RWC Building Products

Jack Lisherness originally founded RWC Building Products (RWC) in 1958 as Roofing Wholesale Co. Inc. With headquarters in Phoenix, Ariz., RWC has since grown into a leading supplier for roofing and flooring contractors across the Sun Belt. The business offers services from 12 locations, serving customers throughout Arizona, California, Nevada and New Mexico with a staff of 250 knowledgeable employees.

“Jack started in the industry selling cedar shingles off of a truck,” explains Steve Binder, current president of RWC. “Later he expanded into roofing supply. Eventually, Jack’s son, Harley, took over and expanded the business exponentially between 1970 and 2000 with the inclusion of flooring products and opening new branches.”

While management has expanded beyond the Lisherness family, RWC still operates on a model that reads like a mom-and-pop outfit, while offering big-box product variety and expertise. The team works directly with contractors, designers and homeowners to provide quality solutions that fit design specifications and budgets. Each location offers a showroom with space for clients to lay out designs and utilize meeting room spaces, allowing input from everyone involved on a job during the planning process.

The team recently opened a branch in Scottsdale, Ariz. “The new branch offers a design center and showroom for architects and designers to mock up products and get a better idea of the flooring and roofing products together,” says Binder. “We’re working on rebranding with our new name. We want clients to know that we offer more than just roofing supplies. We’re planning on expanding to include a wider variety of products and building supplies.”

Building the Brand Beyond Shingles

RWC has developed a vast inventory, carrying an array of roofing material and specialty flooring. The team offers well-known brands, as well as some unique pieces. The showrooms are huge, and packed with product. However, when customers are looking for a custom look, RWC’s professionals have built connections worldwide to find the perfect product for every style and budget.

For customers who want to shop around before heading into one of the company’s stores, RWC has an online gallery and shopping options. A broad selection of marble, tile and natural stone floors can be seen on RWC’s website, as well as a range of natural stone, concrete and clay roofing materials. Homeowners and contractors alike can browse accessories, tools and fasteners for these applications, as well as a range of transportation and yard equipment like forklifts, golf carts and even used freight trucks.

Due to a diverse array of products, the company has experienced continued growth. RWC has seen immense success over the last half-century, and business continues to boom today. “Here in the Sun Belt, the construction industry is relatively insulated,” explains Binder. “People keep moving to the Southwest for the weather, so people will always be in need of more houses in order to relocate.”

With the industry in continued growth, contractors and other potential clients have many options to choose from when it comes to supplying a project. Binder and his team at RWC have set the company apart through building strong relationships with both clients and suppliers.

Many of the company’s strategic partners have worked with RWC for years, seeing the team through many successes and hardships. Positive relationships offer key benefits to RWC and its clients. Long-term partnerships offer reliability and consistent quality and pricing, an advantage many of the company’s competitors simply lack. “Materials are our biggest investment,” notes Binder. “We’ve worked with many of these companies for a long time. All of our materials suppliers and service people attended the grand opening of our new Scottsdale branch.”

These supplier relationships will continue to serve the distributor well as the business grows. “We’re expanding our product availability and inventory,” says Binder. “We want to extend our reach to more upscale clients. We’re going to see a lot of growth here and around the country for the next few years. People are starting to rebound from the housing bubble collapse, and that’s a great thing to see.”

Already customers in four states have come to rely on RWC’s professional team for floor and roofing supplies. As the business grows, clients are enjoying expanded showrooms, with endless opportunities for unique design plans. RWC is leading the way in the building industry for high-quality products, knowledgeable service and a business structure built around customer needs.

In 2013 RWC is commemorating 55 years in business. With a growing geographic reach and eager customers, the team has a lot to celebrate. The party has not been planned just yet, but Binder notes that the best way to celebrate success is to continue it. Therefore, RWC Building Products will keep expanding in a customer-oriented direction, offering more options for materials and planning services.