By Emma Peterson. 

For more than 70 years, IFD has connected roofers across borders and they’re not stopping any time soon. 

In 1952, the International Federation of the Roofing Trade (IFD) was founded. Since then, both the industry it supports, and the organisation have grown greatly. To learn more about how they have grown together, we sat down with Henrik Mosegaard-Johansen for a short interview. 

Henrik is one of VELUX’s international key account directors and has been engaged with IFD for over 15 years now. Currently, he is a member of the board with responsibilities specifically focused on marketing and building partnerships. Looking back at the founding of IFD, his perspective was that it was somewhat inevitable. He shared, “If IFD [wasn't founded in 1952] someone would have established it in the ensuing years, simply because we need it to build key bridges between people and countries as well as between businesses and associations.”   

When we asked him about how IFD builds these bridges, he gave us insight into the relationship between VELUX and IFD, sharing, “VELUX and other companies have employees like me who invest time and effort into the organisation. They also support IFD by investing money into their initiatives.” In return, those initiatives help individual companies by bettering the industry. As Henrik put it, “We have a common task here – we need to create energy in the industry to attract new people and future-proof our businesses. That’s what a lot of IFD initiatives are focused on.”   

Looking to the future, Henrik sees these initiatives and this symbiotic relationship between individual companies and IFD continuing. He shared, “Our umbrella goal is always to find ways for IFD to add more value to the community, to the industry and to our associations.” 

By The Coffee Shops®.

The roofing industry builds a national pathway to identify and develop young competitors for the 2027 World Championship for Young Roofers.

The roofing industry is taking another step toward strengthening workforce development through international competition. During a recent episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Jon Goodman of National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) and Gary Howes of The Durable Slate Company discussed plans for the United States' participation in the 2027 World Championship for Young Roofers and the creation of a national qualifying process designed to identify Team USA. They outlined how the United States is moving beyond simply participating in the International Federation for the Roofing Trades (IFD) competition and toward creating a sustainable national structure to develop future competitors.

Gary explained why the IFD was formed. “The idea behind it is to create an opportunity for these different associations to network with one another, learn best practices from each other. That could be anything from specifications to test studies, vocation training, different training practices and techniques throughout the different countries,” he said.

In 2024, the NRCA led a U.S. team to compete for the first time in Innsbruck, Austria. Although the team did not earn medals, the experience created something equally valuable: inspiration. Jon explained the mindset of the team as they competed for the first time. “The motivations and the goals that we had set for going to this first competition was to understand we are walking into a world stage and just know that you are going to be blown away by the level of expertise and craftsmanship and discipline that you see there,” he said.

The experience highlighted a significant difference between the United States and many participating nations. According to Jon, most competing countries already have established systems that identify and train talent through national competitions before advancing teams to the world stage. Recognizing that need, the NRCA and its partners began building a similar framework in the United States. Jon outlined their plan for moving forward, sharing, "Earlier this year, we started to put together a national structure for competition to be able to earn a spot on what we call Team USA."

The goal is larger than competition alone. Industry leaders see the effort as a means of elevating craftsmanship, create career pathways and bring greater visibility to young roofing professionals across the country. “We stayed dedicated to the idea we're going to develop our people. And so for us, it was about capitalizing on that training, capitalizing on the craftsmanship,” noted Gary.

As excitement builds for the next championship in Budapest, Hungary in November of 2027, the NRCA is holding tryouts for the next team USA. Those interested can compete at IRE in Las Vegas on February 16-17, 2027.

In the meantime, the IFD is holding their annual connection forum in Vienna, Austria on October 14-15, 2026.

As young roofers across the nation sharpen their techniques, the United States looks forward to participating in a global push for workforce development and cultural exchange across the roofing industry.

Listen to the full podcast or Watch the recording to learn more about the World Championship for Young Roofers.

By Emma Peterson.

From recycling initiatives to project case studies, the Connection Forum offers attendees a chance to explore industry challenges through an international lens.

In less than a week, the International Federation of the Roofing Trade (IFD) will be hosting their first ever Connection Forum in Vienna, Austria! This two-day event (14-15 October 2026) aims to create an interactive and collaborative space for roofing professionals from around the world. As Sabine Rothschuh, IFD’s secretary, put it when she stopped by The Coffee Shops® for a Roofing Road Trips® episode about the event, “It is not a traditional conference with presentations and speakers. It's more designed as an interactive meeting where participants can actively exchange ideas, discuss current developments and the most important thing is to develop relationships.”

To guide conversations and discussions, IFD has brought in an expert group of speakers who will highlight different challenges facing the roofing industry. These speakers include:

• Dirk Bollwerk: as the president of IFD, Dirk will be giving opening and closing remarks throughout the two days. He will also be one of the moderators on a panel discussion comparing the how different countries and regions approach the same issues.
• Heidi J. Ellsworth: heidi will be presenting on artificial intelligence (AI) and how it is impacting the industry.
• Teet Enok: The presentation from Teet will dive into how Estonian roofers are facing and overcoming the challenge of recycling flat roofing materials.
• Senahid Kanuric: senahid’s will present in the project exchange portion of the Connection Forum. This is a format where professionals, like Senahid present on their project so that attendees can learn from their process.
• Gary Howes: Like Senahid, Gary will be highlighting a recent project to foster discussion about international best roofing practices.
• Chad Collins: Chad will be the one of multiple presenters sharing a country-specific perspective on the establishment of technical guidelines. He will represent the U.S. perspective.
• Andy Rowlands: Like Chad, Andy will be giving a country perspective on technical guidelines. He presents for the United Kingdom.
• Jan Redecker: and the final presenter in the technical guideline comparison is Jan, who will talk about the German perspective.
• Henrik Mosegaard-Johansen: Alongside Dirk, Henrik will moderate the discussion on how different nations approach roofing challenges. He will also be one of the moderators for the roundtable discussion about the priorities of the industry.
• Sabine Rothschuh: Sabine will be the other moderator alongside Henrik for the roundtable exchange on current topics, priorities, perspectives and challenges facing the roofing industry.

Keep up with the insights and discussions spurred on by these incredible leaders.

By Emma Peterson. 

Attendees of IFD’s first Connection Forum will gain insights from international roofing experts, including RoofersCoffeeShop® CEO Heidi J. Ellsworth, while engaging in discussions about the technologies and strategies shaping the industry's future. 

This October 14 and 15, the International Federation of the Roofing Trade (IFD) will be hosting their first Connection Forum in Vienna, Austria. This event is in addition to IFD’s traditional conference and aims to create an interactive environment with networking at its heart. As Sabine Rothschuh, IFD’s secretary, told The Coffee Shops®, “It is not a traditional conference with presentations and speakers. It's more designed as an interactive meeting where participants can actively exchange ideas, discuss current developments and the most important thing is to develop relationships.” 

As part of the forum, IFD has invited presenters from around the world to share insights and expertise with attendees. This creates a great opportunity for industry partners, national associations and roofing professionals to exchange ideas and problem solve together. And one of these presentations will be coming from The Coffee Shops® own Heidi J. Ellsworth. 

Heidi will be presenting about artificial intelligence (AI) and the global roofing community. This presentation comes at a crucial point with more than one billion people using Google AI overviews and with 60% of U.S. adults use AI to search for information. Specifically, her presentation will cover a variety of topics including the difference between search engine optimization and AI engine optimization; how to position yourself as an expert in a saturated market; and the tools RoofersCoffeeShop® has used to build a base of 695,000+ unique annual website visitors and 75,000+ active social followers over the last 25 years online.  

Reflecting on the opportunity to present, Heidi J. Ellsworth wrote of the Forum, “This is a valuable opportunity for us all. Instead of only receiving information [or presenting it,] participants [and presenters] are in conversation, helping shape ideas in real time while strengthening the connections that have always been central to IFD.” 

Learn more about IFD’s Connection Forum.

By Emma Peterson. 

Exploring IFD’s history, growth and commitment to connecting roofers through education, networking and shared best practices. 

Recently, our team got the chance to sit down with Henrik Mosegaard-Johansen for an interview about his involvement with IFD. Henrik has a long history in the roofing industry, with over three decades spent with VELUX. Today, he is their international key account director for region north. In addition to his work with VELUX, Henrik has been a passionate participant in IFD (International Federation of the Roofing Trade). In his own words, “I started engaging myself with the IFD back in 2011 and eventually was elected as an observer of the board, which is kind of like a board member.” He went on to describe what he does on the board, sharing, “Inside the board, we have split up the responsibilities, as you would in a company. So, my responsibility is within marketing as well as partnerships.”  

Over the course of his 12+ years spent on the board, Henrik has gotten to know IFD and their history well. He shared a bit of his knowledge with us:  

IFD was founded in 1952, with four members: Austria, Switzerland, Germany and Luxembourg. The first many years it was a Western European Association, and then the Berlin Wall fell and national associations from Eastern Europe, like Slovakia, Hungary and Russia joined. And now today, we have associations from other continents, like the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA). 

This incredible growth has been a boom to the industry on a whole in many different ways. For one, they have helped raise standards of quality and craftsmanship internationally. Henrik explained, “The IFD helped organizations to grow specifically within international technical guidelines. As more countries develop and build their own national association, IFD is there to help them create a foundation of guidelines and best practices that are harder to build when you have less experience. IFD offers that experience.” 

And guidelines aren’t the only way they’ve done this. By simply creating a space for roofers around the world to meet, IFD has built a community that can uplift each other and its industry. As Henrik put it, “Historically, in Western Europe, roofers would learn new techniques and tools by sending their apprentices to go on what we call the walls. During this, the apprentice would go outside their hometown to the next town, county or even country to learn about how roofers were doing things. Then they’d bring that info back and everyone would improve.” 

The goal with the IFD is to create this type of collaborative, learning environment in a modern era. How are they doing that? One big push within the IFD has been creating in-person events that promote the industry. This includes their highly anticipated Championship of the Young Roofer, their biannual Congress and their newest initiative, the Connection Forum (which will be held for the first time on 14-15 October 2026 in Vienna, Austria)!  

Henrik shared a bit about this new event, saying, “In our Congresses, the focus is really on getting information through presentations from experts. The Connection Forum’s goal is to focus more on giving people the chance to discuss and network. Kind of like those apprentices back in the day.” The event will also host some events, including a speech from The Coffee Shops™ CEO Heidi J. Ellsworth and international guideline development workshops. 

Overall, the development of the Connection Forum in addition to their already established events is a prime example of how IFD continues to serve modern roofers. As Henrik put it, “Our umbrella goal is always to find ways for IFD to add more value to the community, to the industry and to our associations.”  

By Emma Peterson. 

By focusing on interaction and dialogue, the Connection Forum expands upon IFD’s mission of helping roofing professionals build relationships and share expertise across borders. 

The International Federation of the Roofing Trade (IFD) is always striving to better serve the members and the global roofing community through innovative professional opportunities for collaboration and growth. One of the newest ways they’re working towards this goal is with the development of their Connection Forum. 

What is this new event?  

The Connection Forum is a new addition to IFD's event schedule. It places an emphasis on interactivity, with the goal of helping member associations and industry partners share challenges and compare problem-solving approaches as to strengthen the technical progress across all countries. As Coffee Shops® president Heidi J. Ellsworth writes, “[At the Connection Forum] Instead of only receiving information, participants become part of the conversation, helping shape ideas in real time while strengthening the connections that have always been central to IFD.” 

Why was this developed?  

This additional format was added to the IFD schedule of events based on member feedback requesting more opportunities for exchange and interaction. It comes at a very timely moment, as the roofing and façade sectors in many different regions face similar evolving challenges, such as sustainability and workforce shortages. As Heidi put it, “This Forum is intentionally designed to create space for open dialogue while helping to bridge the gap between global insight and local application, turning shared knowledge into practical value for all attendees.” 

When will the Forum be held? 

The first Connection Forum is hosted by Wienerberger and will be held in Vienna, Austria. It will run 14-15 October 2026 and is supported by IFD’s partners VELUX, Murexin, Fakro and PREFA. This is a great opportunity for industry partners, national associations and other roofing professionals to join a new format that carries the IFD mission of expanding how professionals connect, learn from one another and build relationships across borders.  

Learn more about the IFD’s 2026 Connection Forum.

By Emma Peterson. 

The new IFD Connection Forum gives attendees the opportunity to exchange ideas, discuss industry challenges and learn from projects around the world. 

For a new episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Sabine Rothschuh, the International Federation of the Roofing Trade (IFD)’s secretary, stopped by The Coffee Shops™ to discuss their newest event – the Connection Forum!  

This forum was developed based on feedback from the IFD Members. Sabine shared some insight into that, saying, “We listened to our Member’s feedback and a big throughline was that people wanted more time to meet, exchange and connect with each other. And that’s where the idea for building a new event format came from.” 

And that idea became the Connection Forum, a new IFD event designed to be more interactive than their other offerings. Sabine explained, “It is not a traditional conference with presentations and speakers. It's more designed as an interactive meeting where participants can actively exchange ideas, discuss current developments and the most important thing is to develop relationships.” 

A great example of how this interactivity will play out during the forum is the IFD project presentation programme. This section of the event invited people from across the world to share their work so that all attendees can learn from each other. As Sabine put it, “his programme is to create an exchange of learning, because the way we approach problems is often totally different based on our location.” 

This is just one of the ways IFD’s new Connection Forum promises to be a unique and powerful opportunity for any roofing professional from anywhere in the world to learn and grow. This first forum is hosted by Wienerberger and sponsored by VELUX, Murexin and Fakro. 

The first Connection Forum is scheduled for 14-15 October 2026 in Vienna, Austria. Learn more at www.rooferscoffeeshop.uk/event/ifd-connection-forum-2026. 

By The Coffee Shops.

The IFD has already demonstrated the power of international collaboration. Now, the opportunity is to expand that impact by welcoming new voices and nations into the fold.  

The roofing industry may look different from one country to the next, but the challenges it faces are often more similar than one might expect! For example, labour shortages and a changing climate are challenging professionals around the world to innovate time-saving technologies and develop new sustainability programs. 

In light of this globalization of the roofing community, organisations like the International Federation for the Roofing Trade (IFD) emerge as key players. Recently, we sat down with Ulrich Marx from the ZVDH, Germany's roofing association, to talk about how being a member of global organisations like IFD help their company thrive.  

ZVDH’s history goes all the way back to IFD’s founding. As Ulrich put it, “We are a founding member; because we have a strong belief in a worldwide roofing community...Roofs are built all over the world and it is very important to exchange knowledge with the professionals working all over the world.” 

When reflecting on how being a member of IFD has helped ZVDH grow over the decades, Ulrich highlighted the World Championship of Young Roofers, “The biggest benefit of the IFD is the World Championship. This is the most important factor to link young professionals all over the world and create a huge network for young roofers and also for the experts.” 

And it truly is these networks and connections that exemplify the power of IFD. It has been felt firsthand by the team at ZVDH who have developed both valuable professional relationships through the IFD as well has friendships that strengthens the entire global community and industry. Ulrich has personally experienced the importance of these connections, sharing:  

I remember a discussion with my American colleague Bill Good, the former CEO of NRCA. That was about ten years ago. Bill told me about their research institute and how it works. That impressed me much and together with my people in Germany we started planning our own institute to implement more technical knowledge combined with scientific input. Last year we founded the German Institute for roof and facade technology. A true value of the IFD connections.  

Overall, Ulrich and ZVDH’s experiences with IFD are just one example of the power of an international organisation. And as the federation looks toward the future, one priority stands above the rest: Bringing more countries into the conversation. 

The roofing industry is often at the centre of some of the world's most pressing challenges and greatest opportunities — particularly in areas such as solar integration, energy efficiency and building envelope performance. By bringing more countries into the IFD community, who each add their unique perspectives, ideas and expertise, the global roofing industry grow stronger. And a stronger global industry is key to creating safer, more efficient, and more sustainable buildings.  

By Emma Peterson. 

IFD President Dirk Bollwerk shares what attendees can expect from the new Connection Forum and the next World Championships of Young Roofer.  

As a global organization, the International Federation of the Roofing Trade (IFD) hosts events around the world. And their next two big events will take them on the road to Vienna, Austria and Budapest, Hungary. To learn more about what will be happening in each of these cities, we spoke to Dirk Bollwerk, IFD’s president, on an episode of Roofing Road Trips®. 

IFD’s event in Vienna, the new Connection Forum, is first up on the calendar, planned for October 2026. Dirk explained what attendees can expect there, saying, “This event is really all about bringing members together to communicate, learn from each other and develop global best practices together.” The Coffee Shops™ crew will be in attendance of this meeting and cannot wait to build connections and relationships with other professionals around the world. We will be also interviewing people live, so make sure to tune into our YouTube channel to keep up with what’s happening in Vienna!  

As for Budapest, the city will be hosting the next World Championships of the Young Roofer in October 2027! Dirk shared a bit more about the Championships, saying, “This is one of our long-standing events and it sees teams come from all different countries, like the U.S., Germany, China and more! And it’s just really great to see the young folks who are so motivated show off their skills.”  

The Coffee Shops crew was in attendance at the last World Championships in 2024 (check out our coverage of the event) and our team still talks about the incredible talent and sportsmanship that was on display. As our president Heidi J. Ellsworth recalled, “When we first got there, all the teams were in their own corners and really focused on the competition. But by the end of the week, they were all watching each other, cheering each other on, switching uniforms and sharing phone numbers. It was just great to see so many talented young people really become a community.”  

And that idea – talented and skilled professionals coming together to build a community is the throughline between every single one of IFD’s events.  

To learn more, Listen to the whole episode, Watch the recording or visit IFD’s directory.  

By the National Roofing Contractor's Association.

The road to Budapest begins in Las Vegas, but the chance to represent Team USA starts today.

The search is on for the next generation of roofing talent to represent the United States at one of the industry's most prestigious international events. Through the National Roofing Contractors Association's (NRCA) IFD Qualifying Competition, skilled young roofing professionals have the opportunity to earn a spot on Team USA and compete at the 2027 World Championship for Young Roofers in Budapest, Hungary.  

For contractors, this is more than just a competition—it's a chance to showcase the talent within your company, invest in workforce development and gain national and international recognition. For roofing professionals, it's an opportunity to represent your company, your trade and your country on the world stage.  

Mark your calendar 

Companies interested in participating should act now, as several key deadlines are quickly approaching. 

Applications for the qualifying competition must be submitted by November 20, 2026. Selected applicants will be notified by December 11, 2026, allowing teams time to prepare for the qualifying event held during the International Roofing Expo in Las Vegas on February 16-17, 2027.  

The teams selected from the qualifying competition will spend the following months training and preparing before traveling to Budapest, Hungary, in November 2027 to compete against the best young roofing professionals from around the globe.  

Represent the best of American roofing 

NRCA is seeking teams in four competition disciplines: 

• Low-slope roofing 
• Metal roofing 
• Slate and tile roofing 
• Façade systems  

Each Team USA entry consists of two competitors and one coach or mentor. Competitors must be employed by an NRCA member company, be 28 years old or younger as of Dec. 31, 2027 and possess the skills and experience necessary to compete at a high level.  

The competition is designed to highlight the craftsmanship, technical expertise and professionalism that define the roofing industry. It's also an opportunity to demonstrate that American roofing talent can compete with the best in the world.  

A once-in-a-career opportunity 

Team USA first participated in the World Championship in 2024, and the experience left a lasting impact on competitors, coaches and industry leaders alike. Participants gained international exposure, expanded their understanding of the trade and returned with new ideas and a broader perspective on roofing excellence.  

Now, NRCA is looking to build on that momentum by identifying the industry's top young talent and assembling teams capable of competing for a world championship. , 

The time to apply is now 

Contractors across the country are encouraged to identify their most skilled young employees and submit an application before the Nov. 20 deadline. Whether your company's strengths are in low-slope roofing, metal, slate and tile or façade work, this is an opportunity to put those skills on display in front of the global roofing community.  

The road to Budapest begins in Las Vegas, but the chance to represent Team USA starts today. If you have talented team members ready to prove themselves among the world's best, now is the time to step forward, apply and showcase the future of American roofing.  

Application Deadline: Nov. 20, 2026. Don't miss your chance to represent Team USA and compete on the world's biggest roofing stage.