Area Development
Saginaw, Michigan-based Duro-Last Inc., the world’s largest manufacturer of custom-fabricated, thermoplastic roofing systems, will fabricate and manufacture isolation gowns and face masks at its various U.S. manufacturing plants.

Headquartered in Saginaw, Duro-Last has additional manufacturing facilities in Grants Pass, Oregon; Jackson, Mississippi; Sigourney, Iowa; Carrollton, Texas; and Ludlow, Massachusetts.

“This is about helping health care professionals in any way we can and at the same time keeping people employed,” said Tom Saeli, Duro-Last CEO. “I am very proud of and impressed by the people in our company who quickly developed these products.”

“Our country is full of tremendously smart, entrepreneurial people who can bring timely solutions to this unprecedented need. The need is real and I believe it’s our obligation to act now. If the efforts of our team inspire just one other company to join this fight, it will be worth it,” Saeli added.

According to company officials, Duro-Last engineers, product development and manufacturing staff united to fabricate and manufacture isolation gowns and face masks.

Company engineers and production staff reformulated products and retooled processes to manufacture these supplies. Utilizing expertise in manufacturing flexible PVC and fabrics, the team went from prototype to production to delivery in one week.

The gowns are made from flexible PVC making them water and fluid-repellant. The masks are washable and reusable, made from polyester and PVC, officials explained.