By Emma Peterson. 

Dirk Bollwerk talks about connecting roofers around the world and advancing the global industry. 

In a new episode of Roofing Road Trips®, host Heidi J. Ellsworth is joined by Dirk Bollwerk to learn about the International Federation of the Roofing Trade (IFD) and the vital work it does for the global roofing industry and trade. Dirk is both the president of IFD and the German Roofing Association. He spoke a bit about what he does in these roles, sharing, “A lot of our work is political, to act as a representative for roofers in spaces like government. We also take care about education and technical guidelines.” 

The main difference between Dirk’s work with the two associations is scale. Where the German Roofing Association acts as an umbrella for 16 different, smaller German organizations, the IFD is an umbrella for the global roofing community. Dirk shared some history of the IFD’s origins:  

The IFD was founded in the early 1950s. The founding members were Austria, Switzerland, Germany and Luxembourg. Today, we have three different types of members. The first is full members. Full member you can become when you are a roofing association. For example, the National Roofing Contractors Association of the United States. The second is manufacturers, for whom IFD makes guidelines for. And the last is science or supporting members.  

At its core, IFD’s mission is all about building and nurturing connections, both on the job and off. Dirk explained, “We want to build a global community of roofers. Why? First, we want to bond roofers all over the world through friendship. Second, we want best practices and techniques to be shared.” By building these bonds and creating this shared knowledge of best techniques, IFD is not only helping their members succeed but also uplifting the international roofing industry.  

Listen to the podcast or Watch the recording to learn more about Dirk and the International Federation of the Roofing Trade.  

By The Coffee Shops. 

The 2025 IFD Congress was a celebration of roofing craftsmanship, industry partnerships and the future of the trade. 

Roofing professionals from across the globe gathered in Bratislava, Slovakia from October 22–25, 2025, for the 73rd Annual Congress of the International Federation of the Roofing Trade (IFD). Hosted at the Sheraton Bratislava Hotel, the annual event served as a meeting point for industry leaders to discuss the evolving challenges facing the roofing sector while exploring opportunities for innovation, education and international collaboration. This meeting also saw the election of a new IFD president, Dirk Bollwerk. Dirk is the president of ZVDH, the president of the German Roofing Association and will be serving the IFD as their president for the next three years.  

The week began with a welcome reception on Wednesday evening, setting the tone for several days of professional exchange and relationship building among delegates representing countries from around the world. From there, the congress shifted into a series of expert presentations and forward-looking discussions focused on the future of the global roofing industry. The event concluded with a Thursday evening traditional dinner hosted by the Slovak Roofing Association and a Friday night gala dinner at the historic Reduta Concert Hall. 

One of the most anticipated moments of the week was the IFD Awards 2025, which recognized exceptional roofing and façade projects from around the world. Nearly 100 projects were submitted across four categories — façade, flat roof, metal roof and pitched roof — underscoring the depth of craftsmanship and technical expertise represented throughout the industry. 

“This year’s submissions once again demonstrated the diversity and creativity of our trade – and how closely innovation and tradition go hand in hand,” said Sabine Rothschuh, general secretary of the IFD. 

Among the winners, the pitched roof category stood out in particular, with the jury awarding three equal first-place honours in recognition of the exceptional quality of the submissions. The winners included:  

Façade 

1. Battle of Don Memorial Site (Appreggio Bt, Ervin Király and BH Metall Kft., Hungary) 
2. National Széchenyi Library Archival Centre (Pilisi Pléh-Boy Kft., Hungary) 
3. Kovács Katalin National Kayak-Canoe Academy (Horex Kft, Bauer Bádogos és Szigetelő Kft., Hungary) 

Flat roof 

1. SFH K. (Spitzer Gesellschaft m.b.H., Austria) 
2. Whinfell Forest Centre Parcs, Subtropical Swimming Paradise (Central Group, United Kingdom) 
3. Seaplane Harbour, Estonian Maritime Museum (Aruna-Ehitus OÜ, Estonia) 

Metal roof 

1. Logan County Courthouse (The Durable Slate Company, USA) 
2. Reconstruction of the former Red Cross Headquarters (Pilisi Pléh-Boy Kft., Hungary) 
3. Reduta, Bratislava (SiQiS-S, s.r.o., Slovakia) 

Pitched roof (where three equal first prizes were awarded) 

1. Christ’s College Cambridge (Claude N Smith Ltd, United Kingdom) 
2. Restoration of Saint Helena Cathedral (The Durable Restoration Company, USA) 
3. Detached House Dentling (Schmid Dachbau GmbH, Germany) 

By Emma Peterson. 

Exploring how IFD supports professionals worldwide with their different membership opportunities. 

The International Federation of the Roofing Trade (IFD) was designed to unite professionals from across the roofing industry to work together to “safeguard and support the common economic, business, technical, social, cultural and other professional interests of the members at an international level.” They do this by organising a variety of workshops, congresses, trainings and other events for their members.  

Interested in getting involved in IFD and growing your professional career through their programming? IFD has a variety of forms of membership that meet professionals and organisations where they are. These include:  

• Full members: This membership level is designed for "professional organisations of the roofing trade which are constituted in their countries in accordance with the laws existing there in each case.” In other words, it is meant for organisation like China’s National Building Waterproof Association and the United Kingdom’s National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC). 
• Guest members: This membership tier gives national professional organisation of the roofing trades membership in the IFD at a reduced fee for two years. By their third year, they will be asked whether they want to continue their membership as a full member or not.  
• Cooperation partners: National and region professional organisations at this level are neither full members nor guests. They pay a contribution that is individually determined between IFD and them. An example of a cooperation partner is the United States’ National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA).  
• Partner members: These members are manufacturers and companies in the roofing field as well as national and international associations of manufacturers and industry. Essentially, if you offer products and/or services for roofing companies, this is the membership type for you. 
• Scientific members: The scientific membership was made for “universities, departments, institutions, chairs and research centres, as well as individuals who have a serious interest in scientific research in the disciplines related to roof structures and related technologies.” 

Learn more about IFD and their different membership opportunities.

By Emma Peterson. 

April showers bring...a lot of interesting articles to The Coffee Shops™!  

As we leave the month of April behind and look towards May’s summer sunshine and peak construction season, we wanted to take a moment to look back at all the articles we published in the last month that captured our readers’ interests. And there were a lot – over 300 in fact! To make it easier to look back at the highlights, we’ve put together this list of the top ten!  

One such article shared a huge announcement from The Coffee Shops™ – We’re partnering with International Federation of the Roofing Trade (IFD)! This partnership is part of our international initiative and goal of fostering global collaboration on our sites. As Gary Howes, IFD board member explained, “By working together, [The Coffee Shops and IFD are] creating more opportunities for contractors, manufacturers and young professionals to connect, learn from one another and strengthen the future of the roofing industry on a truly international level.”  

Also on the top ten list were a variety of articles about the importance of community care and giving back! Writer Jenny Yu shared two heartwarming stories of roofers using their workmanship and talent for good! One highlighted the joint efforts between Rebuilding Together Philadelphia and a local contractor to fix the roof of a family’s home. The other was about YellowBall Roofing and Solar's donation of a new roof to Cherly and Marty Ash of Billings, Montana.  

In addition to these individual stories, Dani Sheehan wrote an article based on our Contractor Outlook Newscast with Ronald McDonald House Global President & CEO Katie Fitzgerald. Dani’s article dives into how contractors are working with Ronald McDonald House to donate their time, skills or resources to families in need. 

The top ten articles of April 2026 

10 - How contractors are supporting families through partnership with Ronald McDonald House by Dani Sheehan 

9 - Turning new hires into long-term talent by Emma Peterson 

8 - The importance of thinking outside the box by Emma Peterson 

7 - 4 practical takeaways on what AI use looks like in practice 

6 - What first-time attendees can expect at Roofing Day by Dani Sheehan 

5 - RoofersCoffeeShop® partners with International Federation of the Roofing Trade to strengthen global roofing connections 

4 - Improving performance in products and processes by Emma Peterson 

3 - Veteran surprised with free new roof by Jenny Yu 

2 - Neighbors helping neighbors by Jenny Yu 

1 - Extension cord safety for roofers by Cotney Consulting Group

By Emma Peterson. 

IFD and The Coffee Shops™ are looking forward to expanding and strengthening the global roofing community together. 

Recently, The Coffee Shops™ announced our partnership with the International Federation of the Roofing Trade (IFD). For those who are unfamiliar, IFD is a global organization that acts as a platform for national roofing associations, industry partners and professionals to work together to promote and grow the roofing trade.  

In our partnership with IFD, we will be focusing on promoting IFD’s global initiatives, such as the Connection Forum and the IFD World Championship for Young Roofers. Let’s take a closer look at these events: 

• The Connection Forum brings together roofers from around the world with the goals of sharing real project insights, fostering exchange between countries and strengthening technical guidelines. Planned for October 2026 and to be hosted in Vienna, Austria, The Coffee Shops’ crew will not only provide live coverage of the event, they will also be presenting on digital marketing, industry trends and the globalization of the roofing industry.  
• The IFD World Championship for Young Roofers will be hosted in November of 2027 in Budapest, Hungary. Similar to the Connection Forum, The Coffee Shops will provide live coverage of the event. This will also not be the first time we have attended this event, as we attended and covered the IFD World Championship for Young Roofers with the National Roofing Contractors Association in 2024 when it was hosted in Austria.  

These two events are just the start of what we hope will be a long partnership between IFD and The Coffee Shops. As our CEO and president Heidi J. Ellsworth shared, “The connection to the many national associations that are part of IFD is important for the future of roofing. They are bringing professionals and young roofers together to share best practices and encourage workforce development... We are proud to partner with IFD to share their mission and promote their events that bring the roofing industry together globally.”

By Emma Peterson.  

IFD’s World Championship of Young Roofer brings together talented professionals from around the world to showcase their skills.

Since 1988, Internation Federation of the Roofing Trade (IFD) has invited young professionals from around the globe to compete in a roofing competition designed to test their skills on an international scale. Hosted roughly every two years in a different location, this competition tests their trade skills and knowledge in four different disciplines: Roofing, waterproofing, metal/industrial roofing and facade.  

The goal of this competition? As stated on IFD’s website:  

To promote the common international idea in youth and in the profession. To harmonise vocational training in the countries of the world. To show the achievements of the roofing trade in the participating countries. To make the public aware of the importance of the training performance of the roofing trade. To highlight the advantages of in-company training and to strengthen the respect for the professional work in the roofing trade. To promote the roofing trade. 

So, how do young roofers get involved in this event? Every country can send one team to the competition for each discipline. These teams are made up of two young roofers (under 28 years old during competition year) who have either won a national championship in their country or (if such a championship does not exist) are chosen based on skill by a national professional organisation of the roofing trade. The participants are only allowed to participate once in each category. 

Once chosen for the team, the young professionals will train and prepare for the competition under the guidance and supervision of an industry mentor. Not only can these mentors participate in multiple different competition years, but they are also encouraged to!  

All of this work culminates at the competition itself, where a jury of eight people elected by the IFD General Assembly assess the young roofers’ performance. No two jury members will be from the same country, and they may not be mentors. This jury will evaluate the different team performances based on seven criteria:  

1. Accuracy of execution  
2. Performance  
3. Cleanliness  
4. Utilisation of materials  
5. Craftsmanship  
6. Implementation of the required task  
7. Serviceability 

Based on these criteria, the panel awards gold, silver and bronze medals for the first, second and third winners in each discipline. There is also a fifth president’s prize competition where the board awards medals based on a free competition where participants show off their specialties. In addition to medals, winners receive a commemorative gift from the host country and a certificate of participation from IFD. For the world champion in each discipline there is an additional reward of an IFD challenge cup.  

The last World Championship of Young Roofer was held at Innsbruck in Austria in 2024. The next championship is planned for 2027 in Budapest, Hungary. Make sure to follow IFD to stay up to date on competition news!

Driving global collaboration through education, events and industry engagement.

RoofersCoffeeShop® (RCS), the award-winning place where the industry meets for technology, information and everyday business, is proud to announce a new partnership with the International Federation of the Roofing Trade (IFD), bringing together two influential industry leaders committed to advancing the roofing profession through collaboration, education and innovation. 

This partnership will focus on promoting IFD’s global initiatives and events, including the Connection Forum taking place in October 2026 in Vienna, Austria and the Young Roofers WORLD Competition in October 2027 in Budapest, Hungary. Through this collaboration, RCS will help amplify awareness and engagement across North America and beyond, connecting roofing professionals to international opportunities and resources. 

As part of the partnership, RCS will be live on-site at the 2026 Connection Forum, delivering comprehensive event coverage through LIVE streaming, interviews and real-time content. In addition, RCS will present to attendees, sharing insights on industry trends, digital marketing and the growing importance of global connectivity within the roofing sector. 

IFD serves as a unifying force for the roofing industry worldwide, bringing together national associations, manufacturers and service providers to address shared challenges and advance best practices. With members that include leading organizations such as the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), Zentralverband des Deutschen Dachdeckerhandwerks (ZVDH) and the National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC), IFD plays a critical role in fostering collaboration across borders. By connecting professionals globally, the organization helps elevate standards, support workforce development and drive innovation throughout the industry. 

“Partnering with RoofersCoffeeShop is an exciting step forward for IFD as we continue to expand our global reach and impact. This collaboration allows us to better share the work we are doing to unite national associations, support workforce development and elevate roofing practices worldwide,” stated Gary Howes, IFD board member. “By working together, we are creating more opportunities for contractors, manufacturers and young professionals to connect, learn from one another and strengthen the future of the roofing industry on a truly international level.” 

One of IFD’s most impactful initiatives is the Young Roofers Championship, which highlights emerging talent and promotes the importance of skilled labor in roofing. By bringing young professionals together from around the world, the competition not only celebrates craftsmanship but also builds lasting relationships that support the future of the trade. 

“We are proud to partner with IFD to share their mission and promote their events that bring the roofing industry together globally,” said Heidi J. Ellsworth, president/CEO of The Coffee Shops. “The connection to the many national associations that are part of IFD is important for the future of roofing. They are bringing professionals and young roofers together to share best practices and encourage workforce development.” 

Through this partnership, RCS and IFD are reinforcing the importance of global collaboration in an increasingly connected industry. By sharing knowledge, elevating innovation and building relationships across continents, both organizations are helping shape a stronger, more resilient future for roofing professionals everywhere. 

For more information visit the IFD directory on RoofersCoffeeShop. 

About The Coffee Shops 

The Coffee Shops is the award-winning digital home of the roofing industry, delivering online communities that connect contractors, manufacturers, distributors and industry professionals. Through platforms including RoofersCoffeeShop®, MetalCoffeeShop®, CoatingsCoffeeShop®, OutdoorCoffeeShop® and AskARoofer™, The Coffee Shops provide trusted information, education and networking opportunities. With a focus on supporting industry growth through content, technology and engagement, The Coffee Shops help roofing professionals build their businesses and stay informed in a rapidly evolving marketplace. 

About the International Federation of the Roofing Trade (IFD) 

The International Federation of the Roofing Trade (IFD) is a global organization representing national roofing associations and industry partners dedicated to advancing the roofing trade worldwide. Through international collaboration, education and events, IFD promotes best practices, supports workforce development and fosters innovation across the industry. By connecting professionals from around the world, IFD plays a vital role in strengthening the global roofing community and elevating standards for the future.

The IFD exists to unite roofing organizations worldwide, share knowledge to address common industry challenges and protect and advance the collective interests of its members on a global stage. 

The Coffee Shops™, the award-winning online communities where the industries meet for technologies, safety, information and education for the construction trades of roofing, metal, coatings and outdoor living are pleased to welcome the International Federation of the Roofing Trade (IFD) into their community. 

The IFD is the international umbrella organization of national roofing associations, with industry partners as associate members. It serves as a platform for national roofing organizations to exchange technical documentation, issue unified statements on key industry issues and develop practical recommendations, guidelines and educational resources for its members. 

In addition to being a global space for the roofing profession to come together, the IFD helps shape the future of roofing by contributing their own expertise to international technical standards and approvals, roofing research and innovation and collaboration beyond borders. A great example of the IFD's efforts towards these goals is their hosting of international roofing congresses and the World Championship of Young Roofers.  

Overall, IFD’s mission is to create a space for roofers on the global scale by giving contractors a seat at the table in international conversations about roofing and fostering collaboration and education across the industry. Not only does having this space help individual contractors succeed, it also contributes to the long-term strength of the roofing trade. 

For more information about IFD, you can contact Sabine Rothschuh (IFD general secretary), Dirk Bollwerk (IFD president), Gary Howes (US IFD board members) or Henrik Mosegaard-Johansen (IFD vice president). 

The Coffee Shops are proud to welcome the IFD!

By Jenny Yu.  

Schechtl’s commitment to craftsmanship, innovation and youth education highlights the evolving future of metal roofing. 

At the International Federation of the Roofing Trade (IFD)’s Young Roofers Competition in Austria, Heidi J. Ellsworth had the opportunity to speak with Maria Schechtl, CEO and owner of Schechtl, along with Kristoff Jacob, sales director at Schechtl, about the company's journey to becoming a leading manufacturer of metal bending machines and plate shears.  

Started in 1910 by Maria’s ancestor, Josef Schechtl, Maria reflected on her role in the family’s legacy. “I'm the fourth generation, so it's a long history,” Maria shared. “We started with manual bending machines, and now we build motorized CNC-controlled machines.” 

Now headquartered in Munich, Germany, Schechtl has over 120 employees and sells its machines all over the world. MetalForming LLC in Peachtree, Georgia, exclusively represents Schechtl in the United States. “We started with MetalForming nearly 25 years ago,” Maria said of the partnership. “It’s not common to have these kind of bending machines, so we did a lot of work in the first years to explain to the customer how it works. Now, we have a very good basis and long relationship.” 

The global reach of this long-standing company made its presence at the Young Roofers Competition all the more special. For the event, Schechtl provided some manual bending machines that allowed the students to demonstrate their metal forming skills. “We are very proud to sponsor and give the young people the right equipment to get the best results for a very nice championship,” Kristoff said. “I want to wish my best to all the roofers in the US and also for the US team, that they can run a very nice championship here in Austria.” 

Maria echoed the warmth and enthusiasm for the international youth learning about the metal roofing trades. “All over the world, we don’t get as many craftspeople, so we have to make it nice and easy for them to have fun with this job by providing good machines and automation. That will be the future,” Maria expressed. “The idea of having young people from different countries traveling to have the chance to see something new is very interesting.” 

Watch the full interview to learn more about Schechtl’s history and role in forming the future of metal.

By Jenny Yu.  

A self-proclaimed “roof fanatic” shares a global vision for educating the roofers of tomorrow. 

At the International Federation of the Roofing Trade (IFD) Young Roofers Competition, Heidi J. Ellsworth spoke with the event’s host, Hans-Peter Springinsfeld, owner of Springinsfeld in Tyrol, Austria, about his journey into the roofing industry, why education is so important and what he hopes the international landscape of roofing will look like going forward.  

Hans-Peter shared how he initially started out in the industry. “I got stuck in my dad’s little company in 1984 in flat roofing and decided it was good to stay,” he said. Since then, he hasn’t left. After his father experienced an accident, Hans-Peter took over Springinsfeld at age 22, only three years after joining the company. Now, he has passed the trade down to his own kids, who have in turn founded their own roofing company. “We are roof fanatics,” he expressed. 

This enthusiasm trickles down to how Hans-Peter approaches education in the field through apprenticeship, a dual-education program for students. “Young people starting with 15 years in the craftsmanship work in the company, and they visit school for 10 weeks per year,” he explained. “We pay them during that time. We pay for their dormitory and food, and they learn about theory, how to do special details.” 

According to Hans-Peter, about 85% of companies are made up of only five or so people, making training a burdensome task and a hefty expense. “If you don’t have a school or an apprenticeship, there is a big loss every time someone leaves the company or retires,” he stated. “We need that knowledge, and we need to give it to the next generation.” 

This passing down of knowledge from generation to generation is Hans-Peter’s ultimate vision for the future of the industry. “When I die, if I take my knowledge with me, then my life will be completely worthless,” he shared. “I want to tell these young people what I experienced. They have to make mistakes, and we have to give them the chance to make mistakes, but at the end, they’ll start with a much better base than the generation before.” 

Watch the interview to learn more about Han's vision for young roofers.