ENNIS, Texas – IKO North America welcomed about 200 people, including roofing contractors, suppliers, and local and state government officials, to the grand opening of its first newly-built metals plant in the United States this week.
The IKO Metals Residential Metal Roofing facility in Ennis, Texas, south of Dallas, is the culmination of a multi-phase, $60 million investment project that brings the new product line closer to key markets and significantly modernizes the manufacturer’s capabilities.
Production at the facility began earlier this year and is dedicated to manufacturing stone-coated metal roofing in tile, shake, and shingle profiles under the DECRA and Tilcor brands. The plant opening initially created 50 local jobs, with the potential for up to 90 new positions, officials said.
Attendees for the grand opening included roofing contractor customers from across the country, key dignitaries, community leaders and IKO staff and executives, including family members of company founder Isidore Koschitzky.
“We can already feel a kinship with our new home in Texas,” said Hartley Koschitzky, IKO co-chairman, a member of the third generation of company leaders. “As this town has grown and thrived in the more than 150 years since its founding, we hope that we are able to do the same as the newest member of your business community.”
Guests toured the 205,000-square-foot plant located on a 42-acre site that once housed an automotive components manufacturer. Donning safety gear and headsets to hear directly from employee tour guides, they witnessed multiple production lines utilizing cutting-edge technology to execute the proprietary stone-coating process.
“This $60 million investment is not only a testament to Ennis’s business-friendly climate, but also to the strength of our workforce and the strategic advantage of our location. We look forward to a long, successful partnership with IKO and the continued growth and opportunity it brings to our community,” said Ennis Mayor Kameron Raburn.
A member of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s staff delivered a proclamation to plant employees, and staff with members of the Texas Legislature were also onsite, as they were at a ceremonial groundbreaking about a year ago.
The plant replaces the company’s decommissioned Corona, Calif., facility inherited with the DECRA-Roof Tile Group acquisition and becomes IKO’s home for all production in the metal roofing space. With the interest in residential metal increasing as severe weather events grow in scope, IKO officials said they plan to meet demand and drive the market.
The opening comes amid the most significant and ambitious capital investment period in IKO’s history, with $1 billion in investments completed or in progress over the past four years in the U.S. Company officials also broke ground at the site of a $120 million granule facility in Missouri earlier this month.
“The past few years have been very active for IKO,” Koschitzky said. “This project stands out for us. This facility will be the central hub for our stone-coated metal roofing business. Operations here will continue to serve a growing demand for metal products across North America and to the export markets.”
There’s also improved synergy and opportunities with the IKO Shingle Facility in Hillsboro, roughly a 45-minute drive away. That includes warehousing, since the Ennis plant can house roughly one million tiles under enclosed space, and has five shipping docks with the capacity to move 20 truckloads a day.
The huge steel coils housed there will be used to produce seven different roof profiles and can blend 32 different product color combinations.
An in-house coating shop with five 5,000-gallon storage tanks is used to create a basecoat and overglaze resin that are then blended with dry chemicals that serve as an adhesive on the panels. The chemical and physical properties of each batch is tested for quality onsite and saved for three years.
The investment also creates opportunities for roofing contractors seeking to differentiate themselves in their market by specializing in metal installations. The facility features conference rooms, dedicated space for training and instruction, and ample room for expansion, if necessary.