40 years of BITEC

By Emma Peterson. 

A look at the rich history behind one of the biggest providers of quality commercial roofing products.  

This year marks four decades since BITEC was founded and in that time, BITEC has introduced multiple industry-leading innovations and built a resounding reputation of quality. To reflect on BITEC’s 40 years of history, Heidi J. Ellsworth invited Joel Shealey, BITEC’s president, to sit down for an episode of Roofing Road Trips®. 

Heidi and Joel’s conversation started by going back to 1986 when everything began. Joel shared:  

In the early 1980s, my dad, Bruce Shealey, and his friend David Allen were working at an Italian company, which is where they learned about using APP, atactic polypropylene, in asphalt to create a great modified product...My dad loved this technology, and so when he and David decided to split off and make BITEC a few years later, modified systems are what he focused on. 

The first product that Bruce and David created was a smooth APP, with the goal of introducing the American market to European-style mod bit. Joel shared why that was such an ambitious goal:  

In America, we’re all about speed and efficiency; we want to get the most bang for our buck. And sometimes the goal of making things cheaper accidentally causes a drop in quality. What my dad wanted to do was create products for the American market that last 30-some odd years like the European products.  

And once they figured out APP, they naturally began expanding their offerings. Joel gave some examples, sharing, “As more companies got technology and SBS became more prevalent, they created an SBS formula. And then they got into the reinforcements, which used things like fiberglass and polyester.”  

Today, BITEC offers a full suite of products that include everything from improved versions of those early APP and SBS membranes to acrylic, silicone and urethane coatings. As Joel put it, “We have grown to offer pretty much everything from the deck up, we've got a little something for almost everybody in the commercial space.” 

Listen to the whole recording or Watch the episode to learn more about BITEC and how they’ve built a legacy of high-quality, long-lasting products.