The Flintkote Co.

Company History & Product Lines

The Flintkote Company traces its origins to the early years of the twentieth century, when it was established as a manufacturer of building products for the rapidly expanding American construction industry. Through decades of growth and acquisition, Flintkote became one of the dominant names in commercial and residential roofing, flooring, and cement products. At its peak the company operated multiple manufacturing plants across the United States, supplying contractors, homebuilders, and industrial facility operators from coast to coast.

Asbestos was integral to Flintkote’s product strategy for much of the mid-twentieth century. The mineral’s unique combination of heat resistance, tensile strength, and low cost made it an obvious additive for the types of products Flintkote sold: roofing felts and shingles that needed to withstand fire and thermal cycling, floor tiles that needed to resist wear and moisture, and cement boards and pipes that required both strength and durability. Flintkote sourced chrysotile and other asbestos fiber types and incorporated them into its manufacturing processes at virtually every product line level.

Flintkote roofing products were among the most widely used in American residential construction between the 1930s and the mid-1970s. Its asbestos-reinforced roofing felt was used as underlayment beneath shingles on millions of homes. Asbestos shingles manufactured under the Flintkote brand and its various regional trade names covered entire neighborhoods in postwar housing developments. Commercial and industrial buildings often featured corrugated or flat Flintkote asbestos-cement roofing panels that could span large areas without requiring extensive structural framing.

In flooring, Flintkote was a major producer of vinyl-asbestos tile (VAT), the 9×9-inch and 12×12-inch floor tile that became standard in schools, hospitals, government buildings, and residential kitchens and bathrooms throughout the postwar era. VAT typically contained between 20 and 35 percent chrysotile asbestos by weight, bound in a polyvinyl chloride matrix. The tiles were durable, inexpensive, and easy to install, which made them enormously popular with builders and homeowners alike. Flintkote also manufactured the adhesive mastics used to install VAT, many of which likewise contained asbestos.

Flintkote’s asbestos-cement division produced pipe for water and sewer systems, flat and corrugated sheet, and board products used in both interior and exterior applications. Asbestos-cement pressure pipe was used in municipal water supply systems and industrial plants across the country, while asbestos-cement siding provided fireproof cladding on residential buildings.

In the 1970s the Flintkote Company was acquired by Genstar Corporation, the large Canadian construction-materials conglomerate. Genstar subsequently divested or wound down Flintkote’s asbestos-containing product lines as the health hazards of asbestos became undeniable and regulatory pressure mounted. Genstar itself was later acquired by Imasco Limited and portions of the business passed to Blue Circle Industries. However, none of these corporate transitions extinguished the asbestos liabilities that had accumulated over decades of manufacturing. Facing an ever-growing docket of personal injury lawsuits from workers, installers, and building occupants, Flintkote filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in April 2004. The reorganization plan was confirmed in 2012, and a dedicated asbestos personal injury trust was established to handle all present and future claims.

Asbestos Products & Exposure Pathways

Flintkote produced a broad spectrum of asbestos-containing building materials over several decades. Workers who manufactured these products, tradespeople who installed them, and building occupants who later disturbed them were all at risk of inhaling asbestos fibers. The table below summarizes the major product categories, typical asbestos content, and the occupations most likely to have been exposed.

Exposure to Flintkote products was not limited to the professionals who installed them. Secondary or para-occupational exposure was common: family members of workers who carried asbestos dust home on clothing and hair, building occupants in facilities where damaged Flintkote tiles or roofing shed fibers into the air, and do-it-yourself homeowners who cut, sanded, or scraped Flintkote products during home improvement projects all faced potential exposure. Neighborhood or environmental exposure around Flintkote manufacturing plants was also documented in litigation.

Manufacturing Facilities

Flintkote operated a nationwide network of manufacturing plants that allowed it to supply building materials to regional markets efficiently. Workers at these plants faced particularly significant exposure to raw asbestos fiber and to the dust generated in manufacturing processes such as mixing, pressing, cutting, and finishing asbestos-containing products. The following table identifies key Flintkote plant locations documented in asbestos litigation and regulatory records.

Workers at Flintkote plants were exposed on a daily basis to raw asbestos fiber during unloading, blending, and forming operations, as well as to respirable dust generated by cutting and finishing equipment. Plant maintenance workers, who serviced machinery in dusty production areas, were often among the most heavily exposed. Shipping and warehouse workers who handled finished products were also at elevated risk. Many former plant workers and their families have brought claims against the Flintkote Asbestos Trust.

Vinyl-Asbestos Floor Tile & the Renovation Hazard

Of all Flintkote’s asbestos product lines, vinyl-asbestos floor tile (VAT) represents the most widespread ongoing exposure hazard today. Because VAT was installed in tens of millions of American buildings between the late 1940s and 1979, a substantial number of structures—including private homes, school buildings, hospitals, government offices, and commercial properties—still contain Flintkote VAT beneath carpeting, newer flooring, or as exposed floor surfaces.

The critical distinction for current occupants and property owners is whether the VAT is in good condition or damaged. Intact, well-bonded vinyl-asbestos tiles that are not being disturbed generally do not release significant quantities of airborne asbestos fibers. The asbestos is encapsulated within the vinyl matrix and, as long as the tiles are not broken, crumbling, or subject to mechanical abrasion, the risk to ordinary building occupants is low. This condition is referred to as “non-friable” material.

The danger arises during renovation, repair, or demolition activities. Any operation that breaks, grinds, sands, or otherwise mechanically disrupts VAT can release chrysotile asbestos fibers into the air. Specific high-risk renovation activities include:

• Sanding or grinding old VAT to smooth a surface before laying new flooring
• Scraping or chiseling tiles to remove them from a concrete or wood subfloor
• Using power tools such as circular saws, angle grinders, or oscillating multi-tools to cut through flooring assemblies that include VAT
• Demolishing walls, ceilings, or floors in older buildings where VAT may be layered beneath other materials
• Removing the black asbestos-containing mastic adhesive that bonded VAT to the subfloor, which is often more hazardous than the tile itself

Federal law under the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) and the EPA’s National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) regulations requires that suspect asbestos-containing materials be tested and, where confirmed, properly managed or abated by licensed professionals before renovation or demolition commences. Many states impose additional licensing and notification requirements.

If you own or manage a building constructed before 1980 that contains what you believe may be Flintkote VAT, the recommended course of action is to have a certified asbestos building inspector collect bulk samples for laboratory analysis before any renovation work begins. If asbestos is confirmed, a licensed asbestos abatement contractor must perform removal under controlled conditions using wet methods, negative air pressure enclosures, and proper disposal in accordance with local and federal regulations. Do not attempt to remove VAT yourself.

For occupants of buildings with intact Flintkote VAT who are not planning renovation, the EPA generally recommends an “operations and maintenance” approach: keep tiles in good repair, promptly repair or encapsulate damaged tiles, avoid activities that abrade or disturb the floor surface, and maintain records of the known asbestos-containing materials in the building. Regular inspection by qualified professionals is advisable.

Flintkote Asbestos Trust Fund

Background & Establishment

The Flintkote Company filed a voluntary petition for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code in April 2004 in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. At the time of filing, Flintkote faced tens of thousands of pending asbestos personal injury and wrongful death claims, with additional future claims expected given the long latency period of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. The company determined that reorganization through a trust-based resolution was necessary to provide fair compensation to all claimants—both current and future.

The reorganization process was protracted and contentious, involving disputes among current claimants, future claimants represented by a court-appointed futures representative, Flintkote’s parent company Genstar, and various insurance carriers. After years of litigation and negotiation, the Third Amended Plan of Reorganization was confirmed by the Bankruptcy Court in 2012. Pursuant to that plan, the Flintkote Asbestos Trust was established and funded to handle all present and future asbestos personal injury claims against the Flintkote Company.

Trust Payment Percentage

The Flintkote Asbestos Trust pays claims at a payment percentage of approximately 15% of the scheduled value of each qualifying claim. This means that a claimant with a qualifying mesothelioma diagnosis who is eligible for the maximum scheduled value for that disease category would receive approximately 15 cents for every scheduled dollar. Payment percentages across asbestos trusts vary widely depending on the assets available and the volume of present and future claims. The 15% rate reflects the large number of claimants and the complex funding arrangements that resulted from Flintkote’s bankruptcy proceedings.

Claimants who are able to demonstrate extraordinary circumstances—such as particularly severe disease, significant past exposure, or documented extraordinary out-of-pocket losses—may be eligible for an Individual Review of their claim outside the expedited review process, potentially yielding a different settlement outcome.

Eligible Disease Categories

How to File a Claim

Filing a claim with the Flintkote Asbestos Trust requires the assistance of an experienced asbestos attorney. The general process involves several steps:

1. Medical documentation: Obtain complete medical records establishing a confirmed diagnosis of an asbestos-related disease from a qualified pulmonologist, oncologist, or pathologist.
2. Exposure documentation: Gather evidence that you or your family member was exposed to Flintkote asbestos-containing products specifically. This may include employment records, coworker affidavits, product identification evidence, or worksite records placing Flintkote products at a jobsite.
3. Retain an attorney: An attorney with asbestos trust claim experience will complete the trust’s official claim forms, ensure all documentation meets the trust’s submission requirements, and file the claim electronically through the trust’s claims processing system.
4. Trust review: The trust’s claims processing administrator reviews the submission for completeness and compliance with the trust distribution procedures (TDP). Expedited claims are typically processed within several months; Individual Review claims take longer.
5. Payment: Upon approval, the trust issues payment at the applicable payment percentage. Claimants may simultaneously pursue claims against multiple asbestos trusts if exposure to multiple manufacturers’ products can be documented.

Statutes of limitations apply to asbestos trust claims and may vary by state and by the date of diagnosis. It is critical to consult with an attorney promptly after diagnosis to preserve your right to compensation.