas.

Asset Utilization Resulting in a State-of-the-art Performance
BRI ensures that its projects go smoothly and remain worry-free for its clients by only installing roofing systems from premium manufacturers. The company is approved to install roofing systems from a majority of the top-line roofing system manufacturer’s in the market. More specifically, BRI supports Johns Manville, Tamko, Gaf, Carlisle, Petersen Aluminum, Sika Sarnafil and Soprema as its primary product manufacturers.

The company has worked on a wide variety of projects including its current completion of a new roof at a performing arts center in Odessa, Texas. The Wagner Nöel Arts Center is a 108,000-square-foot structure located near the University of Texas Permian Basin (UTPB) campus. The $81 million facility will include a 1,800-seat, two-balcony performance hall and a 200-seat black box theater. The facility will also have classrooms and offices for UTPB’s music department. The facility also includes the Rea-Greathouse Recital Hall and Rea Music and Academic Center, which will have a studio, rehearsal hall and an office. The recital hall will hold 200 seats and will be acoustically treated so it can adjust to whatever attraction is playing.

BRI does not shy away from challenging projects, yet it embraces its skilled workforce and accepts each challenge. “We re-roofed Longview High School in the summer of 2010. It was 290,000 square-feet and completed in 60 days under unusual weather circumstances. We had three weeks of solid rain at the start of the project, but we were able to provide our customer with a substantial completion by August 20, prior to school going back into session,” says Beeter.

The management team of BRI uses as an asset utilization approach to its sales, estimating and project management departments within the company. “Our ability to perform for our customers depends heavily on how well we utilize our internal assets. This includes our people, equipment, finances and more.” The company believes that if it sells just to sell, then sooner or later BRI will end up not being able to perform for its customer. BRI hangs its hat on being able to perform in the areas of workmanship, safety and production under a customized set of management principles that are tied to the use of the company’s assets. These management principles include the day to day business and financial fundamentals that allow the company to grow in a period where others in the industry are downsizing.

“At the end of the day, BRI is only as good as its ability to continue to perform for our customers, and we do this through our asset utilization method of management,” says Beeter. Adherence to a strong safety program and a focus on quality installations are just two reasons why BRI Roofing & Sheet Metal LLC has become one of North Texas’ pre-eminent commercial roofing contractors.