History of Armstrong's Asbestos Litigation

Armstrong World Industries (AWI) involvement in asbestos litigation relates primarily to its involvement in the insulation contracting business.Nearly all the asbestos-related personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits brought against AWI relate to individuals who claim they were exposed to the asbestos-containing high-temperature thermal insulation products used by AWI in its insulation contracting activities prior to 1958, or used by a subsidiary, Armstrong Contracting and Supply Corporation (AcandS) in connection with ACandS's use of AWI's licensed tradename or trademarks after 1958. In some instances, personal injury claims have been asserted against AWI on account of its asbestos-containing gaskets or flooring materials. AWI's LT Cork Covering and Armaspray products have rarely been identified by plaintiffs as a cause of injury.

Throughout the early 1900's, AWI manufactured, installed, and serviced cork pre-formed low temperature insulation and pipe covering. In addition, from around 1910 to 1933, AWI manufactured some high temperature insulation products, including some that contained asbestos. The products and activities during the period between 1910 and 1933 have not been a basis for any significant number of asbestos-related personal injury claims.

In 1939, AWI expanded its contract installation service to provide a greater range of high and low temperature contracting services to its customers. AWI generally manufactured its own low temperature insulation products, but did not manufacture the high temperature products used in its contracting operations. Some of the high temperature products furnished and installed in the contracting operations contained asbestos.

As part of organizational changes during in the late 1950s, AWI separated the insulation contracting business from the remainder of the company with the formation of the separate and independent ACandS subsidiary. From 1958 through 1969, ACandS operated as an independent subsidiary in the insulation contracting business. During this period, AWI licensed certain tradenames and trademarks to ACandS, which ACandS placed on certain insulation products manufactured by others. Other than two specific products, AWI did not manufacture or sell any asbestos-containing thermal insulation products during this period.

In 1969, a group of ACandS management employees formed a holding company and purchased the stock of ACandS from AWI. In connection with that sale, AWI assigned certain trademarks to ACandS, but ACandS was not licensed to use, and did not use, AWI's trademark or the "Circle A" tradestyle. ACandS continues in business today, and filed for Chapter 11 protection on September 16, 2002.

AWI manufactured only two asbestos-containing insulation products between 1939 and 1969 - LT Cork Covering and Armaspray. LT Cork Covering (manufactured between 1956 and 1959) was a cork product with a purchased paper wrapper that sometimes contained asbestos. Armaspray (made from 1966 to 1969) was an insulation spray material that contained less than 10 percent asbestos and was sold only to ACandS for installation. LT Cork Covering and Armaspray products were not commercially successful products. AWI had no involvement with asbestos-containing insulation after AWI stopped making Armaspray. AWI manufactured various forms of resilient flooring that contained encapsulated asbestos until the early 1980's, and manufactured gasket material for internal combustion engine applications until the mid-1980's.

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Jennifer Johnson

Senior Manager
Corporate Communication
1-866-321-6677