It’s Standard’s Summer of Service! From June to September, all operating companies are hosting volunteer activities to give back to the communities where we live and work.
Employees from Grace’s Baton Rouge, Louisiana site volunteered at the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank and held a Love Suitcase Collection Drive in support of CASA of Louisiana (Court Appointed Special Advocates) for families and children in need.
GAF WISE (Women Inspiring Sustained Equality) dedicated time to supporting a cleanup of the Mount Pleasant Animal Shelter in New Jersey.
SGI employees volunteered to support Tabitha’s Table Food Pantry at its satellite pick-up location at Fort Ritchie Community Center in Cascade, Maryland.
Grace employees in Pasadena, California volunteered at the Southeast Regional Local Emergency Planning Committee’s Emergency Planning Workshop, which aims to raise awareness and equip local residents with the tools and knowledge needed to stay safe in a storm.
SGI volunteers assisted with groundskeeping efforts at Renfrew Museum & Park, a nonprofit and a historic 107-acre Pennsylvania-German Farmstead, which hosts programs and events, artifact collections and exhibits, and tours.
Communicators across Standard, GAF, GAF Energy, Siplast, SGI, BMI and Grace volunteered with Project Sunshine, packing nearly 600 activity kits for pediatric patients at six hospitals across the U.S.
BMI employees participated in a community park clean-up, litter picking and tidying a local green space in Reading, UK, in partnership with Reading Adopt Your Street (RAYS).
Innovation Takes Center Stage at First-Ever Digital Academy Shark Tank Challenge
The spirit of innovation and collaboration was on full display during Standard’s first-ever Digital Academy Shark Tank in May. Capping off the Digital Academy program, the virtual Shark Tank event saw four teams of our manufacturing employees pitch transformative digital solutions to a panel of executive “sharks.”
The Shark Tank challenge was the ultimate test of their new skills following the completion of the Digital Academy, a pilot program spearheaded by Standard’s Digital and Talent teams, which brought together 19 employees from across BMI, GAF, GAF Energy, Grace, SGI, and Siplast for a four-day on-site in Austin, Texas in February. The program was designed to empower our frontline manufacturing employees with the skills and knowledge to lead our digital transformation efforts.
The winning team: Jake Schleiger, Angelo Bossini, Jason Russell, Florian Attig, and Tim Wünsch (L-R).
For the challenge, Digital Academy graduates were tasked with developing and pitching digital solutions to address key challenges in manufacturing, such as minimizing downtime, increasing plant productivity and safety, and reducing waste. Divided into four cross-OpCo groups and guided by a member of Standard’s Digital team, participants had three months to develop and prepare their pitches, working across time zones to pinpoint shared challenges between their different plants.
“Beyond working on our Shark Tank pitch, connecting with others who share our challenges and accessing additional resources has been immensely helpful,” said Jake Schleiger, Process Engineer, GAF.
Each team was allotted ten minutes for presentation during the virtual event and seven minutes for Q&A. The panel of executive Sharks consisted of Yaron Ben-David, Chief Digital Officer, Standard Industries; Maggie Suniewick, Chief Administrative Officer, Standard Industries; John Barkhouse, President, GAF; Mark Cluff, President, Global Operations, Grace; and Daniel Pettifer, Chief Supply Chain Officer, BMI. Each shark had a hypothetical investment budget of “$1,000” to allocate to the teams.
After four compelling presentations, the Sharks made their investments, naming Team 1 the winner: Florian Attig, Production Engineer, Grace; Angelo Bossini, Instrumentation & OT Engineer, BMI; Jason Russell, GBS Specialist, Siplast; Jake Schleiger, Production Manager, GAF; and Tim Wünsch, Design Manager, BMI. Their innovative project on leveraging virtual reality for training captured the judges’ attention for its potential business impact, scalability, and novelty.
“Imagine a safe and controlled virtual environment where our colleagues can learn by doing,” said Tim Wünsch. “This immersive experience prepares our colleagues to confidently transition to the shop floor, equipping them with a solid foundational understanding gained in the virtual world.”
During the pitch, the team shared potential use cases for the VR training ranging from safety, maintenance, and engineering, highlighting the vast potential of this technology.
“By harnessing this technology and its comprehensive database, we can revolutionize safety training through VR. It allows us to visually pinpoint and highlight hazards, a critical advantage traditional methods can’t offer,” explained Florian Attig.
Team members also highlighted the potential for significant cost savings with VR training, citing reductions in downtime and fewer mistakes during training, especially when practicing infrequent tasks like rethreading a machine.
The executive judges clearly recognized the potential value of VR training, with John Barkhouse and Maggie Suniewick each devoting half of their hypothetical budgets to Team 1.
“Being able to create an area to practice repetition on some of our critical processes without having to do them in the factory environment is huge,” said John Barkhouse.
With training being a priority for Standard and its operating companies, Maggie Suniewick explained, “There’s a real opportunity with VR and it would be great to figure out a way to use this technology to train people better and, importantly, scale it.”
As the winners, Team 1 will have the opportunity to work with the Standard Digital Product team to further develop their idea and explore a use case.
“The teams worked extremely hard in creating their innovative and creative pitches, and it was impressive to see it all come together after the Digital Academy earlier this year to connect the dots,” said Ohad Axelrod, Vice President, Product, who played a key role in launching the Digital Academy. “All of their pitches addressed real problems our plants face. Their dedication is paving the way for a more innovative and connected workforce across our enterprise.”
Beyond the Shark Tank challenge, the Digital Academy program also succeeded in building crucial relationships across the OpCos.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to make connections with people I would have otherwise never been able to without the Digital Academy,” shared Jason Russell. “And I think these relationships will last beyond the end of this program.”
Strengthening Standard’s Story: OpCo Communicators Connect at Global Summit
In June, Standard Industries held its first-ever Global Communications Summit, convening internal and external communicators from Standard, GAF, GAF Energy, SGI, Siplast, BMI,and W. R. Grace tofoster connection and collaboration.
Over the course of the three days, attendees led presentations and participated in breakout sessions, showcasing the breadth of their talent and expertise—from crisis communications and government affairs, to change management and communications, employee engagement, digital storytelling, and more.
Beyond the conference rooms, attendees volunteered with Project Sunshine, an NYC-based non-profit dedicated to bringing the healing power of play to pediatric patients. Participants packed nearly 600 activity kits, which were distributed to six hospitals across the U.S.
So, what happens when you bring together 30+ communications professionals for three days of learning, collaboration and connectivity? Let’s hear takeaways from some of the participants themselves:
GAF, Grace, BMI and SGI Modernize Manufacturing, Reduce Costs with Augury’s AI Platform
In manufacturing, every minute matters, especially for facilities operating 24/7. Unexpected downtime caused by a broken machine part can lead to reduced output, missed deadlines and lost revenue, substantially disrupting the entire operation.
To improve manufacturing processes, Standard’s Digital team has partnered with the operating companies to strategically prioritize digital transformation efforts that integrate AI tools and technologies into their manufacturing process.
One of the key tools that has been successfully scaled at GAF, deployed across eight sites at Grace and is now being introduced at BMI and SGI is Augury—a machine health platform that leverages data from vibration sensors and AI to predict machine failures before they occur. With Augury, plants can minimize unplanned downtime and avoid the disruptions and costs associated with emergency repairs.
Across Standard’s global manufacturing footprint, Augury’s wireless, smart vibration sensors have been strategically installed on approximately 2,700 “critical assets”—machines and equipment, such as motors and gearboxes, that are central to production, difficult to replace or have frequent reliability issues.
Through its continuous monitoring of vibrations, the platform analyzes real-time data against historical trends, applying AI to forecast potential issues and equipment malfunctions. Augury’s platform then delivers these insights and alerts to frontline operators and plant maintenance teams, enabling manufacturing teams to proactively intervene by ordering new parts and replacing the equipment during the next planned maintenance.
In 2021, GAF became the first of Standard’s operating companies to use Augury, quickly embracing the technology which is now extensively deployed across almost all GAF Residential and Commercial plants.
“Before Augury, preventative measures often meant a technician would walk around the factory floor and listen to the machine and its vibrations,” said Mark Harmison, Senior Director of Operations Maintenance Continuity at GAF. “Now, with Augury, our maintenance teams can plan ahead, shifting from manual inspections and a ‘fix-it-after-it-breaks’ approach to planned maintenance, which makes the operations process safer for our employees and saves time and money.”
Drawing on learnings from GAF, Augury is also making a significant impact at Grace, where it was first deployed at its Chattanooga, Tennessee plant in 2024. Within weeks of Augury’s installation, the site saw its value when the platform alerted the maintenance team of motor issues, pointing to potential lubrication faults and bearing wear, and recommended replacement. This allowed the site to plan ahead and avoid significant downtime. This year alone, the projected value from these efforts across Standard is estimated to be in the millions of dollars.
In addition to minimizing downtime, Augury’s early detection capabilities also allow manufacturing teams to prioritize and maintain assets more effectively, thereby extending the lifespan of plant equipment. Augury has now expanded to seven additional Grace sites, and both SGI and BMI are beginning to integrate Augury into their operations, starting with one and two sites, respectively.
These successes would not have been possible without the active exchange of knowledge and collaboration among the operating companies. Facilitated by Standard’s Digital team, manufacturing teams from different operating companies regularly share key insights and best practices, such as plant selection and the best equipment to use for monitoring.
“The shared lessons and best practices from the GAF implementation of Augury helped us leap-frog ahead with a fast scale-up across eight sites that has delivered immediate value,” said Kiran Chodavarapu, Director, Digital Manufacturing at Grace. “We were able to focus more on integrating Augury into our manufacturing processes and less on technology evaluations or supplier onboarding.”
Standard’s strategic partnership with Augury highlights the power of combining advanced AI tools and technologies with the expertise and experience of our manufacturing teams to drive operational efficiency across the enterprise.
“Augury is a critical step forward in our ongoing digital transformation strategy. We’ve already seen remarkable adoption and success across the plants and achieved significant cost savings,” said Yaron Ben David, Chief Digital Officer at Standard Industries. “It’s a powerful testament to how we can scale innovative technologies across the enterprise to not only drive continuous improvement in operations but also foster collaboration and the sharing of best practices among our businesses.”
Business Spotlight: GAF Commercial Catapults Growth With Customer-First Focus
Valdosta is the fifth thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) plant in GAF’s network and produces EverGuard TPO roofing products, used in low-slope commercial roofs. From left to right: John Altmeyer, Daniel Duston, John Barkhouse, Alma Garnett, Abdallah Simaika, Chris Rector, Dan Karins.
In 2021, GAF set out on a journey to compete—and win—in commercial roofing. Under the leadership of John Altmeyer, GAF CEO, and Alma Garnett, SVP, Commercial Roofing Sales, the company rose to the occasion—vaulting from No. 4 in the North American commercial roofing industry to No. 2, after two consecutive record-breaking years.
In the last four years, GAF has holistically and strategically invested in Commercial to deliver top-tier products, tools and services through a best-in-class team and manufacturing network.
Through all of this focus and discipline, GAF Commercial today comprises more than 25 percent of GAF’s overall sales, more than doubling its revenue since 2021.
PRIORITIZING THE BUSINESS
In 2021, GAF Commercial became a distinct business unit within the company, with new leadership and investment focused on winning in the Commercial market.Over the last four years, GAF Commercial has added roles and new Commercial-focused teams that are dedicated to accelerating the growth of the business. They also:
Introduced the Commercial Chairman’s Circle in 2023, an exclusive program designed to recognize and reward GAF’s top-performing Commercial contractors.Contractors who are part of this elite group have demonstrated exceptional performance, expertise and commitment to excellence in their partnership with GAF.
Expanded its customer-facing teams and services, such as National Strategic Accounts, Tapered Design, and Building Roofing Science, to meet the specialized needs of their customers.
Invested in Commercial roofing training programs through GAF CARE and GAF Roofing Academy. These teams host events throughout the country to provide comprehensive hands-on education and training to roofing professionals, contractors, and other roofing industry stakeholders to improve skills, safety and overall expertise in roofing practices. GAF Roofing Academy specifically helps contractors solve for the skilled labor shortage through its training program.
Peru, which opened in July 2024, is the fifth polyiso plant in GAF’s network and produces EverGuard polyiso insulation products.
EXPANDING OUR PRODUCTS
Under the leadership of Van Taylor, VP Commercial Marketing, and Hari Reddy, Chief Technology Officer, Commercial, GAF introduced a number of innovations, including industry-first products and digital tools to help contractors more efficiently plan and service job sites.
“Innovation in Commercial has been all about learning from our customers, planning and then executing,” said Taylor. “We heard our customers’ pain points and worked to create products and a portfolio of digital tools and services to reflect their needs.”
Additionally, GAF invested in new plants, allowing the Commercial network to expand across major markets in the U.S. They added new plants in Peru, Illinois and Valdosta, Georgia, and inAvon Lake, Ohio, GAF expanded its roof coatings manufacturing capabilities to support the research, development, and production of silicone products, which protect, repair, restore, or extend the life of a roof.
In 2024, GAF partnered with a third-party plant in Avon Lake, Ohio to support the research, development, and production of silicone products, expanding GAF roof coatings manufacturing capabilities. GAF’s roof coatings repair, restore, or extend the life of an existing roof and protect against UV rays and weather elements like algae, mold and mildew.
BUILDING A WORLD-CLASS TEAM
“At the end of the day, we could have the best products and services, but if we don’t have a strong team and relationships with our customers, none of it would matter,” said Altmeyer.
GAF’s customer-facing teams provide personalized support to customers, and by continuing to add expert talent and building programs to develop talent from within, they are creating the right internal environment to drive growth.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The Commercial team is continuing to learn from and listen to its customers to get better every day.
“Relationships are everything in this business. For us, it’s one relationship at a time, one friendship at a time,” said Garnett.
The team is focused on expanding its premium product offerings through Siplast and growing its Coatings business. And to capitalize on the business’s increased manufacturing capacity, the Commercial Sales team is ramping up its efforts to boost sales across the country.
“We know that contractors have choices,” said Garnett. “Our ultimate goal is to be the Number 1 Brand of Choice in the Commercial market. Thanks to the incredible work and passion of this GAF Commercial team, we’re well on our way.”
Watch GAF Commercial’s newest customer video, which highlights the ways the business is activating its tagline, “Building Around You.”
Portfolio Expansion: PVL Win Positions SGI as Leader in Sports Sand Market
SGI’s business is growing, expanding its product offerings and entering the sports sand market through its PVL plant in Southern California.
PVL (formerly Panamint Valley Limestone)—which mines pure precambrian limestone, a sedimentary rock sought after for its versatility—was acquired by SGI in October 2023. Through the acquisition, SGI expanded its portfolio to include additional building materials, as well as soil conditioning and water treatment products. The move broadened its customer base, positioning the company to be an even bigger player in the roofing, building materials and agricultural industries.
PVL quarry in Trona, California.
PVL recently earned the business as the exclusive supplier of sand for Cotino, Disney’s first-ever Storyliving by Disney™ Community in Rancho Mirage, California near Palm Springs. The partnership with Disney now positions SGI as a leader in the Southwest sports sand market.
Over the next two years PVL will provide up to 12,000 tons of its Pana-Cal® 1830 sand to Cotino, a community that pays homage to The Incredibles franchise. The sand will be used to create six beaches surrounding the centerpiece of the community—a 24-acre lagoon that, when completed, will be one of the largest man-made lagoons in the world.
PVL was one of six California-based sports sand producers that competed to secure the bid for the project.
“Pana-Cal® 1830 won over the Disney team because of its off-white color and ideal particle size distribution (PSD) for beach sand, which offers a great ‘foot feel’ and low dust content, minimizing the cloud effect in water,” said Senior Territory Manager John Finn.
Pana-Cal® 1830 sand at Cotino
Finn and the PVL team specially developed Pana-Cal® 1830 in 2024 to serve the golf and sports sand markets and high-profile customers. Hearing about the Cotino development from contacts in his network, Finn connected with Eric Brown, the General Manager of Cotino, about PVL’s offerings and submitted a sample of Pana-Cal® 1830 for testing. Two months later the project was awarded to PVL.
“Being the exclusive supplier on a Disney project is great advertising and will pay ‘word-of-mouth’ dividends for years to come,” said Finn. “Any time we can design and manufacture a product that outperforms the competition and is exclusively spec’d into a high-profile project, we have done something right.”
The project will be completed in six phases over 24 months. So far, PVL has delivered more than 2,400 tons of the anticipated 12,000 tons of product.
“Cotino is significant from a brand recognition perspective and as a foray into an exciting new market for us,” said SGI PresidentJustin Dunlap. “It presents a tremendous growth opportunity for our business, and we are thrilled with the partnership and the work of the PVL team.”
