Isaiah Industries, Inc.

Classic metal roofing systems

 

Business View Magazine profiles Isaiah Industries, Inc., as part of our focus on the domestic metals sector.

Based in Piqua, Ohio, with branches in the communities of Dubuque, Iowa and Louisville, Kentucky, Isaiah Industries, Inc. is a collection of metal roof brands and permanent roofing solutions for homes and buildings across North America and the world. Its products are presented and packaged for the end user by architects, homeowners’ associations, architectural review boards, condominium management groups, general contractors, and a nationwide network of dealerships. The company’s low maintenance, durable roofing systems offer sustainability, energy efficiency, and beauty. Its name was chosen as homage to the Biblical prophet Isaiah.

Isaiah Industries, Inc. was founded in 1980, but the roots of the business go back a lot further. The following timeline reflects the evolution of the company, as well as the inventions and innovations in metal formulation that made its present manifestation possible:

1886 – Charles Martin Hall developed a cost effective method of producing aluminum.

 

 

1901 – United States Steel Corporation was founded, ushering in the modern day mass production of steel in continuous coil form for many industries and purposes.

1910 – First production of aluminum sheet in continuous coil form.

1936 – Birth of Donald E. Miller, founder, in Elida, Ohio. Don was active on his family farm and attended Ohio Northern University, majoring in Mechanical Engineering. He held a variety of positions in the packaging, transportation, appliance, and building products industries and always had the entrepreneurial bug, owning two different businesses before the age of 40.

1945 – Commercial development of continuous coil coating as a way to apply paints and colors to the surface of metal. This technology is at the root of today’s technology which allows metal roofing and other products to be produced from pre-painted aluminum and steel.

1959 – Development of the Rustic Shingle product line by Kaiser Aluminum.

1964 – Development of the Rough Shake product line by Kaiser Aluminum.

1965 – Development of the Classic and Shadowcrest aluminum shingle lines by Reynolds Metals.

1972 – Don Miller begins working for the Stolle Corporation in Sidney, Ohio which later became a division of ALCOA. One of his early projects with the company was to develop high speed stamping and deep drawing equipment for the original two-piece aluminum beverage can.

1973 – ALCOA Building Products introduces their Country Cedar Shake accent siding line.

1975 – ALCOA Building Products adds roofing accessories to its Country Cedar Shake line.

1980 – Isaiah Industries, Inc. was formed as Classic Products, Inc. to be a manufacturer of residential vinyl siding. Late that year, when the Rustic Shingle and Rough Shake aluminum shingle product lines became available from Kaiser Aluminum, the decision was made to acquire those lines and enter the roofing industry instead of pursuing vinyl siding.

1981 – Equipment and tooling for the Rustic Shingle and Rough Shake aluminum shingle product lines, as well as for a variety of accessories, siding, soffit, and fascia is moved from the Kaiser Aluminum plant in Toledo, Ohio to Classic Products in Piqua, Ohio. Todd Miller begins working part-time at the company in manufacturing while a high school junior.

1982 – Classic Products introduces its Weathered Wood color series as an option on Rustic Shingle. This was the first multi-hued metal shingle ever developed.

1983 – Todd Miller and Kelly Joseph became friends at Bluffton College and spend time sitting in Musselman Library reading the Wall Street Journal while dreaming and scheming of someday owning a business.

1985 – Classic Products commissions the Florida Solar Energy Center to study the energy efficiency of formed metal roofing. The results corroborated what customers had been saying for many years – formed metal shingles result in lower attic heat gain as well as energy savings.

1986 – Purchase of Classic and Shadowcrest aluminum shingle lines from Reynolds Metals.

1988 – Kelly Joseph joins the company as Controller.

1990 – Classic Products aggressively expands its export business to Canada, Japan, and several Caribbean countries. Over time, the company’s exports would grow to be 40% of total sales.

1994 – The company moves from its original location in an older leased building in Piqua, Ohio to a modern 78,000-square-foot manufacturing facility. The 1978-constructed building is the last part of Piqua’s heritage as an underwear and clothing manufacturer. A new 5,000-square-foot office building is constructed alongside the manufacturing plant.

1995 – Todd Miller walks in his father’s footsteps, becoming President of Classic Products, Inc. Donald Miller becomes Chief Executive Officer and Kelly Joseph becomes Chief Financial Officer.

1996 – Company acquires equipment and tooling for the Country Cedar Shake product line from ALCOA Building Products. The product is renamed Country Manor Shake. The manufacturing facility is expanded by 45,000 square feet. Classic Products, Inc. becomes the first U.S. importer of northern European synthetic underlayments, creating a high-growth change in the roofing industry.

1999 – National Steel begins production of the Centura Steel Shingle line.

2000 – Working in partnership with BASF, Classic Products develops its proprietary ThermoBond PVDF powder coating, bringing realistic and natural texture, looks, and color variation to the metal shingle industry. The ThermoBond finish is developed as an alternative to stone coatings which the company does not wish to pursue. At this time, the company converted the former Reynolds Aluminum Classic Shingle into the TimberCreek Shake steel roofing product, later renamed KasselShake, offering ThermoBond as a primary color option. Company develops the low profile Oxford Shingle product line based upon one of its original products, Rough Shake.

2002 – Classic Products is the first major producer of residential metal roofing to begin using heat-reflective pigments in its coatings, putting the energy efficiency of metal roofing on the map and, eventually, leading to the federal tax credit for reflective roofing.

2003 – Precoat Metals starts producing the KasselWood Steel Shingle, noted for its innovative design and beauty.

2005 – The Great American Shake product line is acquired from Great American Manufacturing in Houston, Texas. Acquisition of the 60,000-square-foot former Hammer Graphics building in Piqua, Ohio, becoming the company’s sales and marketing office, and national training center.

2006 – Classic Metal Roofing Systems of Kentuckiana, based in Louisville, KY is established as the company’s one “company store” which both sells and installs the company’s products in Kentucky, as well as southern Indiana and Ohio.

2007 – Official ribbon cutting of the Jeffrey A. Mescher Memorial Training Facility to train thousands of qualified metal roofing technicians. Company acquires tooling for the Centura Steel Shingle line from US Steel.

2008 – Acquisition of the KasselWood Steel Shingle production line from Precoat Metals. Production remains in Dubuque, Iowa.

2009 – Company acquires the GrandeTile production line from Scandinavian Profiling.

2010 – Classic Products, Inc. registers its name change to Isaiah Industries, Inc. to reflect the company’s growth and expansion with various divisions. The Isaiah name was chosen after the great Biblical prophet Isaiah, reflecting the owners’ Christian beliefs, and to remind its entire team that it is about more than just producing, selling, and shipping product. The company is committed to having a positive impact on the world and building meaningful relationships with all whom it encounters.

2011 – Isaiah Industries, Inc. and associated companies were purchased from Donald Miller (founder) by his son, Todd Miller, and Kelly Joseph.

2012 – The Great American Shake production line is relocated from Houston, Texas to the main manufacturing plant in Piqua, Ohio.

2013 – The Great American Shake product line is adapted to also be produced in steel, creating the Great American Steel Shake.

2014 – Company acquires the name and rights to the RoofAquaGuard family of high quality roofing underlayments and membranes. Death of Donald E. Miller, founder of Isaiah Industries, Inc. The company introduces its Residential Metal Roofing Executive Report, designed to raise the level of the entire industry by educating contractors as to the benefits and installation of metal roofing. Isaiah Industries continues its leadership position in coating technology by expanding its high-def “Cedar” print coat offerings on the KasselWood, Centura, and Great American Steel Shake product lines while introducing the Slate Rock patterned colors on Centura, KasselWood, and Oxford Shingle. This marks the company’s entry into the fast-growing slate look-alike product niche.

2015 – All metal roofing product lines manufactured by Isaiah Industries are granted “Premium Certified” status by Metal Construction Association. Isaiah is one of only five manufacturers with any products approved by this program that recognizes quality in raw materials, production, and processes.

2016 – Isaiah Industries launches new corporate website, identifying its history, defining its core values, and establishing Isaiah as a growing group of manufacturing and distribution companies.

2017 – Acquired the assets of ARS Building Supply serving Texas and surrounding states. Re-named the company as ARS Metal Supply.

2018 – Isaiah Industries expands its product line with the Universal Standing Seam (USS) steel roofing system. Available in 12” and 16” widths, USS features an integral concealed fastening hem.

Today, Isaiah Industries distributes its roofing systems and accessories via the following brands: Classic Metal Roofing Systems, Kassel & Irons, Green American Home, RoofAquaGuard, and ARS Metal Supply. One of the company’s core values is: Environmental consciousness through ecologically sound operations and products. It is committed to being good stewards of the world God created, passing it lovingly on to future generations of His people.

 

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AT A GLANCE

WHO: Isaiah Industries, Inc.

WHAT: A manufacturer of classic metal roofing systems

WHERE: Headquarters in Piqua, Ohio

WEBSITE: Visit Site

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