GAF, a Standard Industries company and North America's largest roofing manufacturer, is celebrating impressive progress in its alliance with the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS).

Since launching the alliance, GAF has successfully trained more than 650 individuals from over 350 GAF Master Elite companies to become FORTIFIED certified. The partnership, announced earlier this year, was designed to make resilient FORTIFIED roofs more accessible to homeowners across the country by combining GAF's extensive product portfolio and training expertise with IBHS's decades of weather-resistance research.

The comprehensive training program equips contractors with specialized knowledge and hands-on skills needed to install roofs designed to better protect homes from severe weather events. GAF provides numerous roofing products that comply with IBHS's FORTIFIED Roof standards and is deploying its critical training expertise to help contractors identify those products and master FORTIFIED installation methods. Through this initiative, GAF is expanding the pool of qualified roofing professionals capable of making resilient FORTIFIED roofs more accessible to homeowners nationwide.

"We are excited to have added hundreds of GAF Master Elite contractors to the list of FORTIFIED roofing contractors who can now deliver roofs designed to be stronger and more durable against severe weather, helping communities across the country build resiliency," said Mike Thomas, director, learning & development storm restoration at GAF. "By raising the bar for roofing standards and expanding access to IBHS' FORTIFIED solutions, we're proud to not only help families feel more secure in their homes but also drive meaningful progress across the roofing industry as a whole."

The impact of FORTIFIED roofing is supported by compelling data. Recent studies show homes with FORTIFIED roofs experienced a 73% reduction in claim frequency, a 15% reduction in claim severity, and a 72% reduction in loss ratios compared with conventionally built homes. This data underscores the growing demand for contractors trained in these critical weather-resistant construction techniques.

As part of its alliance with IBHS, GAF leverages its established CARE (Center for Advancement of Roofing Excellence) program to provide specialized training that helps GAF Master Elite® Contractors meet requirements to become FORTIFIED Certified Roofing Contractors with IBHS.

"Through our alliance with GAF, the training and certification of roofing professionals in FORTIFIED standards have expanded significantly, transforming the landscape of resilient roofing and expanding access to FORTIFIED across the country," said Fred Malik, managing director of FORTIFIED at IBHS. "This collaboration equips GAF Master Elite contractors to help homeowners protect their homes from severe weather, supporting stronger, safer communities."