Industrial Insulation Products (Highest Risk)
| Product | Common Brands | Where Used |
|---|---|---|
| Pipe insulation (block & sectional) | Kaylo (Owens Corning), Unibestos (Pittsburgh Corning), Pabco, Paragon | Refineries, chemical plants, power plants, shipyards |
| Boiler lagging / block | Johns-Manville, Armstrong, Eagle-Picher | Power plants, ship engine rooms, industrial boilers |
| Asbestos cement (mud) | Thermbestos, Insulbric, Calsilite | Applied over pipe insulation; used by insulators to seal joints |
| Asbestos cloth & tape | Carey Cloth (Philip Carey), Manville cloth | Pipe joints, expansion joints, high-heat fittings |
| Asbestos rope & packing | Armstrong, Garlock | Boiler and pump packing; valve stem seals |
| Refractory insulating block | A.P. Green, Combustion Engineering, Detrick | Furnace linings, coke ovens, boiler fireboxes |
Gaskets & Friction Products
| Product | Common Brands | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Asbestos gaskets (sheet & spiral wound) | Garlock, Flexitallic, Chesterton, John Crane | High |
| Brake pads & linings | Bendix, Raybestos, Wagner, Rockwell | High |
| Clutch facings | Borg-Warner, Dana, Raybestos | High |
| Pump and valve packing | Garlock, Anchor Packing, Flexitallic | High |
Building Materials
| Product | Common Use Period | Location in Buildings |
|---|---|---|
| Vinyl floor tiles | 1950–1980 | 9"×9" floor tiles; adhesive mastic also contains asbestos |
| Ceiling tiles (acoustic) | 1950–1975 | Drop ceilings in commercial and institutional buildings |
| Joint compound (drywall mud) | 1940–1977 | Drywall finishing; sanding generates high fiber concentrations |
| Spray-applied fireproofing | 1958–1973 | Structural steel in commercial buildings |
| Asbestos insulation board | 1930–1975 | Pipe chases, around boilers, partition boards |
| Roofing felt & shingles | 1920–1980 | Residential and commercial roofing |
| Textured paint / popcorn ceiling | 1945–1977 | Residential ceilings; common in homes built before 1978 |
| Transite board (asbestos cement board) | 1930–1975 | Exterior siding, laboratory countertops, electrical panels |
Key Defendants by Product Category
Mesothelioma lawsuits name the manufacturers of specific products — not necessarily the facility operator. Major defendants by product category include:
- Pipe insulation: Owens Corning (Kaylo), Pittsburgh Corning (Unibestos), Johns-Manville, Armstrong
- Boiler products: Johns-Manville, Eagle-Picher, Combustion Engineering, Babcock & Wilcox
- Gaskets: Garlock Sealing Technologies, Flexitallic, John Crane, Chesterton
- Refractories: A.P. Green, Harbison-Walker, Kaiser Refractories
- Friction products: Bendix (now Honeywell), Raybestos (now Pneumo Abex), Borg-Warner
- Building materials: W.R. Grace, National Gypsum, United States Gypsum (USG)
Many of these companies have established asbestos bankruptcy trusts. An attorney’s case investigation typically identifies which specific products were used at your worksite and which trusts apply to your claim.