Plibrico Company: Asbestos-Containing Refractory and Insulation Products

Plibrico Company was a United States-based manufacturer of refractory and insulation products whose materials were used extensively on American industrial jobsites from at least the late 1930s through the early 1980s. According to asbestos litigation records, a range of Plibrico-branded and Plibrico-distributed products contained asbestos during this period, exposing workers in heavy industry, construction, and related trades to potentially hazardous mineral fibers. This reference article is intended to assist workers, their families, and legal professionals in identifying Plibrico products and understanding the documented exposure history associated with them.

Company History

Plibrico Company operated as a specialty manufacturer and distributor of refractory materials — heat-resistant products used to line furnaces, kilns, boilers, and other high-temperature industrial equipment. The company’s product line also extended into thermal insulation, marketed under the “Plisulate” brand. Plibrico’s materials were sold and installed across a wide range of industrial sectors, including steel mills, petrochemical refineries, power generation facilities, shipyards, and manufacturing plants.

Court filings document that Plibrico products were in widespread commercial use by the late 1930s, with specific documented product lines remaining in production through the early 1970s. The company continued operations into the early 1980s, at which point its use of asbestos-containing formulations is believed to have ceased, broadly consistent with the regulatory pressure and reformulation efforts that affected much of the asbestos products industry during that era.

Notably, court filings document that several Plibrico insulation products were manufactured not by Plibrico itself but by Keene Corporation and its Building & Engineering Heating (BEH) division. This manufacturing relationship is relevant to exposure histories because workers who used Plisulate-branded products may have encountered materials originating from multiple corporate sources, a detail that asbestos litigation records have examined in connection with questions of product identification and chain of custody.

Asbestos-Containing Products

According to asbestos litigation records, Plibrico’s product line included both refractory castables and insulating cements that plaintiffs alleged contained asbestos as a reinforcing or insulating constituent. The following products have been identified in court filings and product documentation as having been manufactured or distributed with asbestos-containing formulations during the specified periods.

Refractory Products

Plicast Airlite (documented use: approximately 1937–1972) Plicast Airlite was a castable refractory product used in the construction and repair of furnace linings, boiler interiors, and other high-temperature industrial equipment. Plaintiffs alleged that this product contained asbestos fibers that could be released during mixing, application, and particularly during the cutting, grinding, or removal of cured castable material. The product’s documented commercial life of more than three decades means it was present across multiple generations of industrial construction.

Plicast LWI 24G (documented use: approximately 1957–1972) Plicast LWI 24G was a lightweight insulating castable refractory. Court filings document that lightweight refractory formulations of this type were frequently formulated with asbestos to achieve desired thermal resistance at reduced density. Workers who mixed, applied, or disturbed this product during its active commercial period may have encountered airborne asbestos fibers.

Insulation Products

The following three products were marketed under the Plibrico “Plisulate” brand but, according to asbestos litigation records, were manufactured by Keene Corporation and its BEH division. This distinction has been relevant in litigation records when workers sought to identify all potentially responsible parties.

Plisulate Insulating Cement No. 101 (documented use: approximately 1963–1972) An insulating cement used for pipe and equipment insulation applications. Plaintiffs alleged this product contained asbestos as a functional ingredient contributing to its thermal insulating properties. Insulating cements of this type were commonly applied by hand or trowel to pipe surfaces and fittings, a process that litigation records note could generate dust containing asbestos fibers.

Plisulate Finishing Cement No. 102 (documented use: approximately 1939–1972) A finishing cement used as the outer coating layer over pipe insulation systems. Court filings document that finishing cements applied over insulated pipe were typically mixed with water and applied wet, but that sanding, buffing, or disturbance of the dried material could release asbestos-containing dust. The long commercial life of this product — spanning more than three decades — indicates it was present at a wide range of industrial facilities and construction projects.

Plisulate Insulating Block No. 201 (documented use: approximately 1939–1969) A preformed insulating block product used in pipe and equipment insulation systems. Plaintiffs alleged that this block material contained asbestos fibers and that cutting, fitting, and trimming operations — routinely performed by insulators and pipefitters — released respirable asbestos dust into the work environment.

Occupational Exposure

According to asbestos litigation records, workers in a broad range of trades encountered Plibrico and Plisulate products during the course of normal job duties. The industries and occupations most frequently identified in court filings include:

  • Insulators and insulation workers, who mixed, applied, cut, and finished Plisulate insulating and finishing cements as part of pipe and equipment insulation systems
  • Pipefitters and steamfitters, who worked alongside insulators and who may have disturbed previously applied insulation during repair and maintenance operations
  • Boilermakers and furnace workers, who applied, repaired, and removed Plicast refractory castables from boilers, furnaces, and related equipment
  • Industrial construction workers at steel mills, refineries, power plants, chemical plants, and shipyards where refractory and insulation products were routinely used
  • Maintenance and repair workers who disturbed aged or damaged insulation and refractory materials during facility upkeep

Court filings document that secondary or bystander exposure was also a recognized concern in industrial environments. Workers in adjacent trades — electricians, carpenters, laborers, and others — who were present while insulation or refractory work was performed may have inhaled airborne asbestos fibers without directly handling the products themselves.

Plaintiffs alleged that the dustiest exposure conditions occurred during dry mixing of insulating cements, during cutting and fitting of insulating block, and during removal or demolition of previously installed refractory and insulation materials. Disturbance of aged, friable insulation was identified in court filings as a particularly significant source of airborne fiber release, as the binder materials in older installations could degrade over time, making the asbestos content more readily released.

Plibrico Company is classified as a Tier 2 manufacturer for purposes of this reference site, meaning that the company has been named as a defendant in asbestos personal injury litigation but, to the knowledge reflected in available records, has not established a dedicated asbestos bankruptcy trust fund. Liability has not been established as a legal fact in this article; the information presented reflects allegations and court filings from asbestos litigation records.

Because Plibrico does not appear to have an associated asbestos trust fund, individuals with documented exposure to Plibrico or Plisulate products would typically pursue compensation through direct civil litigation rather than through a trust claim process. However, because the Plisulate insulation products were manufactured by Keene Corporation and its BEH division, individuals exposed to those specific products may have separate legal options related to Keene. Keene Corporation’s asbestos liabilities were ultimately addressed through successor bankruptcy proceedings, and an asbestos trust was established in connection with those proceedings. Individuals who believe they were exposed to Plisulate-branded products manufactured by Keene/BEH should consult with an asbestos attorney to determine whether a trust claim against the Keene-related trust may be available in addition to or in lieu of direct litigation against Plibrico.

Plain-Language Summary

If you or a family member worked with or around Plibrico refractory products (such as Plicast Airlite or Plicast LWI 24G) or Plisulate insulation products (such as Plisulate Insulating Cement No. 101, Finishing Cement No. 102, or Insulating Block No. 201) between the late 1930s and early 1980s, and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, or another asbestos-related disease, you may have legal options.

Key points to understand:

  • Plibrico is a litigated defendant with no known asbestos trust fund. Claims against Plibrico would generally be pursued through civil litigation.
  • Several Plisulate products were manufactured by Keene Corporation/BEH, which does have an associated asbestos trust. Exposure to Plisulate products may support a trust claim in addition to litigation options.
  • Workers in insulation, pipefitting, boilermaking, and industrial construction are among those most frequently identified in litigation records as having been exposed to these products.
  • Bystander workers present during insulation or refractory work at the same jobsite may also have legal standing to pursue a claim.

Consulting with an attorney experienced in asbestos litigation is the most reliable way to evaluate which legal pathways apply to a specific exposure history, which products and time periods are documented, and which companies — including manufacturers, distributors, and successors — may bear responsibility.