Union Carbide–Degussa Agreement on Asbestos Thickening Agents (1970), with Degussa's 1971 Withdrawal Letter and Related Telexes

A compilation under a handwritten cover note to J. W. Rawlings. It holds an unsigned copy of an October 1970 agreement between Union Carbide and Degussa for marketing asbestos-based thickening agents (Calidria grades), with schedules of countries and a price page. It also holds Union Carbide telexes from March and November 1971, and Degussa's November/December 1971 letter (German and English) announcing it would stop selling the products by 31 December 1971 because of health concerns, with a summary of toxicological literature.

What the document holds

• Page 1: Handwritten cover note to J W Rawlings, 'Per your request,' signed Morgan, dated 7/7/71 (as read from the image)
• Pages 2-8: Agreement as of October 1, 1970 between Union Carbide Corporation and Degussa on marketing asbestos-based thickening agents; signature blocks blank
• Pages 9-10: Schedules A-1 and A-2 listing the countries covered by the agreement
• Page 11: Price page for Calidria asbestos grades sold as Degussa's A-28 and A-14 (CIF Antwerp)
• Page 12: Union Carbide communications department telex form dated 11/24/71 from Geneva to Rawlings re asbestos and Degussa's letters to customers
• Pages 13-14: Degussa letter in German dated 29 Nov. 1971 on ending sales of asbestos thickening agents A 14 and A 28 as of 31 Dec. 1971
• Page 15: Degussa summary of toxicological literature on asbestos fiber products, dated 29 Nov. 1971 (German)
• Pages 16-17: English version of the Degussa withdrawal letter dated Dec. 7, 1971
• Page 18: Telex of 3/29/71 from J W Rawlings to H Trautmann (Geneva) on the Degussa contract and minimum dollar amounts
• Page 19: Telex of 26/3/71 from H Trautmann to Rawlings on the Degussa agreement and proposed minimum dollar amounts

People and organizations

From J W Rawlings (Union Carbide, Mining and Metals (telex sender, 38th floor, New York)); H Trautmann (Union Carbide, Geneva (telex sender)); Sauerborn Kress (Degussa (signatories of the withdrawal letter)); Morgan (writer of the handwritten cover note (initials hard to read)) to J W Rawlings (Union Carbide, 38th floor (cover note and telexes)); H Trautmann (Union Carbide, Geneva).

• Sauerborn Kress (author)
• James W. Rawlings (author, recipient)
• H. Trautmann (author, recipient)
• Mining and Metals Division (its organization)
• Union Carbide Corporation (its organization)
• Degussa (named)
• International Chamber of Commerce (named)

Related pages

Pages on our site about what this document covers: Calidria · California Asbestos Exposure Sites: Worksites, Industries, and Trust Coverage.

About this copy

This is document UC-1430 of the Union Carbide documents, documents produced and used as evidence in asbestos lawsuits against Union Carbide, 19 pages.