Gopher Resource® Receives Ongoing Support from Central Roofing
For the past 75 years, Gopher Resource® has operated a major lead recycling operation in Eagan, Minn. During the past six years, they’ve relied on Central Roofing to help manage the roofing on 291,000-square-feet of covered space. Five separate buildings get annual inspections and regular roof repairs.
“The best advice Jon Meyer with Central Roofing has ever given me is to stay ahead of your roof repairs,” says Mike Nicklay, maintenance manager with Gopher Resource in Minn. “Our annual roof survey is a huge help in identifying preventative maintenance steps that save our company on expenses in the long run.
“The relationship our company has with Central Roofing is very solid. They’re a very responsive company. Jon has worked on our roofs for 14 years, even before he joined Central Roofing. He knows our building structures almost as well as we do.”
Ongoing Roofing Support
The 36-acre Eagan site for Gopher Resource has the capacity to recycle 50,000 automotive batteries daily. They also recycle lead-bearing materials and plastics. In addition, the company operates The Recycling Zone, where Dakota County residents and businesses can recycle household hazardous waste materials, aluminum, plastic, glass, electronics, paint and other materials at no charge.
“The campus for Gopher Resource is impressive,” says Jon Meyer, project manager with Central Roofing Company out of Minneapolis. “Our job is to make sure the commercial roofing overhead of these operations keeps functioning smoothly. We’re continually evaluating the roof conditions and making recommendations for improvements.”
Building B, the largest Gopher Resource structure with 150,000-square-feet, has had ongoing sectional roof replacements since 2008. There have been four roof replacement projects, with the last one completed in 2019. A five-year plan is in place for replacing two more roof areas on the structure in 2021.
The roof management program developed by Central Roofing for Gopher Resource includes annual inspections of each roof area. Roof Maintenance Reports are generated from information gathered during the inspections.
“These reports include current recommendations for roof maintenance along with five-year budget forecasts for future roof work or replacements,” says Meyer. “Our chief goal is to minimize emergency roof maintenance. We’re working to assure that all major maintenance and roof replacements should be predicted and budgeted.”
Safety First … and Always
The purpose at Gopher Resource is the safe and efficient recycling of lead batteries, using sustainable practices and advanced technologies. Because of extreme safety considerations on the Gopher Resource campus, the Central Roofing team must always comply with stringent rules related to personal protection equipment. Both companies also follow strict EDPA requirements to ensure air/water quality standards.
“We expect contractors to follow our safety guidelines as if they are one of our employees,” says Nicklay. “The expert technicians at Central Roofing understand that, and they abide by the rules. It really feels like they’re part of our team.”
“Our company values the relationship we have with Gopher Resources,” says Meyer. “We have developed a rapport to where they trust we will provide them with a quality roof system while following all the required safety procedures. This is a ‘win-win’ situation for both of our companies.”