Asbestos Magazine, 1930

Johns-Manville's notes

1. Jan. 1930, pp. 2-4 summary p. 42

   A Review of 1929 1) Mattison, always exclusively Canadian, opens Arizona mine. 2) Turner & Newall acquired Amosite mine. 3) Merger of Raybestos Co., Manhattan Rubber Co. and U.S. Asbestos Co. into Raybestos Manhattan. 4) J-M purchased several firms and added new products and is planning to manufacture asbestos cement pipe in the U.S.

2. Feb. 1930, pp. 14-18 summary p. 42

   German Foreign Trade - Imported 14,650,000 pounds of asbestos from Canada, 4,610,000 from S. Africa, 1,670,000 from Russia, 765,000 from E. Africa and 870,000 from the U.S. Imports declined; exports increased.

3. Mar. 1930, p. 16 summary p. 42

   Synthetic Asbestos - Patent granted 1927 to M. Grossman of NY. Opinion is that it is possible to make fiber from the process but that the cost is so high as to not be commercially practical.

4. Mar. 1930, p. 20 summary p. 42

   "Pulmonary Asbestosis - Some attention is being given by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor, to Pulmonary Asbestosis, a disease resulting from exposure to asbestos dust. The Bureau urges the establishment of efficient exhaust systems and the introduction of other safety methods." "This disease has been noted in England, an much has been written concerning it but this is the first time, to our knowledge, that it has been offically discussed in this country." "The statement of the Bureau of Labor Statistics refers to an article published in the Bulletin of Hygiene, London, in December, giving the results of a study of the clinical and radiological record of 15 cases of pulmonary asbestosis occurring among workers in an asbestos factory." "It is said that the asbestos dust causes a pulmonary fibrosis, attacking the bases of the lungs, and, like silicosis, it is frequently complicated by tuberculosis."

5. Mar. 1930, p. 51 summary p. 42

   J-M - All equipment at Nashua for the making of a-c shingles moved to Manville, NJ. The Nashua factory (besides Asbestos Ebony, Electrobestos, Transite Wood and Transite specialites now manufactured) will in future go into quantity production of two important new products: Asbestos Wall Tile and Asbestos Wallboard. It is contemplated to greatly increase the production of Asbestos Ebony, Electobestos, Transite and special Transite products in the near future.

6. Mar. 1930, p. 52 summary p. 43

   The Canadian branch of J-M's Quarter Century Club was organized.

7. Apr. 1930, pp. 30-32 summary p. 43

   Federal Specifications Board is submitting to various packing manufacturers its proposed federal specification for Packing, Asbestos, Sheet, Compressed.

8. Apr. 1930, p. 32 summary p. 43

   Article on Asbestos Tariff Schedule recently approved by the Senate.

9. Apr. 1930, p. 49 summary p. 43

   J-M opened new sales office in Brooklyn. The first carload of asbestos cement pipe, 1600 ft., was shipped from Waukegan in February. It was consigned to American Enka Corp. in NC.

10. Apr. 1930, p. 55 summary p. 43

    J-M's asbestos cement pipe was sold for use as an incinerator chimney manufactured by Josam Co.

11. Apr. 1930, p. 55 summary p. 43

    German synthetic asbestos - a specimen is available for inspection at office of Asbestos magazine. "It does not seem this material could compete very strongly with the real material."

12. May 1930, p. 51 summary p. 43

    J-M has built a new building at Manville to manufacture asbestos rigid shingles and corrugated transite (formerly made at Nashua).

13. June 1930, pp. 8-10 summary p. 43

    Article describing Census of Manufacturers taken every two years by the Bureau of Census. Report contains figures on asbestos products.

14. June 1930, p. 20 summary p. 43

    "A Few Facts About Johns-Manville Corporation" - Until the 1870's, the Company was known simply as "H.W. Johns." It then became the H.W. Johns Manufacturing Company, which continued to be its name until 1901 when it was consolidated with the Manville Covering Company and the name was changed to the H.W. Johns-Manville Company. Later the initials were dropped and the Company was incorporated - Johns-Manville Incorporated. In 1927, a further reorganization took place, and the Company became known as the Johns-Manville Corporation. At the present time, Johns-Manville Corporation and its subsidiaries employ approximately 10,000 persons. It manufactures more than 1,000 individual products, which can be divided into the following major lines: Roofings and shingles, industrial and home insulation materials, industrial and decorative floorings, acoustical treatment, concrete products, textiles, power specialities and automotive equipment. The basic materials used in the manufacture of these products are asbestos, magnesia, diatomaceous earth, silicon rock. The Corporation has thirteen factories, which are located at Alexandria, Ind.; Asbestos, P.Q.; Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio; Gretna, La.; Lompoc and Los Angeles, Calif.; Manville, NJ; Nashua, NH; Pittsburg and Redwood City, Calif.; and Waukegan, Ill. It also has a substantial interest in a factory in Belgium. It also has two mines: Asbestos, P.Q. and Chrysotile, Ariz.

15. June 1930, p. 28 summary p. 44

    The Mining & Industrial Magazine of S. Africa seems alarmed because of the drop in the price of raw fiber and the concurrent patent issue for synthetic asbestos.

16. June 1930, p. 56 summary p. 44

    J-M purchased assets and patents of Stevens Sound Proofing Company of Chicago.

17. July 1930, p. 30 summary p. 44

    "Most of the asbestos mines in Arizona have reduced their operations considerably or stopped them altogether, awaiting revival of general business activity."

18. Aug. 1930, p. 24 summary p. 44

    A pipe line wrapping machine has been invented which should simplify field wrapping of pipes with asbestos felt. This device is a joint product of J-M and the W.K.M. Co.

19. Aug. 1930, p. 51 summary p. 44

    The name of J-M's Moll, Belguim plant was changed from Beton & Mollith to Johns-Manville, S.A. The plant was established in 1923 and was taken over by J-M in 1928.

20. Aug. 1930, p. 51 summary p. 44

    J-M is manufacturing a new product - Asbestos Wall Board.

21. Sept. 1930, pp. 10-13 summary p. 44

    U.S. Post Office adopts asbestos mail bags after tests by Bureau of Standards.

22. Sept. 1930, p. 16 summary p. 44

    Japanese Asbestos Market - Suffering depression. Estimated 5-6,000 tons of raw fiber will be used in 1931.

23. Sept. 1930, p. 20 summary p. 44

    Why J-M calls its asbestos cement products "Transite": "It appears that back in 1900 the old Nassau Electric Railway Company had been acquired by the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company, and the latter was converting all the old horse-drawn cars to electric traction. The old cars were of wood construction and it was necessary to place a subflooring which had sufficient structural strength and dielectric characteristics to assure the safety of passengers and rolling stock." "The company came to Johns-Manville to solve their problem: and after making several experiments, the material now known as Transite was adapted for this purpose. The name was taken from the name of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company. Late it was registered and is, of course, the sole property of Johns-Manville Corporation."

24. Sept. 1930, p. 56 summary p. 45

    J-M's Philadelphia office moved to new building. The offices are equipped wih J-M Floor Tile and Acoustical Ceilings.

25. Oct. 1930, p. 18 summary p. 45

    J-M's new product, Firecrete, is a refractory cement designed primarily for use with domestic oil burners.

26. Oct. 1930, pp. 28-29 summary p. 45

    On Sept. 27, a second asbestos firm went on the air. The Raybestos twins have had a weekly program of songs and jokes. Now, every Sat. night on CBS, the J-M Fire Fighters have a 15-minute program of music and entertainment, plus a message on J-M Rigid Asbestos Shingles. This is part of J-M's fall re-roofing campaign.

27. Nov. 1930, pp. 10-11 summary p. 45

    1929 Census of Manufacturers - 230 establishments are covered, including: (1) 166 manufacturers of steam (and other) packing, pipe/boiler covering, and gaskets. (2) 64 manufacturers of other asbestos products. Sets out statistics in this article.

28. Nov. 1930, pp. 18-24 summary p. 45

    Lists all known asbestos products manufactured (generic classes). Major categories are: Aircell Cement Products Baking sheets Boiler wall coating Brake lining Breeching insulation Cement Cloth Clothing Clutch facings Expansion Joint Felt Fire felt sheets/blocks Filter fibres Flooring Gaskets High temperature insulation Insulation Jackets Insulation for packing Lead joint runner Listing/tape 85% magnesia covering Mattress insulation Millboard Moulded compositions Motion picture booths Packing, asbestos plaited Packing cup, moulded Paint, varnish, filler Paper Paper tape Plaster Putty Rollboard Rope Roofing Snow (decorative) Spiral pipe insulation Stack lining Stocking, lead cable Stovemats Table pads/mats Tape, friction Tapestry (European) Tent shields/stove rings Theatre curtains Tubing Wick Wire insulation Yarn/cord/twine

29. Nov. 1930, pp. 40-44 summary p. 46

    Market for Asbestos in Japan - increasing yearly. About 80% of imports come from Canada. Gives statistics. "The dockyards are large buyers of asbestos, and a fair amount of asbestos and asbestos materials is also sold to the government arsenals and to the Imperial Government Railways."

30. Nov. 1930, p. 48 summary p. 46

    Railway Express Agency adopts J-M's asbestos bags for mail and express air shipments.

31. Nov. 1930, pp. 55-56 summary p. 46

    J-M personnel changes noted. Baltimore office moved to new building. Boston moved to new facilities, the ceilings being treated with J-M Sancoustic Tile and the floors laid with J-M Type A Asphalt Tile Flooring.

32. Dec. 1930, pp. 4-14 summary p. 46

    Russian Asbestos Situation - Before the war, Russia was second only to Canada in production. Gives table comparing Canada, Russia, Rhodesia and S. Africa 1912-1927. Presently 13,000 workers mine 10,000 tons per day.

33. Dec. 1930, pp. 16-20 summary p. 47

    U.K. Asbestos Industry - About 9,000 persons employed in the industry and 60 million pounds of raw fiber consumed annually. About 75% of the total British output of asbestos products is produced by Turner & Newall.

34. Dec. 1930, pp. 22-24 summary p. 47

    Foreign Trade of the Soviet Union - From Oct. 1928 to March 1929, Russia imported 2,196 metric tons of asbestos and exported 2,955 metric tons. Gives figures of distribution of total trade with 11 countries, representing all commodities.

35. Dec. 1930, p. 26 summary p. 47

    "Another Synthetic Asbestos" - South African invented process yielding a synthetic fiber which would yield a handsome profit at $5 a ton.

36. Dec. 1930, p. 28 summary p. 47

    "The New Asbestos Motion Picture" - The United States Bureau of Mines, in cooperation with Johns-Manville Corporation, has prepared a one reel educational motion picture film - "Asbestos, the Magic Fibre". The film covers the open pit process of mining; crushing, drying and screening to get the milled fibre. Then the scene shifts to the factory, and carding, spinning and weaving are shown; next the making of brake lining, tubing for packing, gaskets. The manufacture of asbestos paper, and of aircell pipe covering out of the paper is next shown, followed by the combining of asbestos with magnesia for pipe covering. The final scenes depict the making of asbestos cement shingles. Copies of the film are available for exhibition by schools, churches, clubs, civic and business organizations, etc. Applications should be addressed to the United States Bureau of Mines, Pittsburgh Experiment Station, Pittsburgh, Pa. No charge is made for the use of the film, but the exhibitor is asked to pay the transportation charges.

37. Dec. 1930, p. 57 summary p. 47

    J-M's new shingle plant at its Manville factory has been in full operation since Oct. Three carloads of corrugated sheathing were shipped in Nov.

38. Dec. 1930, p. 59 summary p. 47

    Flat asbestos lumber is being used on the World's Fair Buildings in Chicago for siding.