Celebrating Six Decades of Going ‘Above and Beyond’ to Bring Edmontonians Peace of Mind By Mark Kandborg
I
f you grew up in Edmonton, chances are good that at least one of the roofs over your head was installed by A. Clark Roofing and Siding LP and it’s likely that was the roof you never gave much thought to, because when the job’s done right, those little shingles quietly and dependably protect you and yours from the worst that an unpredictable environment can bring, day in, day out, year after year. If there’s one thing A. Clark Roofing and Siding LP pride themselves on above all else, it’s always doing the job right. Archie Clark and his brother started A. Clark Roofing (the “A” stands for Archie) in 1953, beginning with “flat” roofing and moving on to shingles in the sixties. A few years later, when the big Alberta oil boom hit, the company was more than up to the challenge.
“Homebuilders started building blocks of houses,” recalls current general manager Robert Dunlop, who had just started with the company right out of high school at the time. “We had 160 installers, shingling houses a block at a time.” However, nothing lasts forever and when the recession arrived, taking the construction industry by surprise, those 160 installers had to be cut back to 20. “We went from very lucrative to struggling for a while there,” Dunlop says. Times were tough for everyone, but due to good management, customer loyalty and a reputation for service that was second to none, A. Clark pulled through and emerged as one of the only roofing companies in the city to survive the downturn. Today, A. Clark Roofing and Siding LP has 25 staff members and 30 crews in the field. The breadth of the field has grown for
A. Clark Roofing & Siding | 60 years
them, too, and includes everything from new construction to renovation to commercial work for general contractors. With a full-time service department and siding division, there’s little they can’t cap or clad. “We do an incredibly wide variety of work,” Dunlop says. More than just the economy has changed over the past few decades and of course, roofing has too. Shingles used to carry a warranty of 10-15 years. Now that warranty is often for a lifetime. Another thing that’s changed is choice. “The big thing is how many products there are out there today,” Dunlop says. “Back in the day there were really only two or three manufacturing companies. In the early 2000s, the American market came into play. Besides more types and manufacturers of shingles, we now have cedar shakes, concrete tile, rubber and decorative
“We take a lot of pride in what we do. We have superintendents who go out to every site and inspect the job during and after the product is put on by our installers. If something’s not right, we’ll make it right.” ~Robert Dunlop
metal roofing. There’s a much wider variety of products available than we’ve ever seen before.” That’s just on the roofing side. Since opening up a siding division 30 years ago, A. Clark has brought the same level of service and expertise to the sides of your home or building as they have to the roof, providing a complete exterior package including continuous pre-painted steel eavestroughs and pre-painted aluminum soffit and facia, all in a variety of colours. Not sure what’s right for your particular needs? Give A. Clark Roofing and Siding LP a call and a representative will
Congratulations to A. Clark Roofing & Siding on 60 years of success! Ph.: (780) 435-3761 • Fax: (780) 435-1716 Email: info@macskylights.com • www.macskylights.com
Renovation work on a residential home using Stone Coated Metal Roofing Material.
come to your home and provide you with a free written quote and peace of mind, the kind that lets you rest easy with the knowledge that by following their friendly advice, you’re assured of the proper type of roofing or siding products and accessories you’ll need to keep you and your family protected for years to come. But with great choice comes great responsibility. “The biggest challenge we have today is that we’ve really got to be educated. There’s quite a learning curve involved for any company to install these products properly,” Dunlop says. He and the staff at A. Clark Roofing and Siding LP know that it’s not just material that makes a roof, it’s the level of expertise and service that goes into installing it. For Dunlop, that’s what sets A. Clark apart. “We take a lot of pride in what we do. We have superintendents who go out to every site and inspect the job during and after the product is put on by our installers. If something’s not right, we’ll make it right,” he says. “At the end of the day, when we walk away from that roof we know that the customer has a good product put on exactly the way it should be.” Dunlop offers some tips on how to keep your roof, well, tip top. “If you’re not afraid to climb up and take a look, you want to make sure there’s no debris, no missing shingles. Check it in the fall. Make sure the eaves are cleared out. Then check it again in the spring for ice damage. Again, keep those eaves clear for melting, so there’s no overflow.” What if your DIY confidence leaves you when you pass a ladder’s fifth step? “Give us a call. We’ll be happy to do it.” Keep in mind that this isn’t a “make work project,” it’s a “save work project.” After all, an ounce of inspection is worth a pound of shingle nails. If you find that there are potential problems looming overhead, A. Clark Roofing and Siding LP’s service department have the tools and expertise they need to swoop in and perform a pre-emptive strike. “Our technicians are trained to give you the most care in finding a solution with your home from roof leaks, missing shingles or siding, extra venting accessories... even snow removal.” When you’ve been in business for six decades, you learn a thing or two about loyalty. In the case of A. Clark Roofing and
A. Clark Roofing & Siding | 60 years
Right; Different types of metal roofing, Standing Seam Metal Roof Below; Decorative Stone Coated Roof in Shake profile
Siding LP, that loyalty comes not only from their extensive customer base, but just as importantly, from within. “We’re bringing on new people every year, but we’ve got a core of great staff that have been with us for a long, long time,” Dunlop says. He believes that says a lot about what the company has to offer its employees, but even more about what those employees have to offer their customers. “Wayne Dunlop has been with us since 1977. He started as an estimator, was a part-owner and general manager. Now, at 73 years old, he’s still working part time as an estimator.” That’s commitment. That’s loving what you do.” Edmonton is a city of extreme environments, whether economic or meteorological. In the 60 years since Archie Clark first raised his eyes skyward and made the decision to venture past that fifth step, A. Clark Roofing and Siding LP has proven they can weather the storm, both figuratively and literally, over the long haul.
“We’re the oldest roofing company in the city and one of the oldest in Alberta,” Dunlop says, proudly. “Some companies come and go in a decade. But give us a call in 10 years. We’ll still be here.”
3120 - 93 St. Edmonton , AB T6N 1C7 Phone: 780.465.7571 • Fax: 780.469.6476 www.aclark.ca
KENROC CONGRATULATES
ON
60 Years
A. Clark Clark Roofing Roofing & & Siding Siding || 60 60 years years A.
OF BUSINESS SUCCESS
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR
60ANNIVERSARY th
Visit us on the web
www.roofmart.ca We’re also on your mobile!
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BREAKTHROUGH SHINGLE TECHNOLOGY
Hurricane-resistant protection built into every BP laminate shingle, with 2 sealant bands that lock out water and wind-driven rain. SOLID
Congratulations A. Clark Roofing & Siding LP on 60 years of success!
SEALANT BAND
PATTERNED SEALANT BAND
PRODUCT MANUFACTURED IN CANADA
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PROUD SUPPLIER OF A. CLARK ROOFING & SIDING
The Revillon Building 500, 10320 - 102 Avenue NW Edmonton, Alberta T5J 4A1 Telephone: 780.424.2030 • Toll-free: 1.877.424.2323 • Fax: 780.424.2323 Email: lawyers@weirbowen.com
www.weirbowen.com
Congratulations to Congratulations A. Clark Roofing & Siding on your 60th!
A. Clark Roofing & Siding on your 60th Anniversary
We wish you many years of continued success!
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A. Clark Roofing & Siding | 60 years