Building modern networking and learning opportunities

By Emma Peterson. 

Exploring IFD’s history, growth and commitment to connecting roofers through education, networking and shared best practices. 

Recently, our team got the chance to sit down with Henrik Mosegaard-Johansen for an interview about his involvement with IFD. Henrik has a long history in the roofing industry, with over three decades spent with VELUX. Today, he is their international key account director for region north. In addition to his work with VELUX, Henrik has been a passionate participant in IFD (International Federation of the Roofing Trade). In his own words, “I started engaging myself with the IFD back in 2011 and eventually was elected as an observer of the board, which is kind of like a board member.” He went on to describe what he does on the board, sharing, “Inside the board, we have split up the responsibilities, as you would in a company. So, my responsibility is within marketing as well as partnerships.”  

Over the course of his 12+ years spent on the board, Henrik has gotten to know IFD and their history well. He shared a bit of his knowledge with us:  

IFD was founded in 1952, with four members: Austria, Switzerland, Germany and Luxembourg. The first many years it was a Western European Association, and then the Berlin Wall fell and national associations from Eastern Europe, like Slovakia, Hungary and Russia joined. And now today, we have associations from other continents, like the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA). 

This incredible growth has been a boom to the industry on a whole in many different ways. For one, they have helped raise standards of quality and craftsmanship internationally. Henrik explained, “The IFD helped organizations to grow specifically within international technical guidelines. As more countries develop and build their own national association, IFD is there to help them create a foundation of guidelines and best practices that are harder to build when you have less experience. IFD offers that experience.” 

And guidelines aren’t the only way they’ve done this. By simply creating a space for roofers around the world to meet, IFD has built a community that can uplift each other and its industry. As Henrik put it, “Historically, in Western Europe, roofers would learn new techniques and tools by sending their apprentices to go on what we call the walls. During this, the apprentice would go outside their hometown to the next town, county or even country to learn about how roofers were doing things. Then they’d bring that info back and everyone would improve.” 

The goal with the IFD is to create this type of collaborative, learning environment in a modern era. How are they doing that? One big push within the IFD has been creating in-person events that promote the industry. This includes their highly anticipated Championship of the Young Roofer, their biannual Congress and their newest initiative, the Connection Forum (which will be held for the first time on 14-15 October 2026 in Vienna, Austria)!  

Henrik shared a bit about this new event, saying, “In our Congresses, the focus is really on getting information through presentations from experts. The Connection Forum’s goal is to focus more on giving people the chance to discuss and network. Kind of like those apprentices back in the day.” The event will also host some events, including a speech from The Coffee Shops™ CEO Heidi J. Ellsworth and international guideline development workshops. 

Overall, the development of the Connection Forum in addition to their already established events is a prime example of how IFD continues to serve modern roofers. As Henrik put it, “Our umbrella goal is always to find ways for IFD to add more value to the community, to the industry and to our associations.”