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Duro-Last® Company History

Duro-Last® Company History

The Duro-Last Story

After working as a lumberjack, carpenter, tool and die maker and soldier, among other jobs, John R Burt got into the swimming pool business. After a liner he had purchased failed, he recognized the importance of vertical integration to control quality and founded Tri-City Vinyl to manufacture his own pool liners. One day it occurred to him: If his product could keep water in, it could keep water out. In 1978, that insight became the Duro-Last Roofing System.

The majority of roofing system failures then (and still today) are not because of the product itself, but to workmanship on-site. To solve this problem, Duro-Last developed custom-fabrication methods and specialized equipment which allows us to complete nearly 100% of the difficult roof details and up to 85% of field seams under ideal, factory-controlled conditions. The result is lower on-site labor costs and better installation quality. Learn more about our custom-fabrication benefits here.

Duro-Last is now the world's largest manufacturer of custom-fabricated roofing systems. Duro-Last Roofing Systems, our contractor installation team, customer service and best-in-class warranties all set the quality standards for the roofing industry.

How it All Started

At 58-years-old, our founder, John R Burt, started a small business which would grow into the multi-million dollar company it is today. John's unique skill set and entrepreneurial spirit eventually led to success, but not without some struggle along the way.

History Highlights

See a timeline of the biggest moments in John R Burt Enterprises' history.

John R Burt Quotes

Through the years, John's employees, friends and family remembered some of his most memorable, inspirational and humorous quotes.