Duro-Last X™ Launch Success Owed to Contractor Driven Development

By Cass Jacoby, RCS Reporter. 

Jason Dark and Steve Ruth of Duro-Last reveal the key to developing innovative products is making contractors a part of the process.  

In a recent Roofing Road trip podcast, Heidi J. Ellsworth visits with Duro-Last’s Jason Dark and Steve Ruth about the launch of Duro-Last X™ (DLX), the industry's first custom-cut roll good membrane solution. They discuss the importance of speaking with roofing contractors when developing improved solutions that offer increased productivity, profitability and performance for their businesses. 

Jason Dark has worn many hats throughout his 16 years at Duro-Last. Today he is vice president of sales and an active participant in the Roofing Alliance.   

Steve Ruth, the senior vice president of sales at Duro-Last and has worked with the company for 36 years.  

“Duro-Last has proven for 43 years the value of custom. Custom- fabricated roof systems and our custom approach to the rooftop and our services and what we do with contractors,” says Steve. “That's the foundation of where it came from. Really the voice of the customer drove it.” 

“For our entire company's history, our founder John Burt instilled in us the voice of the customer is everything,” Jason adds. 

Throughout their combined 52 years in the industry, Jason and Steve have been committed to driving the developing and manufacturing of products at Duro-Last that help contractors grow their business by utilizing labor efficient, high-performance, long-lasting roofing systems. 

A huge factor in their success has come from listening to what contractors are saying in the field. “A lot of our product innovation comes from that group asking questions,” says Steve. “As well as all of our customers asking questions and giving us ideas and giving us recommendations on how to make the current assemblies and products and systems that we have faster and better.”  

“We actually have two different contractor advisory boards that we have meetings with each year. They give us feedback,” says Jason. “They give us ideas and concepts and DLX is what was born from that.” 

“That's really how DLX originated several years ago,” agrees Steve. “It ties into the labor problem that is currently going on in commercial roofing. The custom- fabricated roof system that we have, and the DLX system, really addresses that labor. Less people on the roof, less decision-making, and faster and easier installations.” 

“DLX is our approach to making roll good roofing better, faster, easier with that long-term performance we're known for and make it better for roofing contractors and buildings,” says Steve.  

“We saw a need there to provide something that made it easier on the rooftop, better for roofing contractors, more profitable for roofing contractors. Something to sell that makes it easy to understand commercial roofing to that decision maker. That was the evolution of the DLX.” 

Steve and Jason emphasize that the key to the successful development and launch of Duro-Last X™ has been listening to the industry and their customers, and providing solutions ahead of time. 

“We design everything to have less people on the roof and just peace of mind after it all. To us, that's what's important long- term to roofing contractors and that's how our contractors feel about it,” says Jason. 

Listen to the entire podcast to learn more about the Duro-Last X™ launch and how Duro-Last is developing and manufacturing products that help contractors grow their businesses.