In 1965, Bob Scarlett founded Durex Products to solve poor quality and long lead time problems in the screen media market. Inferior screens wore out quickly, causing excessive replacement costs and downtime. Today, Durex screening products and Durex wear parts lead the industry in innovation and quality.

“Durex is dedicated to designing and manufacturing premium quality screens, lining systems and wear parts for the mining and aggregate industries,” said Denny Johnson, Vice-President of Durex. “Our products are engineered to make mining and aggregate operations more productive and profitable. We deliver cost-effective, custom-tailored solutions backed by top-notch sales and engineering support.”

The company creates polyurethane, perforated plate, wire cloth and rubber screens to meet the exacting specifications of the construction industry. Durex also supplies wear parts and other items made of urethane, rubber and ceramics to stand up to abrasion better. All parts are tested under real-life conditions. Standard stock items are ready for shipment in two days, and non-standard items that require longer fabricating time usually ship within five days.

“Scarlett was a visionary leader,” said Johnson. “He knew early on that the product line should be expanded to include other kinds of screens.” In 1975, Durex became a licensed manufacturer of polyurethane screens, and 1986 saw the company begin producing rubber screens in St. Croix Falls, WI. Eleven years later, Durex opened a wire cloth factory in High Point, NC. Durex now operates four manufacturing plants in Wisconsin, Indiana and North Carolina. Last year the company had almost $15 million in sales in the U.S. and around the world.

In 1985, Bob Scarlett passed away and the company adopted an Employee Stock Ownership Plan two years later. Today Durex is 100% employee owned. “There’s a different spirit here, since everyone is an owner of the company,” commented Johnson. “We all realize we have to take good care of customers or we will cease to exist.”

Durex has put into practice some of the programs and practices RGI has implemented. “We’ve cut down on our number of suppliers, for example, using just one supplier for rubber or wire,” he said. “We have to make sure we’re working as effectively as possible. We try to get and give the best service and prices.”

Durex has a Valued Partner Agreement (VPA) with RGI, and Johnson is impressed with the process. “It’s effective since it seems to have the support of the whole company,” he said. “Other places seem to work hard to go around a corporate agreement, and they buy from anyone they want. At Rogers this decision isn’t forced, so it seems to work better.” Durex has serviced all RGI locations for several years.

On the front lines are Dave Olmsted, field salesman for Indiana (cell phone: 765-438-2019), and Hank Stindt, field salesman in Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas and Alabama (cell phone: 513-235-5705). More information on Durex is available from their Website, www.teamdurex.com. “We’re proud to be associated with Rogers Group,” Johnson concluded.

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