Before the turn of the 20th Century, standing seam metal roofing material was measured, cut, roll formed and installed onsite by artisans used to working with a variety of different metals including copper, terne-coated metal and tin-coated steel. The hand crafted, custom made work of artisans gave way to mechanized production during World War II when factory “roll forming” technology was invented. This approach was the first departure from a one-at-a-time manufacturing mentality. Progressive roll tooling in a factory could produce a finished profile in a continuous process rather than step-by-step cutting and bending.
Panels could be made more precisely, one end of the panel was consistent with the other—within thousandths of an inch and it allowed lines and bends never before possible or affordable. Panel lengths however were limited by the lengths of tractor trailers and the federal road regulations that restrict trailer lengths to 53 feet.
The advent of portable roll forming in the 1980’s brought back something factory manufacturing could not–the role of the skilled craftsperson on the jobsite controlling the manufacturing and installation processes. Today, nearly 35 years after the advent of portable roll forming equipment, roofing contractors are using more than 10,000 machines to form and install standing seam metal roof panels every day on jobs throughout the U.S., re-establishing the old craftsmanship while eliminating shipping costs, shipping damage and sizing errors along with onsite storage of finished panels and the disposal of packaging, skids, crates and dumpsters.