Cole Roofing Celebrates 100

A Century of family-centered commitment to excellence.

By Rita Colorito 

Most construction businesses start with a service they can provide. Few companies start with a mission.

A century ago, John H. Cole, Sr. recognized a need in Baltimore for gutter and spout services, as well as the growing opportunity of home heating through internal duct systems. Working out of his basement on Bel Air Road in the Frankford neighborhood, he soon built a reputation for his commitment to superior workmanship and customer service.

That’s the service John H. Cole & Sons provided. The foundation of the business, however, was putting people to work.

Read more about the history of Cole Roofing in Building Baltimore’s Spring 2019 Issue. 

Industry Group Explores How to Adapt Robots to Roofing

The era of construction robots is coming, but not in the way everybody imagines.

About 18 months ago, Cole Roofing Company President Bill Cole began researching possibilities for construction site robots with members of his industry peer group

“I know this technology is coming to my business one day, so I thought so I want to just play from behind or do I want to help lead the change and figure out ways to automate and integrate and develop solutions,” he said.

Peer group members divvied up research duties, consulted with manufacturers, contracted an engineering firm to provide guidance on possible intersections of robotics and roofing, and did a field trip to a robotics company that currently has two construction bots on the market.

While that research has generated more questions than solutions to date, it has focused Cole’s thinking on the possibilities, impacts and challenges of adding robots to roofing operations.

Click here to read the entire article from the April edition of The Exchange.