BRAMPTON, Ontario — Seventy years ago, the world may have looked quite different from today, but what has remained consistent is a need for quality products to provide shelter and protection from the elements. That’s what drove IKO founder Isidore Koschitzky to go into business in 1951, and it’s what drives the company as it celebrates its 70th anniversary.

Still family-owned and -operated, IKO is a pioneer and leader in the roofing, waterproofing and insulation products industries. Its asphalt shingles, low-slope roofing membranes and numerous other offerings can be found on buildings in North America as well as around the world. But it all started with a single product.

IKO’s roots date back to 1951 when it started producing building paper in a single plant in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Shortly thereafter, the product lineup was expanded to include coated roll roofing. Asphalt shingles followed in 1954, a decision that led to considerable growth and opportunities that continue to this day.

Expanding beyond Western Canada, IKO opened a shingle manufacturing plant in Brampton, Ontario, in 1959. Growth continued into the 1970s and '80s as the company added more facilities in Canada, entered Europe and launched an expansion into the U.S. market. Today, the company operates more than 35 manufacturing plants, employing over 3,500 workers in Canada, the U.S. and Europe to deliver its residential and commercial products to the roofing, waterproofing and insulation trades.

In its ongoing efforts to make the highest quality products using the best processes, IKO continues to build and retrofit its manufacturing plants. Over the past decade, IKO has invested more into its manufacturing infrastructure than all of its competitors combined. The company’s 15 plants in North America represent more than 2 million square feet of operational excellence, serving customers in the U.S. and Canada, and also exporting product around the globe.

To position IKO as a consistent and reliable source of the highest quality products, the company has put a focus on vertically integrating much of its supply chain. This control of its raw materials helps ensure that only the best ingredients are used to make IKO products, producing building materials with consistency and quality.

By using top-quality materials and focusing on quality control in its processes, including continuously testing against “Gold Standard” samples during production, IKO is able to manufacture materials with precision. Whether creating roofing products or waterproofing and insulation materials, IKO’s high standards continue to raise the bar in the building materials industry.

The desire for ever-better performance is not isolated to manufacturing, however. It permeates throughout the company. Embracing a long-term vision in its decision-making framework, IKO is committed to providing enduring and substantial products that stand up to the rigors of the most demanding expectations: those of its customers.

Since 1951, IKO has been steadfast in its desire to find ways to improve its business, for the benefit of all. This drive for constant evaluation and evolution is a promise and vision introduced 70 years ago, and it is a pledge that continues to drive IKO today.

AGAWAM, Mass. — OMG, Inc. announced its 40th anniversary serving diverse construction markets. Established in 1981 under the name Olympic Fasteners, Inc., the company originally distributed fasteners for commercial roofing applications.

In the mid-1980s, after several years of prosperous growth, the company began manufacturing and marketing its own line of construction fasteners at its current plant in Agawam, Mass.

Recognizing that on-site customer service and support were critical to its long-term success, the company began building a strong sales and technical support network of direct company employees, which today is the largest of its kind in the commercial roofing industry. By the early 2000s, the company had changed its name to OMG, Inc.

What started as a fastener company has expanded over the years into a diversified manufacturer of components and technology for both commercial roofing and residential construction applications. Through its two operating divisions — OMG Roofing Products and FastenMaster — OMG has developed many innovative products and technologies. Most notable from OMG Roofing Products are OlyBond Insulation Adhesives, RhinoBond Induction Technology for installing thermoplastic roofing membranes, and its exclusive Vortex Breaker Drain Technology for commercial roof drains.

Notable FastenMaster products include the line of LOK products for structural wood-to-wood connections in residential applications, the Cortex Hidden Fastening System for composite decks and trim, and FrameFAST, a tool for structural framing applications.

Today, the company has nearly 600 employees globally, and more than 400 in Western Massachusetts, making it one of the area’s largest employers. In addition, the company operates manufacturing plants in Agawam, Addison, Ill., and in Rockford, Minn., and has a global sales force of over 100 in North America, Europe, and Asia. Company capabilities include cold forming, stamping, heat treating, cathodic E-coating, adhesive formulating, and mixing, as well as packaging. OMG produces over 1 billion fasteners each year.

The company plans to celebrate its 40th anniversary throughout the year in various ways to thank employees and customers for its continued success. For additional information, please visit OMGInc.com or one of the divisional websites at OMGRoofing.com or FastenMaster.com.

BELOIT, Wis. — A recent survey revealed that 45% of 2020 college graduates are still looking for jobs, and finding quality entry-level opportunities is becoming more competitive as this year’s graduates also begin their search. The Forbes Best Employers for New Grads list aims to make the job hunt easier with a ranking of the top 250 companies where recent graduates can find careers that put their skills to use and allow them to grow professionally. ABC Supply is proud to announce that it has been featured on the 2021 list.

To compile its list, Forbes surveyed over 20,000 young professionals in the U.S. at companies with at least 1,000 employees. The survey focused on their experiences in the workplace, including questions about career development opportunities, working conditions and benefits. Participants were also asked how likely they would be to recommend their employer to family and friends.

“Recent graduates bring so much heart, passion and talent to our ABC Supply family, and we’re glad to know that they feel supported and engaged at our company,” said Mike Jost, chief operating officer at ABC Supply. “We’re proud to be recognized by Forbes as a best employer for new grads.”

A variety of career opportunities are available for new grads across ABC Supply’s more than 800 locations and National Support Center in Beloit, Wis. Positions available include inside sales associates, outside sales representatives and more. On ABC Supply’s Student Opportunities page, recent graduates can learn more about internship and training opportunities such as the Manager Candidate Training program, chat live with a recruiting specialist and submit questions via a contact form.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Eagle Roofing Products continues to increase the company's national footprint by recently expanding in Nevada as well as in Southern Florida through its subsidiary, Eagle Roofing Products Florida LLC.

By expanding operations with its recently opened Las Vegas stocking yard and West Palm Beach satellite yard, Eagle Roofing Products is allowing for easier and quicker access to its concrete roof tile products and components for the growing markets of the Western Intermountain states and Florida. Opened in November 2020, the Las Vegas location has provided Eagle the opportunity to improve the delivery times of its products in Nevada, as well as in Colorado and Utah. Supported by its Rialto, Calif. manufacturing plant, this state-of-the-art facility provides high-quality roofing materials to Eagle's customers in these states and in Southern California.

When referring to the West Palm Beach Satellite Yard that opened at the beginning of this month, Vice President of Sales and Marketing John J. Campbell said the housing market in Florida is thriving, and the intense demand for materials offers Eagle and the tile roofing industry the greatest opportunities for growth in the U.S.

"Our new West Palm Beach Satellite Yard and the commissioning of our 20th production line in Sumterville, as well as our continued search for property to build a new plant between Arcadia and Port Charlotte, is proof positive that Eagle Roofing Products is committed to Florida by expanding the market for tile roofing and creating new jobs for decades to come," said Campbell.

The new satellite yard is supported by Eagle's manufacturing plant located in Sumterville, Fla. and will service the Treasure Coast of Florida down to Broward and Dade counties. Like the new Las Vegas yard, this facility makes Eagle concrete roof tile more easily accessible and timely for both the exploding new construction and reroof markets.

As the largest USA made, USA owed concrete roof tile manufacturer in the U.S., the new yard locations further cement Eagle's dedication to offering sustainable roofing solutions to additional customers across North America.