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MODULE 2, MINI REPORT 2

November 1, 2012 GWL Roofing Limited

Overview

GWL Roofing Limited (GWL) manufactures roofing materials, and installs and services roofs for industrial, commercial, and investment (ICI) properties. GWL’s head office and sole manufacturing facility are located in eastern Quebec. In addition, GWL has distribution facilities located across eastern Canada and the northeastern United States. The U.S. location houses the administrative functions of GWL’s wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary, GWL Roofing U.S. Limited (GWL-US).

Gaston Laroche, who was a roofer by trade, founded GWL in 1963. Gaston’s business philosophy was to offer his customers superior products at premium prices. Under Gaston’s leadership, GWL grew …show more content…

In addition, GWL claims that its products are specifically designed to meet the demands of the harsh winters experienced in Canada and in the northern United States. As a result, GWL’s products tend to be more expensive to manufacture than those produced by its competitors. GWL’s roofs are guaranteed against defects in materials for a period of 15 years by its warranty program.

GWL markets itself as a provider of “roof management solutions.” The cost of a roof over its useful life of about 20 years can be quite substantial for ICI properties. Maintaining a high quality roof is essential to the value of the property, as well as to the continuity of the operations housed by the property. However, most maintenance managers employed to manage ICI properties by property managers, manufacturers, and other organizations are generalists, and typically don’t have extensive knowledge of roofing problems and proper roofing maintenance procedures. GWL not only sells the physical roof itself, but also offers its customers “worry-free” roofing solutions.

In order to meet the growing demand for expertise in roof maintenance, in 1998, GWL began offering its customers a “Roof Management Program” with respect to the roofs that it installs. According to this program, the customer enters into a long-term maintenance and servicing contract with GWL. The customer makes an annual maintenance payment, and GWL takes care of all matters pertaining to the customer’s roof. The annual

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