Asbestos Magazine, 1937

Johns-Manville's notes

1. Jan. 1937, pp. 16-18 summary p. 71

   Asbestos Trade - Imports into Japan: 1935 = 23,792 short tons, 1934 = 22,566.

2. Jan. 1937, p. 32 summary p. 71

   J-M - Shackleford elected V.P.

3. Jan. 1937, p. 34 summary p. 71

   J-M employees at NY headquarters were given a 3-1/2 days' holiday for Christmas plus luncheons, parties and an evening dance. One-week salary bonus were given to those with more than one years' service (lesser rates for less service) - distributed to nearly 10,000 employees.

4. Feb. 1937, pp. 32-34 summary p. 72

   Voorhees leaves J-M to go to U.S. Steel. Roberts made Controller; Olsen, Treasurer; Vandiver Brown appointed Secty. (DOB: 4/24/01).

5. Feb. 1937, p. 40 summary p. 72

   "Johns-Manville is one of the world's largest manufacturer of building materials, home and industrial insulation, brake linings, acoustical products, diatomaceous earth products, etc. It has more than 10,000 employees, 11 manufacturing plants and two mines producing asbestos."

6. Feb. 1937, p. 40 summary p. 72

   J-M introduces new 2000° insulating brick - JM-20 - especially designed for use behind refractory walls in high temp industrial equipment, including boiler settings, etc. Does not contain any asbestos.

7. Mar. 1937, pp. 2-6 summary p. 72

   Census of Manufacturers - compares 1933 with preliminary 1935 figures - asbestos products. (These are listed but are too voluminous to include in this summary.)

8. Mar. 1937, pp. 16-20 summary p. 72

   Use of asbestos products in large power plants described.

9. Mar. 1937, p. 34 summary p. 72

   J-M announces a new Triple Insulated Model Home program where demonstration homes will be built in all locations where J-M has a distributor outlet. Houses will contain: 1) Asbestos Shingle Roof 2) Cedargrain Asbestos Shingle (or Clapboard applied over J-M Steeltex) exterior walls 3) Feel-Thik Rock Wool insulation batts (attic & walls) 4) Steeltex plastic base - interior walls/ceilings. Newspaper/magazine ads will be part of the program. A new 32-page book is also available, as well as a motion picture.

10. Mar. 1937, p. 39 summary p. 72

    ASTM has published Index to ASTM Standards and Tentative Standards.

11. Apr. 1937, p. 6 summary p. 72

    J-M has been notified by the National Board of Fire Underwriters that they have approved Transite Pressure Pipe.

12. Apr. 1937, pp. 33-35 summary p. 72

    J-M will continue its "Million Dollar-to-Lend" plan to offer building/home improvements on a time payment.

13. May 1937, pp. 10-13 summary p. 72

    Article on the History of the Asbestos Industry in Japan - Asbestos mentioned in Japan's oldest novel, C. 500 A.D. Japan does not have a good quality fiber, those coming from other countries. Early use was for cloth. In 1891 an insulation product was made, and packings in 1902. "Today asbestos products are in great demand in Japan in connection with munitions of war …"

14. May 1937, p. 13 summary p. 73

    British Air Force adopts asbestos suits, gloves and helmets for fire crews.

15. May 1937, p. 16 summary p. 73

    "Glass Fibres - During the World War, Germany made considerable progress in her effort to produce synthetic asbestos, having been effectively cut off from her usual supply of natural asbestos." Product was good - cost high. Since the war, Owens-Illinois has "startled the world" with Fiberglas. ASTM's Bulletin of March 27 contains a good article on the subject. Asbestos industry should take note, as the product promises to go far, especially in the electrical field.

16. May 1937, p. 18 summary p. 73

    BuMines published four-page circular, "Asbestos Industry in 1936 - Advance Summary" (No. M.M.S.536).

17. May 1937, pp. 22-23 summary p. 73

    Market Condition - Asbestos Textiles: "Recent large acquisitions by the U.S. Navy at the various Navy Yards for asbestos cloth has been the outstanding volume item of the past month." Paper and Millboard: Millboard demand increased "due principally to requisitions from governmental sources, particularly the Navy Department - very possibly because of fireproofing needs in ships."

18. May 1937, p. 34 summary p. 73

    J-M - personnel change.

19. May 1937, p. 35 summary p. 73

    "Stockholder News" was first issued by J-M in April.

20. May 1937, p. 39 summary p. 73

    Asbestos sheets for people who smoke in bed are suggested in a recent issue of the New York American.

21. June 1937, pp. 4-12 summary p. 73

    "Limiting Ship Fires - Germany Experiments with Various Constructional Materials" - fire tests were conducted, using a substantial amount of asbestos, with shipyards and ship owners in order to find ways to prevent the spread of fire in passenger areas. U.S. Dept. of Commerce has conducted similar tests. We have no test results, as no details have been released for publication.

22. June 1937, p. 32 summary p. 73

    Asbestos paper used between layers of metal wallboard for sound deadening.

23. June 1937, p. 34 summary p. 73

    J-M recently issued two new advertising pamphlets: "Lower Furnace Operating Costs With JM-20 Insulating Brick" and "The Maintenance Crew walks by after you build with J-M Corrugated Transite." (Corrugated asbestos cement sheathing and its application.)

24. June 1937, p. 34 summary p. 74

    J-M will soon begin work on the first unit of a $1 million factory on 50 acres in Watson,CA (suburb of Los Angeles). Rock wool home insulation and Transite asbestos-cement pipe will be manufactured by approximately 300 employees.

25. June 1937, p. 39 summary p. 74

    Sample of glass fiber obtained. While of a "lovely appearance," it does not have great tensile strength and snags easily. Bureau of Foreign & Domestic Commerce has prepared Circular 1539-13 "Recent Glass Wool Developments" about activities abroad.

26. June 1937, p. 39 summary p. 74

    Bureau of Institutional Safety (sponsored by the National Electrical Manufacturers' Assn.) was recently organized, and its objective is a campaign against fire hazards in public buildings, particularly schools.

27. June 1937, p. 40 summary p. 74

    "Believing that a world war is due, a religous order has applied to the municipal council of a suburb of Perth, Australia, for permission to erect an asbestos tower in which to intercede for Australia to be spared from attack." Asbestos has probably been selected because of the burning phrases in which the intercessions are to be made."

28. July 1937, p. 22 summary p. 74

    Market Conditions - Raw fiber. "Very large shipments of asbestos are being made to Japan."

29. July 1937, pp. 26-27 summary p. 74

    Asbestos eliminates over 80% of the noise in London's subways.

30. July 1937, p. 36 summary p. 74

    J-M has recently purchased the Richmond, IN plant of the Fiber Conduit Co. Equipment will be installed to manufacture a new type of low temperature insulation recently perfected by J-M's Research dept. and patented - uses on railroad passenger and refrigerator cars, mechanical refrigerators, sound deadening and thermal insulation on auto bodies. The plant will employ about 150.

31. July 1937, p. 36 summary p. 74

    J-M recently issued a 36-page brochure "Johns-Manville Bonded Built-Up Roofs."

32. Aug. 1937, p. 13 summary p. 74

    British Home Office tests asbestos bombproof product for use against damage from incindiary bombs during war. "Experts from the British Army, Navy and Air Force have all inspected this new material recently."

33. Aug. 1937, p. 27 summary p. 74

    BuMines issued Manual Yearbook for 1937.

34. Aug. 1937, p. 34 summary p. 74

    J-M celebrated the Silver Jubilee of its Manville plant, more than 10,000 attending.

35. Aug. 1937, pp. 37-38 summary p. 75

    J-M - seven promotions.

36. Aug. 1937, p. 40 summary p. 75

    J-M has almost 8,000 hourly factory workers (up from 2,783 in 1933 and 2,900 in 1929). Total number of employees is about 12,000.

37. Sept. 1937, pp. 2-8 summary p. 75

    "Ships Use Asbestos Too" - increased asbestos use, especially in new giant liners such as the Normandie … panels for insulation of bulkheads and ceilings, boilers, wallboard. Asbestos has advantages of light weight, mechanical strength, moisture resistance, resistance to temperature changes, sound resistance, susceptibility to decoration. "No other material possesses all of these qualifications as do asbestos products."

38. Sept. 1937, p. 13 summary p. 75

    Demand for asbestos building products is rising in Great Britain. Further favorable factor is the expansion of the shipbuilding industry, "since the amount of asbestos products used in the modern ocean liner is substantially greater than was the same in pre-war vessels."

39. Sept. 1937, p. 20 summary p. 75

    BuMines publishes Bulletin 403 on Asbestos written by Oliver Bowles.

40. Sept. 1937, pp. 35-36 summary p. 75

    J-M is planning 150 meetings for plumbing/heating contractors during the Fall. Between 8,000 - 10,000 are expected to attend. Motion picure on heat conservation "Heat and Its Control" will be shown. A new 16-page catalogue on low pressure insulations, a-c pipe, refractory cements and packings will be distributed.

41. Sept. 1937, p. 36 summary p. 75

    J-M issued 48-page book ("Heat") covering same items as their motion picture "Heat and Its Control."

42. Sept. 1937, p. 39 summary p. 75

    Tests were carried out on abandoned war ship, the Nantasket, anachored in VA. "… asbestos in various forms best met the most stringent tests." The tests consisted of lining staterooms and bulkheads with various fireproof and fire-retardant materials and then setting fire to the ship, even seting off explosions on the decks. (This was taken from New York Times article.)

43. Oct. 1937, pp. 23-24 summary p. 75

    J-M Credit Corp. deferred payment plan for building material reduced to 24 months. J-M pioneered this concept with its "Million-Dolars-to-Lend" in 1931.

44. Oct. 1937, p. 28 summary p. 75

    Nat'l. Board of Fire Underwriters issued regulations for installation of air conditioner, warm air heating, air cooling and ventillating systems providing for use of asbestos products as fireproofing and insulation.

45. Oct. 1937, p. 36 summary p. 76

    J-M placed on market new mineral flatting agent - Celite No. 165-S - for enamels, varnishes and lacquers (diatomaceous silica).

46. Oct. 1937, pp. 36-37 summary p. 76

    J-M announces new 1937-8 edition of Industrial Products Catalogue (64 pages).

47. Nov. 1937, p. 23 summary p. 76

    ASTM published 1937 edition of ASTM Standards on Textile Materials containing specs for yarns, roving, tape, etc.

48. Nov. 1937, p. 33 summary p. 76

    Obit. - J-M's Mgr. of Research Laboratories, Dr. Bailey Townshend.

49. Nov. 1937, p. 34 summary p. 76

    J-M publishes 32-page catalogue "Johns-Manville Insulation" containing information on all sheet, block and pipe insulations.

50. Nov. 1937, p. 38 summary p. 76

    J-M Stockholder News reports 33-1/2% increase in number of employees over 1929. Factory payrolls are up 376% over 1933.

51. Dec. 1937, p. 6 summary p. 76

    Pacific Coast Asbestos Assn. held ninth annual meeting. A. W. Knight of J-M elected Secty. - Treas.

52. Dec. 1937, p. 12 summary p. 76

    Market Conditions - Millboard, better demand than paper "owing to government purchases."

53. Dec. 1937, pp. 24-25 summary p. 76

    Royal Air Force testing asbestos suits for fire fighting.

54. Dec. 1937, p. 32 summary p. 76

    Int'l. Assn. of Heat and Frost Insulators and Asbestos Workers hold 15th Convention.

55. Dec. 1937, p. 32 summary p. 76

    J-M Housing Guild Training Courses offered in five locations - marks fourth year.

56. Dec. 1937, p. 34 summary p. 76

    J-M makes available its 48-page book "Heat" to general distribution.

57. Dec. 1937, p. 34 summary p. 76

    Brazilian law reduces import duty on asbestos fiber and increases duty for imports of certain manufactured asbestos products.

58. Dec. 1937, p. 35 summary p. 76

    J-M publishes new book, "Transite Pressure Pipe".

59. Dec. 1937, p. 40 summary p. 76

    ASTM issued 1937 compilation of standards on Electrical Insulating Materials.