IKO

IKO is a privately held roofing manufacturer founded in 1951 in Calgary, Alberta, by Isidore Koschitzky. It remains owned and run by members of the Koschitzky family and operates plants in North America and Europe.

History

IKO's early products were building paper and coated roll roofing. The company made its first asphalt shingle in 1954. In 1956 a fire destroyed much of the Calgary plant, which was rebuilt and back in operation within about six months. IKO opened a shingle plant in Brampton, Ontario in 1959, and in 1972 built a shingle plant in Ham, Belgium, an early move into Europe for a North American shingle maker. A facility in Hawkesbury, Ontario followed in 1976, and in 1979 the company entered the United States through acquisitions. It has since added plants across North America, including in Hillsboro, Texas.

Scale

According to company material published in 2021, IKO then operated 35 plants in six countries and sold to customers in 94 countries.

Products

IKO's steep-slope range consists mainly of asphalt shingles, both laminated and three-tab, together with underlayments, starter strips, cap shingles and ice and water protection membranes. The company has also offered metal shingle products under the IKO Metals name. Its commercial range includes modified-bitumen and other low-slope roofing membranes, as well as roof insulation boards. In Europe it supplies bituminous waterproofing and insulation products, where flat and low-slope roofs are common on residential and commercial buildings.

Ownership

IKO describes itself as family-owned and operated across several generations, and it does not publish public financial statements.