Celebrating 40 years of excellence

By Jenny Yu.  

BITEC® will celebrate 40 years of leading the industry in high-performance commercial roofing solutions in 2026. 

2026 marks BITEC, Inc.®’s 40th anniversary. Shane Millwood, vice president of sales and marketing with BITEC, spoke with The Coffee Shops™ about this milestone, what celebrations to expect in the upcoming year and where BITEC is headed next.  

A history of quality and leadership 

Founded in 1986 by Bruce Shealy, BITEC has served as an industry leader in manufacturing modified bitumen roofing due to their strong leadership and winning formulas. Now, forty years later, Bruce’s son, Joel Shealy, leads as president alongside CEO David Allen, who was one of the original founding members of the company. The strong family ties and consistency in leadership have helped BITEC thrive throughout the changing landscape of the industry over the years.  

“We still manufacture the highest quality modifieds today in the same way that we manufactured them 40 years ago,” Shane stated. “We haven't changed or weakened our formulas — the same formulas for 40 years — and it was the original. The best.” 

An expanding identity 

Six years ago, BITEC only manufactured modified bitumen roofing. Now, there are few aspects of commercial roofing that the company hasn’t ventured into.   

“We have solutions for almost everything you need,” Shane said. “This is a huge milestone, but not just because we're turning 40. It's because of what we look like now; who we’ve become over those 40 years.”  

When Joel joined BITEC in 2019, he ushered in what he called “BITEC 2.0,” focusing on strengthening their sales force, seeking new markets and advancing their technology for the digital age. Now, with Shane on board to tackle further growth and innovation in the company, BITEC 3.0 is underway. 

“This milestone is a reset for me and what are we going to look like in 10 more years. That's where my vision is,” Shane shared. “I'm thankful for the past, but I'm excited and hopeful for the future. We cannot be complacent. We have to be continuous innovators.” 

A full year of celebration 

Before any major new changes take place and the company continues forward into future innovations, 2026 will be a year to celebrate. From trade shows to golf tournaments to gear giveaways, BITEC is ready to party! 

“At every event that we do in 2026, from a state show to a golf tournament, to IRE, the Western, the bigger shows, the Florida show, our 40th year anniversary will be celebrated. Our guys will be celebrating all year along with their contractors as well. We want them to be a big part of our celebration,” Shane said. “We're doing a lot of stuff. I'm excited. I don't want to wish six weeks away, but I'm ready. I'm ready for January 1.” 

Learn more about BITEC’s 40 years of innovation, leadership and commercial roofing solutions.