A commitment to culture and continuous improvement

By Jenny Yu.  

Meet one of IKO Industries’ plant managers, Burke Nichols, and learn about what he likes most about his role with the company.  

As plant manager at the IKO Industries’ Hagerstown, Maryland, facility, Burke Nichols oversees the production of TPO and polyiso insulation. It’s a job he loves, but it’s the people and the progress of innovation that truly drive his passion.  

After joining IKO over a year ago, Burke says the best part of his role is the connection he has with both his team and his customers. “I like to go out on the floor to see what’s happening, to work with the guys, understand what we may need to do and improve,” he said. “The best part of my job is working with the people that work here as well as those that I work with at the corporate office. It's really enjoyable to go down and meet with the customers, take them out and show them what we do at the plant.” 

Burke values IKO’s commitment to its core principles: integrity, performance, humility, long-term, sharing knowledge and agility. These hang on the wall of his office behind him, as seen in the video, but Burke says they’re much more than just decoration.  “IKO really follows those values and uses those in the decisions they make,” he expressed. “It's obvious from the top down. Not all companies have that.” 

The Hagerstown plant produces two key components in roofing systems: polyiso insulation, which helps buildings stay energy-efficient, and TPO, which provides waterproof protection. Burke sees ongoing improvement as central to IKO’s success. 

“Always be open to change, because change is going to come at you all the time,” he offered. “Even as soon as you finish the project and you think, ‘we just made a big improvement,’ there's opportunity out there to go after even more.” 

Watch the video for a deeper look at Burke’s approach to leadership and IKO’s people-first culture.