Matico (Mastic Tile Corporation of America): Asbestos-Containing Floor Tile

Company History

Mastic Tile Corporation of America, marketed and referenced in the flooring industry under the trade name Matico, was an American manufacturer of resilient floor tile products during the mid-twentieth century. The company operated during a period when asbestos was a standard additive in vinyl and asphalt composition floor tile, prized by manufacturers for its heat resistance, dimensional stability, and reinforcing properties.

Although precise founding records for Mastic Tile Corporation of America are not fully documented in publicly available sources, the company was active during the postwar construction boom of the 1950s and 1960s — a period of enormous demand for durable, low-cost commercial and residential flooring. Asbestos-containing floor tile was a dominant product category during this era, installed in schools, hospitals, office buildings, retail spaces, apartment complexes, and private homes across the United States.

Matico floor tile was sold and distributed nationally, reaching American jobsites at a time when federal asbestos regulations either did not exist or were not yet meaningfully enforced. The company is believed to have ceased incorporating asbestos into its product lines by approximately the early 1980s, consistent with broader industry transitions following the Environmental Protection Agency’s early regulatory actions and the growing recognition of asbestos-related health hazards.

Asbestos-Containing Products

According to asbestos litigation records, Mastic Tile Corporation of America manufactured floor tile products that plaintiffs alleged contained asbestos as a constituent material. Court filings document that Matico-branded tile was identified in exposure claims brought by workers and building occupants who encountered the product during installation, renovation, and demolition activities.

Resilient floor tile manufactured during the 1950s through the late 1970s routinely incorporated chrysotile asbestos — the most commercially prevalent asbestos fiber type — at concentrations typically ranging from approximately 9 to 25 percent by weight, though formulations varied by product line and period of manufacture. Plaintiffs alleged that Matico tile fell within this category of asbestos-containing resilient flooring.

Specific product names, stock numbers, and color or pattern lines associated with Matico’s asbestos-era inventory are not fully catalogued in available public records. However, court filings document that the brand was recognized in occupational exposure litigation, and Matico products have been identified in building material surveys and product identification efforts conducted in connection with asbestos litigation.

Attorneys and researchers investigating potential exposure to Matico tile may find relevant product identification information through:

  • Building material inspection records prepared under AHERA (Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act) for schools and public buildings
  • Asbestos surveys and bulk sample analysis conducted prior to renovation or demolition projects
  • Occupational and site history records maintained by former employers, contractors, or building owners

Occupational Exposure

Workers in several trades faced repeated and sustained exposure to asbestos-containing floor tile products during the decades when Matico products were actively installed. According to asbestos litigation records, the following occupational groups have been identified in claims involving resilient asbestos floor tile:

Floor Layers and Tile Setters

Tile installers worked directly with asbestos-containing products throughout their careers. Cutting tile to fit irregular spaces — using hand scribes, scoring knives, or power saws — generated respirable asbestos dust. Heating tile for easier cutting or adhesion, using torches or heated floor scrapers, could also disturb asbestos fibers. Workers in this trade often handled hundreds or thousands of individual tiles on a single project.

Demolition and Renovation Workers

Court filings document that significant asbestos exposure occurred not only during original installation but during subsequent renovation and demolition of buildings containing asbestos floor tile. Removing old tile — whether by scraping, grinding, or mechanical means — releases asbestos fibers from previously intact materials. Renovation workers, general laborers, and demolition crews performed this work frequently without respiratory protection, particularly before OSHA asbestos standards were strengthened in the 1970s and 1980s.

Maintenance and Custodial Workers

Building maintenance personnel who stripped, buffed, and refinished resilient tile floors over many years may have been exposed to asbestos fibers released during routine floor care activities, particularly in older buildings. Plaintiffs alleged that worn or damaged tile presented ongoing fiber release risks in occupied buildings.

Carpenters and General Construction Workers

Carpenters, general contractors, and other tradespeople who worked in proximity to floor tile installation — or who removed subfloor materials during renovation — were also identified in litigation records as potentially exposed individuals.

Bystander and Secondary Exposure

Family members of tile workers and construction tradespeople have, in some cases, alleged secondary exposure through asbestos dust carried home on work clothing. While such take-home exposure claims are more difficult to document, they have been raised in asbestos litigation involving floor tile manufacturers.

The latency period between asbestos exposure and the development of asbestos-related disease — including mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer — typically ranges from 10 to 50 years, meaning that workers exposed to Matico tile during the 1950s through the early 1980s may still be presenting with asbestos-related illness today.

Litigation History

Mastic Tile Corporation of America does not maintain an active asbestos bankruptcy trust fund. As of available records, the company has not undergone the Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization process that has led many asbestos defendants to establish dedicated victim compensation trusts.

According to asbestos litigation records, Matico has been named as a defendant in asbestos personal injury lawsuits. Plaintiffs alleged that the company manufactured and sold asbestos-containing floor tile products, and that exposure to those products caused or contributed to asbestos-related illness. Court filings document that claims involving Matico have proceeded through civil litigation, as opposed to trust fund administration.

Because no Matico asbestos bankruptcy trust currently exists, individuals who believe they were exposed to Matico floor tile and who have developed an asbestos-related disease would need to pursue compensation through the civil court system, subject to applicable statutes of limitations in their jurisdiction.

Other Potential Sources of Compensation

It is common in asbestos litigation for plaintiffs to identify multiple responsible parties beyond a single product manufacturer. Workers exposed to Matico tile on jobsites may also have claims involving:

  • Asbestos fiber suppliers who provided raw chrysotile or other asbestos fibers to floor tile manufacturers
  • Other floor tile manufacturers whose products were used on the same jobsites
  • Asbestos trust funds established by other bankrupt defendants whose products were present at the same worksites (more than 60 asbestos bankruptcy trusts remain active nationally)
  • Employers or premises owners who may bear responsibility under applicable workers’ compensation or premises liability frameworks

An experienced asbestos attorney can conduct a comprehensive exposure history review to identify all potential sources of compensation, including active bankruptcy trust claims that can often be filed concurrently with civil litigation.

Summary: Eligibility and Next Steps

If you worked with or around Matico (Mastic Tile Corporation of America) floor tile — or if a family member did — and you or that family member has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, or another asbestos-related disease, the following information is relevant to understanding your options:

  • No Matico asbestos bankruptcy trust currently exists. Compensation claims involving Matico as a defendant would be pursued through civil litigation rather than trust fund submission.
  • Other trust funds may be available. If asbestos-containing products from other manufacturers were present at the same worksites, claims against those manufacturers’ bankruptcy trusts may be filed independently and often on an expedited basis.
  • Exposure documentation matters. Product identification records, co-worker testimony, employment history, and building inspection reports can all support a claim. Attorneys specializing in asbestos litigation have access to historical product databases and can help establish which products were used on specific jobsites and in specific time periods.
  • Statutes of limitations apply. Asbestos claims are time-sensitive. The period within which a claim must be filed typically begins at diagnosis, not at exposure, but varies by state and claim type. Consulting an attorney promptly after diagnosis is strongly advised.
  • No upfront cost is typical. Asbestos litigation attorneys generally work on a contingency fee basis, meaning no legal fees are charged unless compensation is recovered.

Workers, surviving family members, and legal representatives seeking to investigate potential exposure to Matico floor tile products are encouraged to consult with an attorney experienced in asbestos personal injury and wrongful death claims to assess the strength and scope of any potential claim.