Things You May Not Know About Asphalt

Asphalt, also known as bitumen in the trade, is a semi-solid form of petroleum in a sticky, black, and highly viscous state. Approximately 70% of global resources are used to hard-surface roads. Its other main uses are for bituminous waterproofing products, including production of asphalt shingles, roofing felt and for sealing flat roofs.

Asphalt as a Product is Older Than You Think

Alberta has most of the world’s bitumen resources in the Athabasca Oil Sands, an area larger than England. However, the Indus Valley Civilization in South Asia discovered resources there 7,000 years ago. Two thousand years later they were using hot asphalt to glue bricks together, and waterproof their ships and homes and the idea eventually spread throughout Europe.

The indigenous North American west coast Tongva, Luiseño and Chumash people found a local resource in the 13^th Century and put it to good use as a waterproofing agent and adhesive.

Fast forward to 1834, when Scotsman Richard Tippin patented asphalt pavements in the UK he had spotted in Europe. Before that, the material was already in popular medicinal use for stuffy noses, asthma and tape worm. In 1876, Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington DC was asphalted in time for the national centennial celebrations.

The Family-Owned IKO Asphalt Plant in Calgary

The IKO Company is one of Canada’s success stories. The business founded in Brampton, Ontario in 1951 to make building paper and later coated-roll roofing. The first asphalt shingles rolled off the production line in 1954 and soon became an essential part of our architectural culture.

Expansion was solid including a shingle plant established in Belgium in 1972. The second Canadian plant began production in Hawkesbury, Ontario, in 1976. Thereafter IKO expanded into the US marketplace. Its newest plant is at Sylacauga, Alabama, while another is building in in Hillsboro, Texas.

A Few Lessons Worth Taking Away from IKO

The IKO plant in Calgary where we also have our business follows the parent company policy of continuous improvement to equipment and operating processes. It collaborates with sister plants in North America and Europe to share best practices and improved refining systems.

We believe in following a similar approach at Valiant Exteriors in Calgary. Our full service exterior renovations get better every year as new technologies roll out. We dedicate ourselves to providing our customers the very best quality that’s possible. Please send us a message for more information and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.