The month of April is the 60th anniversary of the founding of Roofmaster by Deryl Yundt. My Dad had been the Pacific Coast manager for Aeroil Products Company of South Hackensack, New Jersey. He actually had taken over for the previous manager, Les Cleasby, who was starting a new venture, to be called Cleasby Whittig, in San Francisco.
In his tenure at Aeroil, he was asked by his customers to handle more products than just what Aeroil manufactured. In asking his manager, Joe
Joe Halperin with Dorothy & Deryl at NRCA 1990
Halperin, to expand their inventory, he was told “we are manufacturers of equipment. You are employed to sell that equipment. You are not employed to sell shovels. End of conversation.”
With the financial backing of some local roofing contractors, Deryl hired one employee, Cornie. Cornie received and delivered all orders. We had customers that suggested new items from problems they had with roofing applications. From that came the first Mopmaster, a 10 gallon half drum on wheels with a handle and the Rotomaster to apply asphalt to sheet for sawtooth roofs. We had been private labeling our Feltmaster and
Feltmaster MRCA 1958 with Deryl
Gravelmaster to Aeroil for about two years, so that was added to the mix.
We have seen lots of changes in the industry in our 60 years. From hot to cold to hot again with modifieds and Leister hot air welders. From roofing in tee shirts and shorts to being covered in safety gear and monitor vests. From the wonderful smell of “hot” to the sound of a Varimat V-2 at 39 feet per minute. From selling a kettle a day in the ’70′s to celebrating selling a kettle in a quarter.
We have seen customers come and go. Southern Distributors, Bryant Universal, San Fernando Valley Lumber, Berkheimers, Hugh McNiven.
We have seen vendors come and go. Aeroil, Blackwell Burner, Smith Hoist.
And we have seen employees come and go. To their maker, Deryl, Jim Nienow and John Mac. To other ventures, Andranette and Greg.
As we enter our next 60 years, we have the third generation in place, ready to attack the challenges of a changing
IRE 2012 Vendor Thank You
marketplace and the ever changing weather, job, material and government conditions.
We raise our glass and toast all of our customers, vendors and employees, for helping us to achieve the past 60 and helping us for the generations to come.
