Member story: For Vilpelle, the best thing about being a member of the Roofing Association is networking – collaboration provides tools for your own work.

The roof area of ​​a few operators is not very regulated. Monitoring construction regulations requires companies to be active and cooperate within the industry association. Product Manager Tom Tapanila and Research and Development Director Veli-Pekka Lahti, who are very comfortable in their positions of trust, feel that cooperation between operators in the industry brings significant added value, for example in occupational safety.

Vilpe Oy is a manufacturer of special roofing products, ventilation terminal devices and insulation fasteners operating in Mustasaari, near Vaasa. Innovation and product development are the cornerstones of Vilpe's business, founded in the 1970s: a major focus is on VILPE ​​Sense smart roofs.

Vilpe Product Manager Tom Tapanila and Director of Research and Development Brother-Pekka Lahti have started working in RT's working groups at the beginning of this year, Tom in RT's sustainable construction group and Veli-Pekka in RT's digital group, but in addition to these recent positions, they have longer experience in positions of trust, including on the board of the Finnish Roofing Association.

“I represent Vilpe on the board of the Finnish Roofing Association and on the industry working group, of which I am currently serving my third term as chairman,” says Tom Tapanila.

"I was on the board of the Finnish Roofing Association before Tomppa, but now I am involved in the technical working group of the Finnish Roofing Association and its subgroup. I am also a member of the technical group and environmental group of Talteka (Talotekninen industrielle kauppa ry)," says Veli-Pekka.

Both state that the networking benefit is significant, as most of the most significant roofing contractors in Finland are members of the Finnish Roofing Association.

"Board work involves a wide range of issues, from labor market issues to collective agreements and occupational and fire safety. These issues are then communicated to the working groups for further development," Tom states.

Veli-Pekka finds working in teams very meaningful. “When I lead product development myself, teams are good channels for going through detailed issues. You can get support there on many things, and you can brainstorm things that you can also use in your own work. At Talteka, we monitor industry legislation, among other things, and that way, as a product manufacturer, we stay up to date on those issues.”

In occupational safety, cooperation between different parties is beneficial

The Roofing Association closely monitors occupational safety, which is also an important theme for Vilpe. The Roofing Association has been conducting a member survey for a long time, which provides accurate data on occupational safety issues related to roofing work.

"The dialogue with the Finnish Roofing Association, insurance companies and SPEK (Finnish Rescue Service Central Organisation) is also interesting. Insurance inspectors visit to talk about different types of roof damage, their causes and consequences, which helps to develop activities to prevent damage. Through this, we on the product side also get information about what is happening in the market. The Finnish Roofing Association, in turn, has views on different types of hot work," says Tom.

“I feel that hearing about real-life cases is one of the best things – even though as an industry member you don't have to do it yourself, it's extremely important for the contracting side to see how your own actions have an impact.”

The development of occupational safety in the roofing industry has followed the construction industry's economic cycles. "The number of injuries decreased in the 2010s, rose briefly during peak periods, and is now declining again in line with the construction industry's economic cycles," Tom says.

Roof area is not overly regulated – at the Finnish level, the Working Roofs guide is a helpful resource

There are not many product manufacturers in the roofing sector in Finland, so individual manufacturers have an increased responsibility for following the legislation. The Roofing Association publishes From the Functional Roofs Guide, which guides safe construction at the national level.

“Even at the EU level, the roofing sector is a relatively unregulated sector compared to, for example, building services,” says Veli-Pekka.

"For example, low-carbon is still reflected in the types of products manufacturers bring to the market - the aim is to move in a lower-carbon direction. However, the share of our products in the total building stock is quite small," Tom says.

Monitoring legislation is also one of the recognized benefits of membership in the Roofing Association and RT at Vilpe, currently especially in relation to changes in the Construction Act. In addition, Tom highlights RT's business cycle reviews, among other things.

The opportunity to connect with experts in the field is also significant. “The benefits of membership can be seen in even the smallest things, like being able to just call and ask questions. Those contacts wouldn’t necessarily be there without belonging to the Roofing Association and RT.”

“However, the biggest benefit of membership is networking and the fact that people in the industry get to sit around the same table and discuss issues with a large group,” says Veli-Pekka. Vilpe also recognizes the broader opportunities for influence that membership in the union community enables. “Through RT and EK, more muscle will be added to the operations and opportunities to influence matters in the industry more broadly.”

See also

• Membership and member services

• Become a member of the Roofing Association