Click here to watch the webinar or listen to the podcast
Adams and Reese Construction Team Co-Leader and Partner Trent Cotney was a guest panelist on a RoofersCoffeeShop webinar and podcast, “Navigating Mergers and Acquisitions in the Roofing Industry.” Cotney was joined on the panel by Bobby Mesmer, of RMG Erectors and Constructors, Stephanie Tsatsos of Rapid RevOps, and Mike Blumenfeld of BZR Advisors.
Heidi Ellsworth – a Partner with RoofersCoffeeShop, HJE Consulting, and Chair for National Women in Roofing – moderated the discussion aimed at providing an in-depth look at the M&A market in the roofing industry for roofing company owners, contractors, and executives and financial stakeholders interested in expanding their market presence, diversifying their services, and achieving growth through strategic M&A activities.
Cotney said the 2024 M&A market looks strong and hasn’t slowed down since the level of activity in 2023.
“Last year was nuts, right? I mean, that's where we really saw the crust and I didn’t really know what 2024 would look like, primarily because of increased interest rates and cost of money has gone up. But I have got to tell you, I haven't really seen a slow-down,” said Cotney. “I mean everything's a go, at least what I have seen. A lot of consolidation. I think you’re starting to see a little bit of a shift in the buyers that are out there at this point. I think a lot of the low-hanging fruit has already been grabbed. So, I think there’s a different type of buyer than I maybe saw in ’23, but overall, I think it’s still a very, very strong market.”
Cotney also highlighted why the roofing industry may be attractive for M&A activity.
“I think the reason why roofing is so attractive is for the same reasons that we’ve kind of heard, there’s relatively low barriers to entry. I mean, there are some barriers. Depending on where you’re working, there's licensure and other things and it’s easily scalable and it’s resilient and strong,” Cotney said. “So, it’s an attractive option for a lot of people that are trying to get into the market. So, you see private equity, everything from venture capital to growth equity to buyouts, to you name it.”
Cotney is a leading member of one of the largest construction practices in the country with Adams and Reese’s roster of more than 80 attorneys serving the construction industry.
A Partner in the Adams and Reese Tampa office, Cotney represents construction and infrastructure clients, including general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, manufacturers, architects, engineers, roofers, developers, and other professionals. He is an EU arbitrator for construction-related disputes. Cotney is also experienced in construction litigation and arbitration, including OSHA defense, lien law, bond law, bid protests, and construction document review and drafting.
Cotney is ranked among the top construction attorneys in Florida by Chambers USA and ranked by Best Lawyers, and Super Lawyers in Florida, Texas, Mid-South, and Illinois. Cotney is a board-certified construction lawyer licensed in eight states and Washington, DC.