Trail blazer
Profile Above: James Swanson, co-owner of Trail Roofing Ltd. which has served the Kootenays for more than half a century. Photo: Wally Soukoroff/ ProCreative Design Lab
Trail Roofing Ltd has been leading the Kootenay market for 60 years
from his 6,000-square-foot shop and office. He recently handled two tar-and-gravel projects, rare even in the Kootenays. “I used Polymax [a polyester felt built-up roofing By Frank O’Brien system] by Hal Industries,” he said. When big clients – like the “It’s bullet proof.” provincial government and ski While based in Trail, Swanson’s resort developers – want roofing crews work right across the West done in the Kootenays, it is likely and East Kootenays. Trail Roofing that Trail Roofing Ltd. is on their has 18 men in the field, normally speed dial. running with three crews and a Founded in the early 50s but fleet of a dozen trucks. with a construction pedigree that “We go where the work is,” reaches back even further, Trail Swanson said. Roofing is as much a part of the Lately, most of that work has Kootenay landscape as the been re-roofing contracts, normally mountains that surround the SBS installations for institutional company’s Trail headquarters. and commercial clients, but Trail James Swanson, 48, a partner in Roofing is also well known for its Trail Roofing with Eric Coffin, had high-quality residential contracts. just returned from reSwanson prefers “Becoming a roofing 400 squares working on flat roof member of the of SBS on a Fernie projects, partly RCABC was the best because of the cutschool when he took time from a flat-out price competition in business decision summer schedule to the residential sector I ever made.” talk with Roofing BC. from non-RCABC Trail Roofing was formed from a members who don’t work to contracting business started by Swanson’s standards. Swanson’s grandfather and later “There are a lot of fly-byexpanded by his father – both nighters in residential,” he said, incidentally also named James. The “which makes the money very latest James recalls being around tight.” roofing sites as a toddler and Trail Roofing’s headquarters hulking shingles onto roofs before includes a large fully equipped he became a teenager. “We are metal shop that can produce metal definitely a third-generation roofing and siding panels and also business,” he said. supplies flashing, ductwork and Swanson remains an old-school, other items for Kootenay heating hands-on roofer, as likely to be contractors. The shop also includes directing crews from a rooftop as generous storage for inventory,
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Trail Roofing’s metal shop produces metal roofing and siding panels and supplies flashing and ductwork. Photo: Wally Soukoroff/ ProCreative Design Lab
since the nearest large roofing supplier is more than five hours away in Kelowna. The summer and fall are a busy time for Trail Roofing, because when the Kootenay winter socks in, not much roofing is done. The metal shop, and maintenance contracts, keep the company ticking during the cold months, and allows Swanson time to concentrate with his sons on junior hockey, a family passion. Swanson describes the Kootenay roofing business as “steady” but notes that not much new FALL 2013
construction is taking place. His crews replaced 270 squares and metal flashing on the Trail hospital, and right now the company is handling commercial re-roofing in Trail and replacing a Loblaws roof in Grand Forks. Swanson was recently asked to work on a ski condo complex in Fernie and even to handle a project in northern Alberta. The consistent work has allowed Trail an enviable retention record, with one of the crew in his 18th year and others on board for more than a decade. “We have a good
core,” Swanson said. Swanson takes advantage of the “great facilities” at the RCABC campus in Langley, sending three apprentices for training and even taking a course there himself. Training is just one of the advantages that Trail Roofing has seen as a member of the RCABC, which the company joined in 2008. “Becoming a member of the RCABC was the best business decision I ever made,” Swanson said,” without a doubt. It holds us to a higher standard and allows us to bid on the bigger jobs.” As an active ROOFING BC