G-I Holdings, Inc. — Asbestos Product Manufacturer Reference

Company History

G-I Holdings, Inc. is a United States-based holding company that, according to asbestos litigation records, served as a successor corporate entity with ties to GAF Corporation and its predecessor, The General Aniline & Film Corporation. GAF Corporation — operating through its building materials division under brands including GAF and Ruberoid — was one of the more prolific manufacturers of asbestos-containing construction and insulation materials sold on American jobsites from the late 1920s through the early 1980s. Court filings document that G-I Holdings assumed certain liabilities and corporate relationships connected to GAF’s building products operations.

The GAF/Ruberoid product line traced its origins to the early twentieth century, when Ruberoid Company was an established manufacturer of roofing and building materials. By the mid-twentieth century, the combined enterprise produced a wide range of insulation, flooring, roofing, pipe covering, and cement products, many of which plaintiffs alleged contained significant percentages of chrysotile and other forms of asbestos. According to asbestos litigation records, these products were sold nationally to industrial, commercial, and residential construction markets for decades before the company phased out asbestos content in approximately the early 1980s.

Asbestos-Containing Products

Plaintiffs alleged that G-I Holdings, through its GAF and Ruberoid product lines, manufactured and distributed an extensive catalog of asbestos-containing materials spanning multiple construction and industrial categories. Court filings document the following product lines and their approximate periods of manufacture:

Pipe Insulation and Covering

  • Calsilite Pipe Covering and Block (1944–1947; 1949–1971): Plaintiffs alleged this thermal insulation product was designed for high-pressure steam lines and industrial equipment, capable of withstanding temperatures up to 1,250°F.
  • Calsilite-Hi (1960–1971): According to asbestos litigation records, this was a higher-temperature variant rated to 1,800°F for extreme industrial applications.
  • Calsilite Insulation Cement (1951–1960): An insulating or finishing cement with a documented temperature limit of 1,250°F.
  • Calsilite SS (mid-to-late 1960s forward): Court filings document this as a specialty “inhibited” formulation designed to prevent stress corrosion and chloride cracking on stainless steel piping systems.
  • Imperial Insulation (1928–1960): Plaintiffs alleged this product was used on industrial and oil refinery piping at temperatures between 500°F and 700°F.
  • Aristo Insulation (1928–1940): Described in court filings as suited for high-pressure and superheated steam lines, rated to 700–750°F.
  • Anti-Sweat Pipe Covering (1928–1958): Used on cold water pipes to prevent condensation.
  • Frost-Proof Pipe Covering (1928–1958): Designed for water pipes subject to freezing conditions.
  • Ruberoid Air Cell (1928–1981): According to asbestos litigation records, this product was used on low-pressure steam and hot water lines, with a temperature limit of 350°F.
  • Woolfelt Pipe Covering (1928–1959): Plaintiffs alleged this product was used on hot water lines at temperatures not exceeding 200°F.
  • Supercell / Supercell Pipe Covering (1935–1942; late 1930s forward): Court filings document these products for medium-pressure steam applications, rated to 250–500°F.
  • Warcocell / Watcocel (1928–1934; 1942–1960): Medium-pressure steam insulation rated to 250°F.
  • Sponge Felt (1936–1960): A durable pipe and equipment insulation rated to 750°F, with documented use in railroad and underground applications.

Insulation Cements

  • “115” and “214” Cements (1937–1975): According to asbestos litigation records, these cements could be applied as insulating layers or hard surface finishing coats, with a temperature limit of 1,000°F.
  • “313” Mineral Wool Insulation Cement (1960–1971): Plaintiffs alleged this was a rebranded BEH product rated to 1,800°F.
  • “412” Single Coat Insulation Cement (1960–1971): Also described in court filings as a rebranded BEH product, rated to 1,200°F.
  • T/NA 100 (1962–1971): An exterior product used principally as pipeline wrapping.
  • T/NA 200 (1962–1972): Documented as a roofing material.

Roofing and Building Products

  • Roofing Felts (1928–1981): Plaintiffs alleged this product was used across built-up roofing applications for over five decades.
  • Asbestos Cement Roofing Shingles (1930–1978): Court filings document use in industrial and commercial construction for exterior roofing and siding.
  • Asbestos Cement Siding (1930–1978): Used alongside shingles for exterior cladding on commercial and industrial structures.
  • Roofing Paint Products (dates uncertain–1981): Exterior repair and construction applications.

Flooring Products

  • Vinyl Asbestos Floor Tile (VAT) (1959–September 1981): According to asbestos litigation records, this flooring product was sold for decades into residential and commercial markets.
  • Asphalt Tile (1959–1971): A floor covering product plaintiffs alleged contained asbestos.
  • Sheet Vinyl Flooring — LURAN IMPERIAL, LURAN REGENCY, LURAN AIRTRED (1965–September 1981): Court filings document these below-grade and general-use sheet vinyl products as containing asbestos in their backing or composition layers.

Boards, Papers, and Specialty Products

  • Asbestos Millboard (Foundriboard) (1928–1981): Plaintiffs alleged this product was used as an insulating layer or hard surface finishing coat, rated to 1,000°F.
  • Corrugated Asbestos Paper (1928–1981): Used alone, as pipe wrap, or in the manufacture of “air cell” type insulation products.
  • Flat Asbestos Paper (1928–1981): Court filings document its use as a low-temperature fire retardant (250–350°F), for wrapping furnace pipes and HVAC ducts, general jacketing, lining stoves, and gasket fabrication.
  • Product No. 103 (1928–1981): According to asbestos litigation records, this was a general fireproofing material rated to 350°F, also manufactured into washers and gaskets.
  • Range Boiler Jacket (1938): Plaintiffs alleged this product was used specifically for range boiler insulation.
  • Chrysotile Asbestos Fiber: Court filings document that raw chrysotile fiber was supplied and used in production of materials suited to general manufacturing applications.

Occupational Exposure

According to asbestos litigation records, workers across a broad range of trades encountered GAF and Ruberoid asbestos-containing products over the course of their careers. Plaintiffs alleged that exposures occurred during the installation, cutting, mixing, sanding, and removal of these materials — all activities that can generate respirable asbestos dust.

Occupational groups documented in court filings as having potential exposure include:

  • Pipefitters, steamfitters, and plumbers who installed, cut, and removed Calsilite, Imperial, Aristo, Ruberoid Air Cell, and other pipe covering products
  • Insulators who mixed and applied insulation cements including the “115,” “214,” “313,” and “412” product lines
  • Roofers and sheet metal workers who handled Roofing Felts, Asbestos Cement Shingles, and Cement Siding
  • Floor installers exposed to Vinyl Asbestos Floor Tile, Asphalt Tile, and LURAN sheet vinyl products during cutting and fitting
  • Boilermakers and refinery workers who worked near Imperial Insulation and Calsilite products on high-pressure steam systems
  • Laborers and maintenance workers in industrial plants where Asbestos Millboard, Flat Asbestos Paper, and Corrugated Asbestos Paper were in regular use

Plaintiffs alleged that bystander workers — those present in the same work area without directly handling these products — were also exposed to asbestos fibers released during installation and demolition activities.

Trust Fund / Legal Status

G-I Holdings, Inc. does not maintain an established asbestos bankruptcy trust fund. Unlike manufacturers that resolved their asbestos liability through Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization and the creation of a Section 524(g) trust, G-I Holdings has been a defendant in asbestos personal injury litigation pursued through the civil court system.

According to asbestos litigation records, claims against G-I Holdings have been litigated in jurisdictions across the United States by workers and family members alleging injury from exposure to GAF and Ruberoid asbestos-containing products. Plaintiffs alleged mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, and related diseases arising from occupational and secondary exposure.

Because no trust fund exists, individuals or their families seeking compensation for injuries allegedly related to G-I Holdings products must pursue their claims through civil litigation rather than through a trust claim submission process.

If you or a family member worked with or near GAF or Ruberoid products — including pipe insulation, roofing materials, insulation cements, flooring, or asbestos papers — and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may have legal options:

  • Civil litigation: Claims against G-I Holdings are pursued in civil court. An asbestos attorney can evaluate whether your work history, diagnosis, and documented product exposure support a claim.
  • Other trust fund claims: Even if G-I Holdings has no trust, your exposure history may involve additional manufacturers who do maintain asbestos bankruptcy trusts. Many workers encountered multiple asbestos-containing products throughout their careers.
  • VA benefits: Veterans who worked with these products during military service may be eligible for VA disability benefits independent of any civil claim.

Consulting an attorney experienced in asbestos litigation is the recommended first step for evaluating any potential claim involving G-I Holdings or its related GAF and Ruberoid product lines.