Roofing Products Experts Johns Manville and Tarco Partner to Create New EasyLay(TM) Roofing Underlayment
DENVER, Feb. 13 -- Johns Manville (JM), a leader in the roofing products industry for more than 100 years, is partnering with Tarco, the nation's largest roofing underlayment company, to create a new asphalt synthetic underlayment called EasyLay(TM). EasyLay is Tarco's new Leakbarrier® product that employs DuraBase(TM), JM's innovative weatherproof technology.
DuraBase is the latest innovation created by JM's Engineered Products Group, a global leader in the nonwoven industry. DuraBase is unique to the underlayment industry in that it employs the proven technology of asphalt with a new high-performance nonwoven polyester reinforcement. DuraBase technology also allows the EasyLay product to unroll flat in warm and cold weather. Additionally, EasyLay offers greater waterproofing performance and better protection, as it employs DuraBase technology, which provides sealing around nails.
Tarco, based in Little Rock, Ark., is the leading supplier of roofing underlayments for use under roof shingles, ceramic tile and steel roofing. Since 1978, Tarco has steadily broadened its market presence to become one of the largest independently-owned manufacturers of roofing materials for residential and commercial roofing in North America.
"JM is the only manufacturer with the ability to produce this combination of asphalt and nonwoven polyester, which means we can offer builders and contractors this innovative product that provides the performance of synthetics with the benefits and value of felt," said Zain Mahmood, vice president and general manager, Construction Materials and Systems for JM's Engineered Products Group. "Our partnership with Tarco's strong roofing products distribution network will enable us to bring JM's DuraBase nonwoven technology to our customers through EasyLay in an efficient and effective manner."
"There is a growing shift in the marketplace to more non-traditional underlayments, so we're excited to participate in this business opportunity and partner with Johns Manville's expertise in the nonwoven industry," said Steve A. Ratcliff, president and CEO of Tarco.
JM's partnership with Tarco also benefits customers who would otherwise purchase JM's DuraBase in large quantities and incur special shipping charges. Tarco's large national distribution network and residential construction relationships across all channels will enable customers to purchase EasyLay, with DuraBase technology inside, along with other traditional roofing products it is shipping, eliminating the need for special shipments and reducing freight and warehouse costs.
For more information about this product, go to http://www.jm.com/durabase.
About Johns Manville
Johns Manville, a Berkshire Hathaway company (NYSE:BRK.A)(NYSE:BRK.B), is a leading manufacturer and marketer of premium-quality building and specialty products. In business since 1858, the Denver-based company has annual sales of approximately $2.5 billion and holds leadership positions in all of the key markets that it serves. Johns Manville employs approximately 8,500 people and operates 43 manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe and China.
The Engineered Products Group (EPG), one of Johns Manville's four strategic business units, produces glass fibers, glass fiber nonwovens, polyester spunbonds, meltblowns and glass fiber wall coverings at 14 manufacturing locations worldwide: Spartanburg, S.C., Waterville, Ohio, Richland, Miss. and Etowah, Tenn., in the United States; Berlin, Bobingen, Karlstein, Steinach and Wertheim, Germany; St. Helens, UK, Oskarstrom and Helsingborg, Sweden; Trnava, Slovakia; and Shanghai, China.
Source: Johns Manville
CONTACT: Kelly Kambs of Johns Manville, +1-303-978-3772, KambsK@JM.com; or Kim Sporrer of Linhart McClain Finlon, +1-303-383-4645, ksporrer@linhartpr.com for Johns Manville
Web site: http:/www.jm.com/durabase
