Eagle-Picher “43” Finishing Cement, One-Cote Insulating Cement, and Super “66” Insulating Cement

Eagle-Picher Industries manufactured a line of asbestos-containing insulating and finishing cements under several product names — including “43” Finishing Cement, One-Cote Insulating Cement, and Super “66” Insulating Cement — that were sold widely into industrial markets from the 1930s through the early 1970s. Workers who handled, applied, or worked in proximity to these products during that period may have sustained occupational asbestos exposure and may be eligible to file a claim with the Eagle-Picher Industries Personal Injury Settlement Trust.

Product Description

The “43” Finishing Cement, One-Cote Insulating Cement, and Super “66” Insulating Cement were manufactured by Eagle-Picher Industries as part of the company’s broader line of thermal and refractory insulation products. Eagle-Picher was a major industrial conglomerate with deep roots in asbestos product manufacturing, and its insulation cements were developed to meet the demanding thermal management needs of American industry during the mid-twentieth century.

These products served distinct but related functions:

  • “43” Finishing Cement was formulated as a surface coating applied over base insulation layers to create a smooth, hard outer finish that could protect underlying insulation from mechanical damage and moisture intrusion.
  • One-Cote Insulating Cement was designed as a single-application product intended to both insulate and finish a surface in one step, reducing labor time in industrial insulation work.
  • Super “66” Insulating Cement was marketed as a higher-performance insulating cement, likely intended for applications requiring enhanced thermal resistance or durability.

All three products were used extensively in industrial settings — including power generation facilities, chemical plants, oil refineries, shipyards, and manufacturing plants — anywhere that high-temperature pipes, vessels, boilers, and equipment required thermal insulation. Production of these cements under Eagle-Picher’s manufacturing operations spanned approximately 1930 through 1972, overlapping with decades of peak industrial expansion in the United States.

Asbestos Content

Eagle-Picher’s “43” Finishing Cement, One-Cote Insulating Cement, and Super “66” Insulating Cement contained chrysotile asbestos as a primary ingredient. Chrysotile, also known as white asbestos, was the dominant asbestos fiber type used in insulation cements throughout the industry during this era.

In insulating and finishing cements, asbestos fibers functioned as a reinforcing matrix that bound the product together, improved tensile strength, and allowed the hardened cement to withstand the physical stresses associated with thermal cycling — the repeated expansion and contraction that occurs as industrial equipment heats up and cools down. The fibrous structure of chrysotile also contributed to the product’s insulating properties by trapping air within the hardened material.

Eagle-Picher’s use of asbestos in these formulations was consistent with broad industry practice during the relevant production period. The health hazards associated with chrysotile asbestos exposure — including mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer — were not communicated to workers who routinely handled these materials.

How Workers Were Exposed

Industrial workers who handled, mixed, applied, or disturbed Eagle-Picher insulating and finishing cements faced repeated occupational exposure to chrysotile asbestos fibers throughout the products’ service life, from initial installation through eventual removal or repair.

Mixing and application posed particularly significant exposure risks. These cements were typically supplied as dry powder or semi-dry mix products that required workers to combine the material with water on the job site before application. The act of opening bags, pouring dry cement, and mixing the product released asbestos-laden dust into the breathing zone of workers performing this task. Repeated mixing operations in enclosed or poorly ventilated industrial spaces could result in sustained elevated fiber concentrations in the air.

Troweling and finishing also generated fiber release. Workers applied these cements by hand or with tools directly to pipe surfaces, boiler casings, vessel exteriors, and other equipment. As the wet cement was worked and shaped, and later as partially dried surfaces were smoothed or trimmed, asbestos fibers were disturbed and became airborne.

Repair and removal activities presented ongoing exposure risks long after initial installation. Insulation cements harden into a brittle matrix over time, and when this material was chipped away, broken, or cut during maintenance work or equipment overhaul, it could release concentrated clouds of asbestos fiber. Workers performing this type of work — including maintenance mechanics, pipefitters, boilermakers, and laborers — often had no respiratory protection.

Bystander exposure was also documented in industrial settings where insulation work was performed alongside other trades. Workers in adjacent areas who were not directly applying these cements could nonetheless inhale fibers released by nearby insulation workers.

Occupational exposure to these Eagle-Picher products typically occurred in power plants, petrochemical facilities, steel mills, paper mills, shipbuilding and ship repair facilities, and other heavy industrial environments where thermal insulation was applied in large quantities throughout the mid-twentieth century.

Eagle-Picher Industries filed for bankruptcy protection in 1991, in part due to mounting asbestos personal injury liabilities. As part of the bankruptcy resolution process, the Eagle-Picher Industries Personal Injury Settlement Trust was established to compensate individuals who sustained asbestos-related injuries from the company’s products, including the “43” Finishing Cement, One-Cote Insulating Cement, and Super “66” Insulating Cement.

Trust Fund: Eagle-Picher Industries Personal Injury Settlement Trust

Individuals who were exposed to these specific Eagle-Picher insulation cement products and who have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease may be eligible to file a claim with this trust. The trust accepts claims across standard disease categories recognized in asbestos litigation and trust administration, which typically include:

  • Mesothelioma (malignant, any site)
  • Lung cancer (with qualifying asbestos exposure history)
  • Asbestosis and other non-malignant asbestos-related pulmonary conditions
  • Other asbestos-related cancers as defined in the trust’s claims materials

To file a claim, claimants or their legal representatives must document exposure to Eagle-Picher products by name, identify the occupational settings where exposure occurred, and provide medical records confirming an asbestos-related diagnosis. Product identification — naming the “43” Finishing Cement, One-Cote Insulating Cement, or Super “66” Insulating Cement specifically — strengthens eligibility under the trust’s exposure criteria.

Because Eagle-Picher’s insulation cements were used across many industries and decades, former industrial workers and their surviving family members are encouraged to consult with an attorney experienced in asbestos trust fund claims to assess their eligibility and ensure that claims are filed within applicable deadlines.