2026 Industrial Review: Seth Doughty, Tecta America New England

What projects, initiatives, or types of work have been keeping your team busiest during the first half of 2026? With the ever-rising cost of real estate, it tends to push regular maintenance of the roofs into the “deferred maintenance” category. This, overall, lessens the value of a purchase on the buyer’s side as well. They inherit a building that could be on the brink of a roof failure. Recently, the commercial inspections I’ve seen have been performed by individuals lacking expertise in commercial roof construction, resulting in major issues being overlooked and failing to accurately represent the roof’s current condition or its anticipated lifespan.

What trends or shifts have stood out most to you so far this year within your industry? For us, the prospect of a new BOCA Code that includes a safety requirement on new and existing buildings and a maintenance requirement for roofs should keep us quite busy. This code has not been completed and delivered yet, but we’re keeping our customers apprised as to the likely changes expected by the end of this year.

What challenges or opportunities have had the biggest impact on your business during the first half of 2026? Again, I see the cost of purchasing a new property for business growth and industrial change becoming problematic. Brick and mortar growth is no longer a convenient endeavor. I’ve heard from a lot of clients that they’re looking for ways to better utilize the property they have, rather than buy a larger one.

As we look ahead to the second half of the year, what are you watching most closely? I believe this honestly comes down to hoping that prices will fall to a range where they become more palatable and that natural turnover of growth occurs. If that happens, new businesses can find a way to thrive in old locations again and integrate themselves into our communities.