LIVE from IRE 2025 with USG! - PODCAST TRANSCRIPT

Editor's note: The following is the transcript of a live interview with Derek Hutchinson of USG. You can read the interview below or watch the recording.

Megan Ellsworth: Hello everyone. Megan Ellsworth here at the Coffee Shop Sound stage, brought to you by SRS Distribution and I'm here with my friend Derek from USG. Hello. 

Derek Hutchinson: Hello, <laugh>. 

Megan Ellsworth: How are 

Derek Hutchinson: You? I am phenomenal yourself. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yay. I'm so good. Better now, <laugh>. 

Derek Hutchinson: Awesome. There you go. 

Megan Ellsworth: Um, I'm excited to hear about everything USG is doing. So to dive right in, I'll just have you introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about USG. 

Derek Hutchinson: Yeah, absolutely. So I'm Derek Hutchinson, the director of sales for us G'S Roofing Division. Uh, this year is my 19th year with SG, so it's a Oh wow. Pretty exciting time, time flies, uh, <laugh>. Yeah. Um, so for USG roofing, um, an exciting year for us as well. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. This is your big anniversary, right? 

Derek Hutchinson: Yeah, this is our 20th year in roofing. Wow. So it is exciting. It's, it's wild to think that, you know, 20 years ago we, uh, we went down this path of 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. 

Derek Hutchinson: Going into commercial roofing and, and here we are, um, having great success attic. Um, so many roofs out there with our boards in there performing. I know exceptionally well. It's been awesome. 

Megan Ellsworth: That's amazing. Well, congratulations on 20 years. Yeah. That's a huge feat. Yeah. We just had our 20 year anniversary about two years ago as well, so we're awesome. We're almost the same age. 

Derek Hutchinson: There you go, <laugh>. I love it. 

Megan Ellsworth: I 

Derek Hutchinson: Love it. Um, 

Megan Ellsworth: And one more year and USG can drink 

Derek Hutchinson: <laugh> <laugh> and that we will 

Megan Ellsworth: <laugh> we'll party it up. 

Derek Hutchinson: Yeah. 

Megan Ellsworth: Um, okay, so you're here at IRE, so glad. What's your booth number? 

Derek Hutchinson: Our boot number is ten one zero seven. 

Megan Ellsworth: Amazing. Good. Rem good remembering on that 

Derek Hutchinson: <laugh>. Yeah. 

Megan Ellsworth: Um, so you have a booth. What are people asking? I know the show just opened, but what are people interested when they've been coming up to the booth today? Yeah, 

Derek Hutchinson: So I think for us, um, there's, there's basically three primary areas that people are asking about. Um, number one is about our 20 year history. Right. I see. So they, they're really intrigued by that, knowing that Secur Rock has been around for 20 years and counting. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. 

Derek Hutchinson: Um, number two, um, behind our 20 years, we actually have 120 years of innovation. 

Megan Ellsworth: Wow. 

Derek Hutchinson: So, USG has been, um, in business and making products for over 120 years in innovating. Wow. Um, I personally come from that space. I used to work at the Innovation center. Okay. 

Megan Ellsworth: Um, 

Derek Hutchinson: So it's, uh, it's, it's definitely, um, in my background and something that's personal to me. And then lastly, we, we announced a new product. 

Megan Ellsworth: Oh my gosh. Okay. 

Derek Hutchinson: Yep. So we announced a new product to the industry. Um, it is called USG Secure Rock Weather Defense. 

Megan Ellsworth: Okay. 

Derek Hutchinson: And so our thoughts behind it is, Hey, we have a product that can withstand the weather, right? Yeah. The elements of the weather. Right. When you think about hail proof, windproof, storm proof and all, in all future proof. 

Megan Ellsworth: Wow. Yeah. Okay. So when, when people are asking about the new product, what are you telling them? Uh, what, how can they put this in place on their job site? 

Derek Hutchinson: Yeah, absolutely. No, I'd a it's a, it's a great new product for the industry and, um and when we look at that, when we talk to our customers about it, it's about, Hey, where, what do you see this building Yeah. 

Megan Ellsworth: In the 

Derek Hutchinson: Future. Right. And how do you prepare for that today 

Megan Ellsworth: Mm-hmm <affirmative>. 

Derek Hutchinson: And given the elements that we're seeing from the weather. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. 

Derek Hutchinson: Um, how does this help with that and minimize any destruction, um, from the roof part of it? Right. Yeah. So this product is a, uh, is a glass face, um, high density core. Wow. And, um, it does exceptionally well with hail. 

Megan Ellsworth: Wow. That's awesome. And I mean, all the extreme, especially here in Texas, all the extreme hail people have been seeing. This is great. So just in case people don't know about USG, you all create cover 

Derek Hutchinson: Boards. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yes. And Secure Rock is, I mean, a hundred years, that's what a history. Yeah. Can you tell us a little bit about the history of the innovation of these cover boards through the 120 

Derek Hutchinson: Years? Yeah, yeah, absolutely. So, so USG, um, again, in the early 19 hundreds, uh, started up making, um, wallboard, right? Okay. So we, you know, when we went from plaster to actually putting gypsum between two sheets of paper, um, USG started that and called it Sheet 

Megan Ellsworth: Rock. 

Derek Hutchinson: Okay. So Sheet Rock is our brand name and it, and it goes back that far and we've made so many different products over the end 

Megan Ellsworth: Wow. 

Derek Hutchinson: Over, over our, our lifespan. And, uh, in 2005 is when we launched Secure Rock, our, our roof cover board for commercial roofs. 

Megan Ellsworth: Wow. That what a rich history. And it's so nice for all those commercial contractors out there to know that they're putting on a product that has been tested by the test of time. 

Derek Hutchinson: Yeah, absolutely. 

Megan Ellsworth: That's amazing. 

Derek Hutchinson: Absolutely. It's something that they can rely on. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. 

Derek Hutchinson: And then Notta is performing today, right? Mm-hmm <affirmative>. Even the roofs that we installed in 2005 are still performing very well today. 

Megan Ellsworth: That's awesome. And now with the new product Weather Defense. Right. 

Derek Hutchinson: Weather defense. Ooh, that's exciting. Oh, yeah. Absolutely. Absolutely. 

Megan Ellsworth: Awesome. So do you have any demos in the booth of the new product? 

Derek Hutchinson: We actually do, um, definitely come by the boot. We have some demos there. We have some samples as well that you can feel it, touch it, eat it, whatever you want to do. <laugh>. Um, 

Megan Ellsworth: Awesome. 

Derek Hutchinson: You know, we have it there, so Yep. Definitely come by, check it out. 
Megan Ellsworth: Perfect. Well, if you are not at the show yet, you know where to start. Yep. At the USG booth ten one oh seven. 

Derek Hutchinson: Correct. 

Megan Ellsworth: Got it. Um, and then if you're not at the show, that's okay. You can go to roofers coffee shop.com and to the USG directory to learn more. Um, anything else you want people to know before we sign off about USG? 

Derek Hutchinson: I think, um, one last thing I want people to know is that, from my perspective, cover boards are extremely important in roofs. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yes. 

Derek Hutchinson: Right. Um, it's, it's about the durability of that roof. 

Megan Ellsworth: Mm-hmm <affirmative>. 

Derek Hutchinson: It's about protecting what's inside that roof. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yep. 

Derek Hutchinson: And, um, you know, I, I do, when, when I walk on a roof and there's not a cover board on there, I question like, how well is this roof performing 

Megan Ellsworth: Mm-hmm <affirmative>. 

Derek Hutchinson: And, uh and installing a cover board makes just a complete difference in that roof. So I'd love people to install more cover boards. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. Truly, I completely agree. I saw your guys' booth at our cat last year mm-hmm <affirmative>. And I got the kind of ex the dummy explanation, um, as a beginner learner here about cover boards and how it's like a, a roof sandwich. Correct. And it, it's so important to the mechanics of the roof and I you're so right. It's just so pivotal Yeah. To the, that roof's 

Derek Hutchinson: Performance. Yeah, absolutely. 

Megan Ellsworth: Amazing. 

Derek Hutchinson: Absolutely. 

Megan Ellsworth: Well, thank you so much, Derek. 

Derek Hutchinson: Yeah, my pleasure. Thank you. 

Megan Ellsworth: Ah, amazing. Everyone go to their booth, check out their directory on roofers coffee shop.com. And really quick, what's your website? 

Derek Hutchinson: Our website is usg.com. We'll keep it simple. 

Megan Ellsworth: Amazing <laugh>, easy peasy. Yep. usg.com. Go there to learn more and we'll see you on the next interview. Um, here at IRE.