20 Years Of UltraPly TPO By Firestone Building Products

TPO roofingThis week, Firestone Building Products Company, LLC, a manufacturer and supplier of building envelope products, marks the 20th anniversary of its trademark thermoplastic polyolefin roofing system, UltraPly™ TPO. The original Firestone Building Products UltraPly TPO roofing formulation has remained steadfast since its introduction in 1996. Since then, through the decisions of facility owners and managers, contractors, and architects, nearly four billion square feet of UltraPly TPO — a polypropylene ethlyene plastic composite rubber roofing membrane — have been installed.

The first installation of UltraPly TPO remains in service on a warehouse in Las Vegas, NV. Amidst the flashy lights and ornate buildings peppering the streets of that city stands this nondescript warehouse with its own differentiating characteristic: The first and oldest installation of Firestone Building Products UltraPly TPO.

TPO roofing
This Las Vegas warehouse features the first installation of UltraPly TPO roofing.

The 8,184 square foot canvas was selected in 1996 as a test for the manufacturer’s TPO formula, which had been in process since the late 1980s and combines UV stabilizers, fire retardants, titanium dioxide, antioxidants, and heat stabilizers. “The original roofing system remains leak-free today,” said Frank Reed, owner of Roberts Roofing and Floor, Inc. who also owned the Las Vegas building. Reed says his company has since installed more than one million square feet of Firestone Building Products UltraPly TPO.

“Las Vegas is the perfect place to test because of the unique climatic variation,” said Jeff Henegar Firestone Building Products director of research and development. “(It’s) 115 degrees during the day and 40 degrees at night. Plus the UV rays are some of the highest of any climate.”

In 2015, Firestone Building Products introduced its Secure Bond™ Technology, the next generation in adhered roof system application. UltraPly™ TPO SA with Secure Bond™ Technology ensures adhesion coverage across the entire roofing membrane, establishing a very powerful bond.

“We are immensely proud not only of the success our UltraPly TPO has shown over the past 20 years, but of the confidence it has instilled in our customers, from architects to building owners,” said Tim Dunn, president of Firestone Building Products. “These two decades have proven that the longevity and performance of Firestone Building Products TPO is unmatched throughout the industry. We’re celebrating yet another milestone that reinforces, Nobody Covers You Better™.”