Advanced roofing technology Icopal

ADVANCED ROOFING TECHNOLOGY

Icopal is a Danish company that was founded in 1876 by Jens Villadsen, a master carpenter who had specialised in the repair of old tar roofs. The business grew rapidly and, in 1894, he patented a new tar roofing material called Dansk Tagpixtjaere. It was not until 1907 that the Icopal trademark was registered by Jens Villadsen’s son Christian Villadsen – the name came from the Aztec word for resin.

In 1912 a new company was established to manufacture Icopal bitumen roofing felt and, in 1955, the parent company name, Villadsens Fabriker, was changed to Icopal AS. Since then, the company’s core product, roofing membranes, has been continuously developed and expanded to incorporate under-roofing, plastic gutters, roofing panels, roof tiles and geo-membranes.

In 1989, Icopal completed its largest acquisition with the takeover of the leading French group Siplast SA, which had subsidiaries in the USA and Germany. The more recent acquisition of Anderson Waterproofing Ltd in 1990 was another landmark development and was followed by the purchase of the Belgian company Polytuil and the UK company Callenders and Vulcanite soon afterwards.

Icopal extended its foothold in eastern Europe with the acquisition of the Polish company Izilacja SA in 2000. Later that same year, Icopal was itself taken over by a business consortium consisting of USbased Carlisle Companies Inc along with two Danish financial investment companies, Axel ll AS and Kirkbi AS and FIH, one of Denmark’s leading corporate banks. Since 2000, the company has continued to grow and acquire other ‘synergistic’ European companies. In 2007 it was sold to the investment management firm Investcorp.

The Icopal group is a global supplier of high-end products for flat and pitched roofing, including installation services. Its core business is waterproofing with a particular focus on membranes but also related building materials.

Universal approval

In the building membranes sector, Icopal technology leads the world in both innovation and functionality. For example, Icopal

Fonda is a hi-tech building membrane and is a foundation wall panel that has been developed in the form of a knobbed sheet made from polypropylene for protection against moisture. It can be used effectively for walls and wooden floors as well as for concrete sub-structures.

Used on foundation walls, Fonda Universal panels provide maximum protection against moisture, especially when earth mass is under pressure. It is here that the knobs provide extra strength against compression and ensure the efficient drainage of moisture in the wall. For turfed or green roofs, Fonda Universal provides the most efficient product on the market for protection against moisture, and it offers perfect fastening options for Fonda Gable boards and vent shafts. Fonda Special is another product designed for use as a vapour barrier under wooden or concrete floors. The raised knobs on this product are solid and designed to withstand extremes of heat and cold. All Icopal Fonda building products are made from polypropylene (PP), which offers greater walking comfort and effective sound deadening while offering the environmental advantage of being 100 per cent recyclable.

Icopal’s universal under-roof moisture and vapour barriers also work as a shield that

protects roofing insulation materials, and the building structure itself, from the effects of the weather. Icopal’s specially developed roofing underlay has two functions, firstly as a secondary roofing system and secondly as a primary weather shield during the construction process.

The Icopal roofing underlay portfolio is divided into two distinct product groups: the traditional ‘no vapour through membrane’ underlay which is constructed of reinforcing polyester yarn or polypropylene, and breather membranes which are either constructed from polypropylene or a special co-polymer plastic. These 100 per cent PPbased products are composed of a microporous film sandwich, which is made from a protective PP spun bonding material.

All the materials used to produce Icopal building membranes are made from virgin polypropylene materials that have been subjected to strict Icopal quality control procedures.

The right pitch

Pitched roofing materials is yet another sector in which Icopal enjoys market leader status. From gutters to roofing tiles, Icopal

is able to provide total roofing solutions for its customers. Icopal’s Decra roof tile range offers complete roofing packages from a single source, including breather membranes and a choice of underlays, eaves protection systems and ventilation systems. Icopal’s Decra range offers six tile profiles which can be coated or galvanised steel panels with the appearance of traditional tiles. These panelled tiles offer an attractive and economic roofing solution for all types of roof down to a 10° pitch.

In gutters, Icopal offers the Rainmate range which provides a safe, effective and attractive roofing system. Rainmate tiles have a long lifespan and require virtually no maintenance. They are quick and easy to assemble and install, and are designed to withstand even the harshest Scandinavian winters. These tiles can be enhanced by the application of Icopal Aluzink®, which is a special external coating that provides an antique or weathered appearance. The unique combination of aluminium and zinc creates an attractive sheen and even greater product durability. All Icopal components and accessories are available with Aluzink coating to ensure that the roof has a distinctive and uniformly attractive appearance. n

www.icopal.com