Flintkote Company: Asbestos Products, Occupational Exposure, and Trust Fund Information

Flintkote Company was one of the most prominent building materials manufacturers in the United States throughout the mid-twentieth century. Operating from its headquarters in White Plains, New York, the company supplied roofing materials and floor products to construction projects, residential developments, and commercial jobsites across the country for decades. Workers who installed, cut, sanded, or removed Flintkote products between the 1940s and the mid-1970s may have been exposed to asbestos fibers and could be eligible to file a claim with the Flintkote Company Asbestos Personal Injury Trust.

Company History

Flintkote Company was founded in 1901 and grew steadily throughout the first half of the twentieth century to become a major force in the American construction materials industry. The company manufactured a broad range of building products, with particular strength in roofing systems and resilient flooring. Its products were distributed nationally and appeared on residential, commercial, and industrial jobsites throughout the postwar building boom that stretched from the late 1940s through the 1970s.

Like many building materials manufacturers of the era, Flintkote incorporated asbestos into a number of its product lines. Asbestos was prized during this period for its fire resistance, tensile strength, durability, and relatively low cost. Federal regulations did not restrict asbestos use in building materials until the Environmental Protection Agency began acting under authority granted by the Clean Air Act and, later, the Toxic Substances Control Act. Flintkote ceased incorporating asbestos into its products by 1975.

As asbestos-related disease claims mounted in subsequent decades, Flintkote faced escalating litigation. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2004. That reorganization process ultimately resulted in the creation of a dedicated compensation mechanism for individuals harmed by exposure to the company’s asbestos-containing products.

Asbestos-Containing Products

Flintkote manufactured two primary categories of asbestos-containing building materials that appeared widely on American jobsites from the 1940s through 1975.

Asbestos Roofing Felt and Shingles

Flintkote produced asbestos-reinforced roofing felt and asbestos shingles that were used extensively in residential and commercial roofing applications. Roofing felt, also known as tar paper or underlayment, was typically saturated with asphalt and reinforced with asbestos fibers to improve tear resistance and weather durability. This product was installed beneath finished roofing materials on millions of homes and buildings constructed during the postwar housing expansion.

Asbestos shingles produced by Flintkote were installed as the finished exterior roofing surface on residential and light commercial structures. These shingles combined asbestos fiber with cement or asphalt binders to create a fire-resistant, long-lasting roofing product. Both the roofing felt and shingles were capable of releasing respirable asbestos fibers when cut, trimmed, broken, or disturbed during installation, repair, or removal.

Roofers, roofing laborers, and general construction workers who handled Flintkote roofing products on active jobsites faced direct inhalation risk. Mechanics and tradespeople working in areas where roofing products were being cut or applied were also potentially exposed to airborne fibers, even if they were not directly working with the materials themselves.

Asbestos Floor Tile

Flintkote also manufactured asbestos-containing floor tile — commonly called vinyl asbestos tile (VAT) or asbestos floor tile — that was installed in schools, hospitals, office buildings, retail spaces, and private homes across the United States. These 9-inch and 12-inch square tiles typically contained between 15 and 30 percent chrysotile asbestos by weight, which provided dimensional stability, fire resistance, and resistance to scuffing and cracking.

Asbestos floor tile became one of the most widely distributed asbestos-containing products in American construction history. During installation, tiles were scored, snapped, and cut to fit irregular spaces, generating asbestos dust. Old adhesive containing asbestos was often scraped up and replaced. Refinishing and sanding operations on floors covered with asbestos tile were among the most hazardous activities, as the mechanical abrasion of the tile surface released significant quantities of asbestos fiber.

Floor tile installers, tile setters, floor finishers, and maintenance workers who regularly worked with or around Flintkote floor tile products faced repeated occupational exposure throughout the years these products were in active use.

Occupational Exposure

Workers across multiple trades encountered Flintkote asbestos-containing products as a routine part of their daily work from the 1940s through the mid-1970s. The following occupations and work environments are among those most commonly associated with Flintkote product exposure:

  • Roofers and roofing laborers who installed or repaired Flintkote asbestos shingles and felt on residential and commercial structures
  • Floor tile installers and tile setters who cut, fit, and adhered Flintkote asbestos floor tile
  • Flooring mechanics and finish floor workers who sanded, stripped, or refinished floors containing Flintkote tile
  • Maintenance and janitorial workers in buildings where Flintkote floor tile had been installed, particularly when tiles were broken, cracked, or abraded
  • General construction laborers present on jobsites where Flintkote roofing or flooring products were actively being worked
  • Building renovation and demolition workers who disturbed existing Flintkote products installed in earlier decades

Secondary exposure also occurred among family members of workers who carried asbestos fibers home on their clothing, skin, and hair — a documented pathway particularly relevant for spouses and children of roofers and flooring tradespeople active during this period.

Asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, and pleural disease, typically have latency periods of 20 to 50 years between initial exposure and clinical diagnosis. A worker exposed to Flintkote products in the 1950s or 1960s may only now be receiving a diagnosis related to that historical exposure.

Bankruptcy and Trust Formation

Flintkote Company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2004 in response to the accumulated weight of asbestos personal injury litigation. The bankruptcy reorganization process ultimately led to the establishment of a dedicated compensation fund to pay claims from individuals who suffered asbestos-related injuries attributable to Flintkote products.

The Flintkote Company Asbestos Personal Injury Trust is an active asbestos bankruptcy trust that processes and pays claims from eligible claimants. The trust was created to ensure that individuals harmed by Flintkote’s asbestos-containing products have a defined and accessible channel for compensation, separate from the traditional civil litigation process.

Who May Be Eligible to File

Individuals who may be eligible to file a claim with the Flintkote Asbestos PI Trust include:

  • Workers who were directly exposed to Flintkote asbestos roofing felt, shingles, or floor tile products during the course of their employment
  • Family members who experienced secondary or take-home exposure through contact with a worker who handled Flintkote asbestos products
  • Legal representatives of deceased individuals who were exposed to Flintkote products and who died from an asbestos-related disease

Eligible disease categories typically include mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, and other asbestos-related conditions. Each disease category is evaluated against specific medical and exposure criteria defined in the trust’s distribution procedures.

How to File a Claim

Trust claims require documentation of both occupational or environmental exposure to Flintkote products and a qualifying medical diagnosis. Standard documentation typically includes:

  • Medical records confirming an asbestos-related diagnosis, including pathology reports, imaging studies, and treating physician records
  • Occupational history demonstrating work at sites or in trades where Flintkote products were in use, which may be supported by employment records, union records, co-worker affidavits, or Social Security earnings statements
  • Product identification evidence linking specific exposure to Flintkote products, such as jobsite records, contractor documentation, or affidavits from co-workers or supervisors

An attorney experienced in asbestos trust claims can assist in gathering the required documentation and filing correctly. Asbestos trust claims are distinct from civil litigation, and filing with the Flintkote trust does not necessarily preclude filing claims against other responsible parties whose products were present at the same jobsites.

Summary

Flintkote Company manufactured asbestos roofing felt, asbestos shingles, and asbestos floor tile that were widely used on American jobsites from the 1940s through 1975. Roofers, floor tile installers, maintenance workers, and laborers who regularly handled or worked near these products faced documented asbestos exposure. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2004, and the Flintkote Company Asbestos Personal Injury Trust is currently active and accepting claims. Workers, former workers, and family members with an asbestos-related diagnosis who can demonstrate exposure to Flintkote products may be eligible for compensation through the trust. Consulting an asbestos attorney is the most effective first step toward evaluating your eligibility and initiating the claims process.