Are the concerns about counterfeit battens real or clickbait?
Posted: Thursday, March 20th, 2025
On The Roofing Show, Danny Madden examines the recent instances of counterfeit roofing battens and whether they are a legitimate issue or being exaggerated. Danny speaks with Steve Wells, an expert in the trade, to shed light on this topic and share some fascinating insights into the current state of material costs, quality, and availability this year. Steve believes that counterfeiting isn't the primary problem; it starts at the source when a timber tree is cut down. He argues that waste from the timber is being used to make roofing battens. Manufacturers and importers are responsible for the cheap, low-quality battens circulating in the market, he says. "There's always someone somewhere who wants to make a buck and a half rather than a buck and will take the chance." "Unless someone falls through a roof because it's too knotty and it breaks, action won't be taken," he adds. It's like the Grenfell Tower until it went up in flames; the malpractice continued. It's the same with batten and the same with all quality of materials; if nothing fails, they [counterfeit product manufacturers and importers] get away with it." When it comes to material costs, Steve notes that prices are likely to continue rising until demand decreases. Listen to the full podcast here.
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