| History
When IKO started its business there were
eleven manufacturers of asphalt roofing products in Canada.
In this tough and competitive industry IKO has always been
a strong and consistent leader, known for setting the standard
and offering a quality product at an affordable price. Today,
out of those original eleven manufacturers, only two have
survived. IKO is one of them.
At IKO, we believe the success and longevity
of our company is attributed to four key ingredients: The
talent and commitment of our people, top quality products,
continuous innovation and state-of-the-art manufacturing
facilities. This spirit of innovation and quality is the
driving force that began the company in 1949 when our founders
investigated the suitability of using Alberta asphalt for
roofing products. Up until that time, Alberta asphalt was
dismissed as unusable in the manufacture of roofing products.
Not willing to walk away from a problem, efforts were focused
on finding a practical solution.
 By
1951 a solution was discovered and a plant was opened in
Calgary, Alberta producing asphalt saturated kraft paper
for the building industry. This was IKO's first product.
Still manufactured today, it is proudly considered to be
the best in the industry.
When the product line expanded in 1954
to include roofing shingles, IKO maintained its successful
formula of the key ingredients. As a result, IKO asphalt
roofing shingles quickly developed a strong and loyal following.
With the success in Western Canada, a shingle manufacturing
plant in Brampton, Ontario soon followed in 1959. This was
followed by a plant in Ham, Belgium in 1972, bringing the
products to the European market. Next a plant in Hawkesbury,
Ontario in 1976 to meet the growing demands in Canada.
In 1979 IKO acquired its first facility
in the United States in Wilmington, Delaware. This was soon
followed by the acquisition of manufacturing facilities
in Franklin, Ohio and Chicago, Illinois as IKO expanded
into the American market.
IKO continued to enhance its capabilities
in Canada through the purchase of roofing plants in both
Toronto, Ontario and Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1983. The most
recent additions have been our newly built facility located
in Sumas, Washington, which began production of residential
and commercial products in 1999, a new facility in Ashcroft
B.C. manufacturing our own colored weathering granules and
a brand-new manufacturing plant in Kankakee, Illinois.
In addition to expanding our production
facilities, IKO has expanded its line of asphalt roofing
products to include organic and fiberglass-based shingles,
roofing felts, and APP and SBS modified bitumen roofing
systems for commercial and industrial applications. As
well IKO has been manufacturing its own polyisocyanurate
insulation board and made inroads into the air and vapor
market too with the recent introduction of the AquaBarrier
Air & Vapor
line of products.
Through organic growth and acquisition,
IKO now offers customers, throughout international markets,
a comprehensive range of roofing and structural waterproofing
materials. With over 20 production facilities throughout
North America and Europe, IKO has become the world leader
in the manufacture and supply of asphaltic and bituminous
waterproofing products. Most of our competitors have branched
out into manufacturing other building materials. At IKO,
we intend to stick with what we do best. |
