WILMINGTON, Del. — IKO Industries and Labor Central, an online labor marketplace, announced their new collaboration. This makes IKO the first major roofing manufacturer to offer Labor Central’s services at a special rate for members of its loyalty program, IKO ROOFPRO. ROOFPRO members can make use Labor Central’s services, which include geo-targeted crew sourcing, 24/7 automated alerts and crew profiles.

In establishing this agreement, IKO seeks to further support its ROOFPRO members who may face labor shortage issues and other challenges related to securing workers for their projects. It also serves as a resource for roofers who are looking for additional work.

“Roofing contractors are sometimes forced to turn down jobs due to the lack of manpower. They can now use the Labor Central platform to connect with freelance help as an overflow option or even to expand into new regions,” said Jack Gottesman, IKO’s contractor channels director. 

Once ROOFPROs are connected with Labor Central-generated manpower resources, they can evaluate available crews in order to ensure that the fit is right before anyone heads up onto a roof. 

“Being the first manufacturer to team up with Labor Central is thrilling. We’re confident that their platform will offer our ROOFPRO members an important tool to address the debilitating consequences that labor shortages can have on a roofing business,” said Gottesman.

Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) — a national construction trade association — has released data regarding the gap between projected construction spending and available labor in the U.S. Citing the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ABC’s reporting makes clear that they expect labor shortages to continue into 2023 and potentially beyond.

“Our industry is innovating, and Labor Central is at the forefront, offering creative solutions for today’s increasing demands for skilled labor,” said Jason Stanley, Labor Central’s founder. “We are excited to work with IKO, the first roofing manufacturer in North America to be featured on our website with a unique domain and offer an attractive discount for their loyalty program members.”

ROOFPRO members can learn more at the IKO landing page of Labor Central’s website.