Staying Atop of What Matters Most
Wm. Kramer & Son Inc. Puts Reputation and Family Above All
Durable, quality-built roofs are vital to sustaining any building envelope. Similarly, Wm. Kramer & Son Inc.’s commitment to excellence serves to safeguard the assets of building owners. As this family-owned business prepares to transition operations to the fifth generation, continued advancement is planned to maintain a respected reputation built on trustworthiness, capability, progressiveness, and fairness to building owners through competitive pricing.
Based in Cleves, Ohio, this full-service commercial roofing and sheet metal contractor caters to clients in southern Ohio, northern Kentucky and eastern Indiana. Specializing primarily in commercial re-roof and repair work, roof management and maintenance, and new construction, the company is equipped in both experience and technique to handle virtually any type of roofing system on the market today.
Wm. Kramer & Son’s evolution into one of Ohio’s leading roofing contractors was not without its share of trials, triumphs and transitions spanning 110 years in the industry.
A Framework for Excellence
In 1907, right around the time that roofing material improvements were starting to take off in the U.S., William Kramer opened up a small residential roofing construction shop in his home’s three-car garage. His business assets included a ladder, a wheelbarrow—and a spirit of determination. He started with just one client, a neighbor. Soon, his reputation as a skilled tinner attracted business from others in his Price Hill community, and for 40 years he expertly handled the slate, tile, tin and canvas roofing needs of his clients.
William’s passion for his trade passed to his son, Alfred “Jack,” who took over operations after William died in 1941. Still recovering from the economic downturn of the Great Depression, and about to head into the material and manpower shortages triggered by World War II, the business stayed afloat thanks to Jack’s perseverance and leadership. Post-war, the company expanded into flat roofing and commercial work.
Continued growth in capabilities and clientele over the years led to incorporation in 1970. By this time other family members had joined the company, including Jack’s sons Robert and Kenneth, who helped run the business, and Robert’s son, Stephen, who started out working in the field.
“I started out loading and driving trucks, sweeping the shop, assisting the sheet metal workers—even cleaning toilets,” recalls Stephen. “I especially loved being outdoors and working with my hands.”
Stephen’s enthusiasm for the business grew even more when he transitioned to perform estimating and other work in the office, where he worked alongside his grandfather, great-aunt, father and uncle. “I never felt any pressure working with my family, especially my dad,” says Stephen. “He was a hardworking, humble, trustworthy, genuinely good person—the industry recognized that and people liked him.”
In 1977, Robert passed away unexpectedly at the age of 56 due to lung cancer. On Robert’s deathbed, a grief-stricken Stephen promised to follow in his father’s footsteps and take care of the company.
And so he did.
Today, Stephen leads the company as President. His brothers, Bruce and Doug, and their cousin Kevin oversee operations as co-Vice Presidents. Together, they strive to mirror the zeal of their predecessors as they continue servicing both new and long-standing clients.
A Fifth-Generation Perspective
Succession training is already underway for the next generation of Kramers. Jeff, Erik and Jenna Kramer, all cousins, have undergone years of extensive training in various areas of the business to attain a solid understanding of the whole organization.
Jenna, a Project Coordinator, calls herself a “proud, fifth-generation” Kramer employee. As she reflects on the heritage of the company, what resounds most is the knowledge that so many hard-working men and women devoted their “blood, sweat and tears” to shape the company into what it is today.
“When I walk through our warehouses and equipment yard, and see everything from old ladder hooks and handmade drills to the newest roofing equipment, stories from decades of roofing craftsmanship come alive,” shares Jenna.
Each Kramer generation has sought ways to stay at the forefront of the industry, but with a focus to never stray too far from their family principles and traditions.
“What I find most impressive is our unique balance between historic tradition and future technology. We always strive to become more technologically savvy to stay competitive. However, the history, knowledge, passion, and tradition built into Wm. Kramer & Son Inc. over the last 110 years is something our competition will never attain,” says Jenna.
It is this appreciation for the past, coupled with a progressive vision for the future, that enables Wm. Kramer & Son to maintain a family-oriented atmosphere and grow future business opportunities.
A Dynamic Labor Force
High-performance roofing systems that span decades require not just high-quality products, but also conscientious attention to craftsmanship. Wm. Kramer & Son’s roofing experts combine innovative, proven techniques with the latest technologies and state-of-the-art equipment to achieve great results for their clients. In fact, the company’s established track record for timely, quality workmanship generates a majority of its business prospects.
“We can trust our employees to perform their jobs efficiently and effectively. Our field personnel install the roofing and sheet metal correctly, thus eliminating potential costly call-backs,” says Kevin.
Stephen adds: “Many employees have been with us for more than 20 years, which is a rarity in the roofing industry. Several families have worked with us for multiple generations.”
This conversation topic swiftly dovetails into another train of thought when Doug points out how the industry’s gradual metamorphosis over the years has resulted in a new breed of workers.
“Back in the 1930s, the whole concept of roofing was different. It was all tar and gravel, pitch and asphalt. Then, the whole industry changed in the mid-70s with the advent of single-ply systems. A lot of people wanted to come into the trade because they weren’t going to get burned by the hot asphalt. We went from employing 15-20 roofers to growing 300% in size within 10 years,” he says.
Today, the company has 105 employees—15 in-house staff and 90 outside field personnel consisting of roofers, sheet metal workers, drivers and mechanics.
A Diverse Range of Capabilities
Wm. Kramer & Son is best known for its work with specialty architectural sheet metal and vegetated roofing systems. It also handles most other types of roofing including: slate, tile, asphalt shingles, built-up, modified, steeples, EPDM, PVC and TPO.
Doug says, “Our company is one of the few in this region that specializes in tile, slate and metal roofs for facilities such as schools, churches and government buildings. It’s the type of roofing that not everyone can do—and do right.”
In the 1980s, the company started growing the maintenance side of its services. This division, run now by Bruce, has flourished and become a core element of the business, thanks to its versatility in tailoring services to meet the unique needs of building owners and facility managers. Maintenance services provided include roof asset management programs, periodic inspections, and infrared surveys to help maximize life cycle performance.
Wm. Kramer & Son also runs a specialty sheet metal facility where team members custom-fabricate gutters, downspouts, copings, flashings, and other elements for various types of roofing systems and applications.
Kevin says, “The knowledge and skill required to work with the intricate designs, profiles, curvatures and angles of architectural sheet metal is what separates the men from the boys.”
A Distinguished Legacy
Wm. Kramer & Son has received numerous manufacturer awards and other honors, including the University of Cincinnati Goering Center’s Family Business of the Year Award in 2007. Multiple times it has also been named a distinguished member of the Carlisle Perfection Council, which is comprised of just a few dozen contractors nationally that demonstrate high-quality installation work and excellent warranty claims performance.
The company has long supported not just the business interests of the community, but also many local needs through charitable contributions and volunteer work. This includes local churches, food banks, Habitat for Humanity, Saint Vincent de Paul, Bethany House Services, Saint Rita School for the Deaf, and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.
Stephen concludes by sharing his future vision for the company: “To stay in the Cincinnati area and support the Cincinnati market, to keep quality in our presentations to clients, to always have a Kramer in ownership, and to keep the reputable and respected name of the Kramer organization intact. These are the things that have kept us in business for 110 years—these are the key components that we want to continue on as part of our legacy.”