Asbestos Magazine, 1944

Johns-Manville's notes

1. Jan. 1944, pp. 12-14 summary p. 138

   Article describing use of asbestos in plastics industry.

2. Jan. 1944, p. 18 summary p. 138

   Lists personnel in WPB "interested in asbestos matters" - the Cork, Asbestos & Fibrous Glass Div. (operating under the Minerals Bureau). Utley Smith, Chief of Asbestos Section.

3. Jan. 1944, pp. 25-27 summary p. 138

   Market Conditions. Raw Fiber - 1943 showed largest asbestos imports ever. Stocks are only enough to cover immediate requirements. Demand for long fiber remains high. Combined Raw Materials Board has completed allocation of available supply of African fiber between the U.S. and U.K. Rhodesian fibers most used appear adequate for 1944. Textiles - requirements are being met through combined efforts of manufacturers and allocation system. Millboard - most large government orders have been completed. High Pressure Insulation - no letup in ship construction means continued heavy demand.

4. Jan. 1944, pp. 32-34 summary p. 138

   Article on asbestos cement roofing and its durability. Refers to J-M shingles.

5. Jan. 1944, p. 39 summary p. 138

   J. P. Syme of J-M addresses McGill Univ. and the Advertising and Sales Executives Club.

6. Jan. 1944, p. 39 summary p. 138

   ASTM Standards on Textiles for 1943 now available.

7. Feb. 1944, p. 8 summary p. 138

   General comments on substitutes necessitated by war and speculation as to whether or not the products will continue in use post-war.

8. Feb. 1944, p. 12 summary p. 139

   OPA amends MPR-466, asbestos cement building materials regulation - establishing maximum prices.

9. Feb. 1944, pp. 14-18 summary p. 139

   Market Conditions. Raw Fiber - U.S. needs are being better met. Textiles - allocation appears to be working. Insulation, high pressure - shipbuilding levelled off.

10. Feb. 1944, p. 26 summary p. 139

    Wage Rates for Pipe Coverers - only one change - Cleveland, Ohio.

11. Feb. 1944, p. 28 summary p. 139

    Lewis Brown addressed Sales Executives Club.

12. Feb. 1944, p. 30 summary p. 139

    ASTM Committee on Standards recently revised method for Testing Compressed Asbestos Sheet Packing.

13. Feb. 1944, p. 32 summary p. 139

    Article on Southwestern Asbestos Corp. organized in Globe, Arizona to operate the Pine Top Asbestos Mines. Deals with marketing, grading, production, and mill to be built.

14. Feb. 1944, p. 32 summary p. 139

    J-M published Fleet Reliner's Manual for Maintenance of bus and truck fleets (brake lining).

15. Feb. 1944, p. 34 summary p. 139

    About 75% of J-M's 1943 shipments from U.S. factories were on orders bearing priority ratings, a considerable portion going to the armed forces. (From J-M Annual Report.)

16. Feb. 1944, p. 35 summary p. 139

    J. L. Wood promoted to Asst. Treasurer of J-M - will work on settlement of problems arising from termination of war contracts.

17. Feb. 1944, p. 35 summary p. 139

    Bulletin 403, "Asbestos" originally issued in 1937 by BuMines, has been reprinted. Bowles is author.

18. Feb. 1944, p. 37 summary p. 139

    Small quantities of Rhodesian C&G/1 and C&G/2 are being released for non-military purposes by WPB.

19. Mar. 1944, p. 10 summary p. 139

    J-M announced new Insulating Fireblok (insulating refractory lining) - does not contain asbestos.

20. Mar. 1944, p. 25 summary p. 139

    Canada's Dept. of Trade and Commerce in Ottawa has published "Asbestos Products Industry in Canada 1942".

21. Mar. 1944, p. 26 summary p. 139

    Cork, Asbestos & Fibrous Glass Div. has published production figures of asbestos building materials for 1942-1943.

22. Mar. 1944, pp. 28-29 summary p. 139

    Market Conditions. Brake Lining practically sold out due to U.S. Army requirements.

23. Mar. 1944, p. 32 summary p. 140

    BuMines published Information Circular #7263 "Industrial Insulation with Mineral Products" - written by Bowles - asbestos covered.

24. Mar. 1944, p. 40 summary p. 140

    Office of War Information has just released the confidential 1941 Minerals Yearbook - gives figures for asbestos (chapter written by Bowles and Petron).

25. Mar. 1944, p. 41 summary p. 140

    L. M. Cassidy of J-M has article "Future Market for Roofing and Siding" appearing in the Feb. issue of United Roofer.

26. Apr. 1944, p. 6 summary p. 140

    Asbestos textiles for end products have been under direct allocation since April 1, 1943. The industry has been working at capacity to supply Navy, Maritime, Army and other agencies. 95% of all allocations were shipped. Includes chart of WPB allocations by pounds and product type. 1944 estimate for textile allocation = 57-58 million pounds.

27. Apr. 1944, pp. 8-12 summary p. 140

    Mass. State College in Amherst has heat tunnel lines (19,000 ft.) insulated with J-M's 85% magnesia. Boiler and hot water tanks are also heavily insulated (J-M's 85% mag.). Johnson Asbestos Co. did much of the insulation work.

28. Apr. 1944, p. 12 summary p. 140

    1944 ASTM Standards on Electrical Insulating Materials has been issued (specs are listed for asbestos yarns, tape and roving).

29. Apr. 1944, pp. 14-16 summary p. 140

    Market Conditions. Textiles - demand high, shipments of allocated textiles showing tendency to fall short, principally due to manpower difficulties. "Packings and gaskets, because of large Navy and engine builder contracts, and an increasing maintenance and repair demand, are very tight."

30. Apr. 1944, pp. 23-26 summary p. 140

    References March article (p. 40) on 1940-1 Minerals Yearbook Asbestos figures. Gives tables on fiber, products, etc.

31. Apr. 1944, pp. 30-31 summary p. 140

    WPB made two changes in L-41 (airport construction, plumbing/heating installations).

32. Apr. 1944, p. 37 summary p. 140

    J-M announces new plastic sealing compound - Uniseal containing a high percentage of asbestos.

33. May 1944, p. 3 summary p. 140

    Obit. - C. J. Stover, founder and owner of Asbestos magazine.

34. May 1944, pp. 8-10 summary p. 140

    ASTM meetings on standards/specs.

35. May 1944, pp. 12-18 summary p. 141

    Article on testing asbestos textiles for cotton content. Gives ASTM standard for tests and states that it is followed in a number of specifications issued by the Navy and refers to an older Navy method.

36. May 1944, p. 18 summary p. 141

    New textile combines fiber glass with asbestos - used in planes. (Note: See Aug. 1944, p. 39 for formula.)

37. May 1944, pp. 24-28 summary p. 141

    Market Conditions. Raw Fiber - inventories of South African fiber have decreased and probably will not soon improve. Shortage of freight cars is affecting shipments from Canada to U.S. Textiles - Navy cable/cloth requirements increasing. High Pressure Insulation - deliveries of sizes under 3" difficult because of demand for Navy and Maritime ships.

38. May 1944, p. 28 summary p. 141

    Canadian asbestos production statistics 1940-43.

39. May 1944, p. 30 summary p. 141

    L-41 amended (re: farm construction).

40. May 1944, p. 37 summary p. 141

    BuMines published Mineral Market Report 1167 "The Asbestos Industry in 1943".

41. June 1944, p. 3 summary p. 141

    "Because of serious decline in cork imports and consequent need for dipping into decreasing cork stockpiles, grinding and milling cork will be allocated by specific end use beginning June 1." WPB Orders M-293 controls scheduling of all asbestos clutch facings (in quantities over 1,000).

42. June 1944, p. 16 summary p. 141

    Market Conditions. Raw Fiber - Canadian production adequate for present requirements. Supplies of longer Amosite are not satisfactory. Textiles - production insufficient for demand; asbestos textiles still being allocated.

43. June 1944, p. 28 summary p. 141

    R. T. Halstead of J-M's Research Lab has his paper "Fundamentals of Asbestos Friction Materials" appearing in the May issue of The Paper Industry.

44. June 1944, p. 32 summary p. 141

    J-M personnel changes.

45. June 1944, p. 34 summary p. 141

    ASTM to hold 47th Annual Meeting.

46. July 1944, pp. 6-12 summary p. 142

    Article on uses of asbestos in catalytic cracking (petroleum refining). Standard Oil's refinery at Bayway, NJ has 23,000 ft. of pipe insulated with 85% mag., 8,000 ft. with high temp. insulation, and 75 tons of insulating cement, (manufacturers are J-M and Ruberoid). J-M also furnished 1,000 rolls of pipe jacketing and 25,000 pounds of waterproof coating.

47. July 1944, p. 16 summary p. 142

    "The great majority of the strategic and critical raw materials, commodities and foodstuffs purchased by the United States Government abroad are now handled by a single Government corporation--the United States Commercial Company, acting in its capacity as the agent of the Foreign Economic Administration. As we understand it the U.S. Commercial Company replaces the Metals Reserve Company, the Defense Supplies Corporation and other agencies of a similar sort."

48. July 1944, p. 23 summary p. 142

    Market Conditions. Raw Fiber - strong demand for Navy and other government contracts. Overseas shipments restricted due to lack of shipping space. Textiles - demand still increasing, particularly for Navy use.

49. July 1944, p. 33 summary p. 142

    Obit. - H. E. Manville (age 72).

50. July 1944, p. 34 summary p. 142

    J-M's Director of Dealer Relations, A. A. Hood, spoke at NY Sales Mgrs.' Club on post-war employment and selling.

51. July 1944, p. 34 summary p. 142

    J-M's Staff Mgr. on insulation, R. C. Parlett, inducted into Quarter Century Club.

52. July 1944, p. 35 summary p. 142

    H. K. Sherry, V.P. of CJM, inducted into Quarter Century Club.

53. July 1944, p. 35 summary p. 142

    CJM shut down for a week to allow all employees a vacation with pay.

54. July 1944, p. 35 summary p. 142

    CJM hosted 30 members of Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy to banquet and plant tour.

55. July 1944, p. 39 summary p. 142

    Union Oil's new refinery used almost $1 million of J-M products, including installation. The asbestos products used were: insulation, gaskets, tape, rope and pipe.

56. Aug. 1944, pp. 3-12 summary p. 142

    "A Search for Asbestos" by W.E. Sinclair re: prospecting in South Africa.

57. Aug. 1944, pp. 14-16 summary p. 143

    Women accepted by union as pipe coverers in the San Francisco Bay area after attending the War Production Training School. About 50 women have been employed at area shipyards. As they are not eligible to join the Asbestos Workers Union, they are admitted to Upholsterers Union.

58. Aug. 1944, p. 16 summary p. 143

    Companies wishing to be advised of surplus merchandise sales should contact the Treasury Procurement Surplus War Property Div. Presently included are asbestos packing, gaskets, auto parts and friction material.

59. Aug. 1944, pp. 18-24 summary p. 143

    Market Conditions. Raw Fiber - Most grades are in reasonable supply. Textiles - Navy requirements increasing for certain types and decreasing for others. Navy demand remains high and suggestions are being made for increasing the supply - one being the combination asbestos/fiberglass cloth "… there seems to be a preference for asbestos over glass cloth for lagging covering." Insulation, High Pressure - small sizes still in great demand because of Maritime and Navy programs.

60. Aug. 1944, pp. 25-26 summary p. 143

    Wage Rates for Pipe Coverers - by city.

61. Aug. 1944, p. 28 summary p. 143

    Obit. - Dr. W. A. Jessup, a J-M director (age 66).

62. Aug. 1944, p. 28 summary p. 143

    Asbestos Fibre Distributors Div. of J-M has new four-page poster "Asbestos Fibre as a Filler in the Plastics Industry".

63. Aug. 1944, p. 32 summary p. 143

    J-M personnel changes.

64. Aug. 1944, p. 34 summary p. 143

    Cork, Asbestos and Fibrous Glass Div. Administration - Upon the appointment of Stephen L. Mathewson as Deputy Director of the Division, it was also announced that: Utley W. Smith will continue as Chief of the Asbestos Section which includes asbestos fibre and building materials. He will also be responsible for the scheduling of clutch facings and their production. J.E. Cole will continue as Chief of Packing and Gasket section and will supervise friction materials other than clutch facings, the wire and cable program, and also has been given charge of the facilities expansion program for the asbestos textile industry. Sidney Butz, Chief of the Asbestos Textile Unit, is entirely responsible for asbestos textile allocations.

65. Aug. 1944, p. 39 summary p. 144

    "The Biennial Censuses of Manufacturers scheduled for 1941 and 1943 were suspended so that the facilities of the Bureau of Census could be devoted more fully to war work, but preliminary work necessary to conducting the authorized Biennial Census of Manufacturers in 1946, covering 1945 production activities is already underway."

66. Aug. 1944, p. 39 summary p. 144

    The newly developed Asbestos fibrous glass cloth, described in the May issue, is composed of 72% asbestos fibre, 22% glass fibre, and 6% cotton yarn. This will be woven into 3-ply cloth, weighing 1 1/4 pounds per square yard. (According to WPB release 6201, dated July 31.)

67. Sept. 1944, p. 16 summary p. 144

    Ninth annual meeting of IHF to be held at Mellon Institute in Nov. The IHF is "an association of industries for the maintenance of healthful working conditions". The program for the meeting will be on sickness in industry, problems associated with absenteeism calling for post-war solutions, and employing the disabled veteran.

68. Sept. 1944, p. 23 summary p. 144

    WMC release No. 3406-7, dated August 14, states that 1,000 more workers must be recruited to meet increased war requirements for asbestos cloth and roving, and emphasizes the vital importance of asbestos cloth and roving for use in ships, tanks, planes, shells and other war equipment. The problem of getting additional workers is aggravated by the fact that most of the plants are situated in tight labor market areas, although many of the additional workers needed are for jobs which can be filled by women. The plants where more workers are needed are in Downey, Calif.; Cicero, Ill.; Huntington, Ind.; Charlotte, N.C.; Charleston, S.C.; Manville, N.J.; Palmyra, N.Y.; Ambler, Pa., and Manheim, Pa.

69. Sept. 1944, pp. 24-27 summary p. 144

    Market Conditions. Raw Fiber - Transportation from South Africa continues unsatisfactory, and if the condition doesn't improve, the Canadian crude and spinning fiber will be unable to make up the difference. Shipping space to U.K. remains restricted. Before the war, Japan used over 20,000 tons of shingle fiber per year. Textiles - It appears that asbestos and fiber glass combination cloth will meet the increased Navy requirements. Millboard - Government contracts are about completed.

70. Sept. 1944, p. 32 summary p. 145

    J-M's Lompoc plant was again awarded the Army-Navy "E" award for continuous excellence in war production. The plant mines and manufactures Celite materials.

71. Sept. 1944, p. 32 summary p. 145

    CJM is preparing for a gradual conversion to underground mining.

72. Sept. 1944, p. 39 summary p. 145

    Champion sparkplugs contain asbestos washers.

73. Sept. 1944, p. 39 summary p. 145

    The construction of Douglas C-54 transport plane saves 30,000 tons of critical materials by using lumber and asbestos cement board.

74. Oct. 1944, p. ? summary p. 145

    N. O. Alby, J-M's General Purchasing Agent, elected as Director of Nat'l. Assn. of Purchasing Agents.

75. Oct. 1944, p. 16 summary p. 145

    Heavy demand for the 1942 ASTM Standard book "occasioned by the war production efforts" have necessitated advancing a full year on the next book.

76. Oct. 1944, p. 18 summary p. 145

    Statement of Lewis Brown on the effect of V-Day on J-M. J-M plants will have to be shut down for reconversion; volume of business expected to be less; will continue to make, by and large, the same products, but for civilian needs; upon return of workers, the company will return to a 40-hour week.

77. Oct. 1944, pp. 24-27 summary p. 145

    Market Conditions. Raw Fiber - Shipments from South Africa have improved. Our consumption of amosite is declining. Textiles - continuing Navy requirements are keeping production at high level. High Pressure Insulation - shipbuilding accounts for material part in the demand for smaller sizes. "…the Navy has located some rather large stocks of magnesia pipe covering in some of its yards and depots which results in a slackening of demand…"

78. Oct. 1944, p. 34 summary p. 145

    ASTM elects J-M's Manager of Inspection and Control Dept., Simon Collier, as Chairman of Committee on Rubber Products.

79. Oct. 1944, p. 36 summary p. 145

    "Recently the Industrial Incentive Division of the Navy invited some 30 industries in the New York and New Jersey areas to send Labor and mangement representatives on a three-day tour of inspection of an Advance Base Depot and Naval Construction Training Center. Three men from Johns-Manville were selected by that company: Eddie Macko of the Manville, N.J., Plant, Bob Simmons, Manager of J-M's Government Department and Don Rowe, Editor of News Pictorial, the popular J-M paper for its employees. What started out as an inspection tour, however, turned out to be a realistic three days as Seabees. While the experience was a rather tough one according to all accounts, the result was a better understanding of the real and vital part played by J-M products in the war."

80. Oct. 1944, p. 36 summary p. 146

    Southwestern Asbestos Corporation, of Globe, Ariz., started operations at its new custom processing plant in August, according to The Mining Journal, and planned to have the plant operating at its rated capacity of 25 tons daily, in September. It is said that the material treated will average about 40% high grade asbestos.

81. Nov. 1944, pp. 14-16 summary p. 146

    J-M announces new flexible metallic packing for temperatures to 2000° F. and highly resistant to corrosive gases, alkalies and most acids - Inconel. Designed initially for airplane engine exhaust systems, as J-M had no product to meet the exacting conditions. Inconel was "created to fill a specific need in connection with the war program and is now available for industrial use …"

82. Nov. 1944, pp. 18-25 summary p. 146

    Market Conditions. Raw Fiber - demand for Canadian fiber, excluding European market, is sufficient to keep mines operating at full capacity. "Asbestos textile plants have so increased their capacity in the struggle to supply war requirements that these plants may be able to operate at only 50% capacity after the war, unless new uses for asbestos textiles are developed …" Textiles - Navy demand is still high. "Combination fibrous glass and asbestos cloth has been a godsend in relieving the demand for lagging cloth used over pipe insulation by the Navy. Practically all of the major textile companies are now producing this cloth." A large proportion of the textile capacity of the country has been and is going into implements of war. Navy and Maritime requirements will continue for some time after the war, as ships will have to be completed, but will also need complete overhauling. Insulation, High Pressure - continuing demands in shipbuilding industry. Pipe covering orders backed up, but demand for block and cement is light.

83. Nov. 1944, p. 25 summary p. 147

    ASTM Standards on Textile Materials includes more than 75 specs., tests and definitions.

84. Nov. 1944, p. 30 summary p. 147

    The War Production Board and the Defense Plant Corporation have stopped all work on the custom processing plant and the Pine Top asbestos mine in Arizona. This project has been operated by the Southwestern Asbestos Corporation. The custom processing plant was to treat asbestos ore being mined in the Globe area of Arizona, and was planned to have a capacity of 25 tons daily.

85. Nov. 1944, p. 34 summary p. 147

    The Mining Journal, Phoenix, Ariz., is publishing in its November 15 issue an article by Lincoln A. Stewart, Project engineer, and J.H. Hedges, District Engineer, Western Region, Bureau of Mines, discussing asbestos depositions in Arizona. In 1943 the Bureau of Mines conducted underground exploration at four asbestos properties in Arizona. This work resulted in opening reserves estimated to yield over 2,000 tons of fibre, of all grades. The article gives data as to the geology of the Arizona deposit and also factual information on the working of them.

86. Dec. 1944, pp. 18-24 summary p. 147

    Market Conditions. Raw Fiber - U.S. demands down due to Navy reduction in requirements. Stocks in U.S. average more than three-months' supply. Amosite demand decreased greatly. Textiles - Navy cable demand down.

87. Dec. 1944, p. 32 summary p. 147

    Western Asbestos Co. (675 Townsend St., San Francisco) issued a brochure outlining their products/services.

88. Dec. 1944, p. 32 summary p. 147

    Nicely Corp., a J-M subsidiary, announced consolidation of their office with JMSC.

89. Dec. 1944, p. 33 summary p. 147

    J-M personnel changes.

90. Dec. 1944, p. 34 summary p. 147

    J-M personnel changes.

91. Dec. 1944, p. 37 summary p. 147

    The new streamlined minesweepers - "the biggest little ships in the Navy" - have Carey 85% Magnesia Heat Insulation on the two miles of piping on each boat, according to The Carey Clearing House, September issue.

92. Dec. 1944, p. 37 summary p. 148

    "Reports were filed with government agencies by Johns-Manville during 1943 at the rate of one every two minutes, during every regular business hour of the year, or a total of 71,588. The cost to the company was $146,000 (for 97,452 manhours of work.)"