Asbestos Magazine, 1951

Johns-Manville's notes

1. Jan. 1951, p. 22 summary p. 191

   NPA Notice #1 designates scarce materials and warns against hoarding. Certain asbestos grades included.

2. Jan. 1951, pp. 26-27 summary p. 191

   Market Conditions. Textiles - avalanche of defense orders. A-C pipe - shift to larger proportion of defense orders expected.

3. Feb. 1951, p. 26 summary p. 191

   Wage Rate Changes for asbestos workers by city.

4. Feb. 1951, pp. 27-28 summary p. 191

   Market Conditions. High pressure insulation - "The defense program is just commencing to be felt and contracts are daily arriving covering large quantities of insulating materials; in fact, orders are being placed at the highest rate since the war."

5. Feb. 1951, p. 40 summary p. 191

   J-M president and director, R. W. Lea, retires.

6. Feb. 1951, p. 42 summary p. 191

   L. M. Cassidy becomes president of J-M (other management changes also announced).

7. Feb. 1951, p. 48 summary p. 191

   Pangborn Corp. issues 50-page booklet "Industrial Dust Control Through Exhaust Systems".

8. Mar. 1951, pp. 14-16 summary p. 191

   Lewis Brown dies suddenly (age 57).

9. Mar. 1951, p. 16 summary p. 191

   ASTM publishes new Manual on Quality Control.

10. Mar. 1951, pp. 18-24 summary p. 191

    Report on ATI activities. Lists officers and describes its four general committees. Air Hygiene Committee - studies industrial health hazards which may be encountered in manufacturing operations involving asbestos materials. A comprehensive survey of the health and hygienic problems within the asbestos textile industry has been conductd by the Committee in recent years, and the results serve as the basis of the Committee's activities. Asbestos dust problems, as they occur in industry, are for the most part well controlled by the individual manufacturers, but ATI provides for its members a clearing point for new developments in dust control.

11. Mar. 1951, pp. 26-27 summary p. 192

    Market Conditions. Shortages due to government stockpiling. Defense orders are beginning to appear for block. There is expected government buying for A-C products.

12. Mar. 1951, p. 42 summary p. 192

    J-M personnel changes.

13. Mar. 1951, p. 42 summary p. 192

    J-M to build new mill to replace present milling facilities at Jeffrey Mine. It is estimated it will take seven years to complete.

14. Mar. 1951, p. 48 summary p. 192

    MIMA cites advantages of double layer insulation.

15. Apr. 1951, pp. 22-24 summary p. 192

    Market Conditions. Brake Lining - "It is feared that the mistakes of World War II are being repeated - too much Government buying and too much civilian 'fear' buying." A-C demand up by government/military construction.

16. Apr. 1951, p. 40 summary p. 192

    J-M personnel changes. Edwin R. Wilkinson, Rear Admiral, U.S.N. Ret., has been appointed Manager of the Marine Dept. of J-M. Mr. Wilkinson joined J-M in 1949 as a marine salesman in Ohio after 28 years in the Navy.

17. Apr. 1951, p. 42 summary p. 192

    J-M Research Center to add new building. Nat'l. Security Resources Board has a Certificate of Necessity permitting construction in order to speed the needed research activities for defense, including jet aircraft blanket insulations, high temperature gaskets/seals, filters for radioactive dusts, improved fireproof clothing, and heavy duty friction materials for large aircraft/combat vehicles.

18. Apr. 1951, p. 51 summary p. 192

    States that March 23 Wall Street Journal reports "Raw Asbestos may soon have to be allocated, NPA told manufacturers of asbestos products. Meanwhile, NPA advised the industry to use glass fibre as a substitute wherever possible."

19. May 1951, pp. 4-12 summary p. 192

    Article by W.E. Sinclair "The Present Status of Crocidolite Asbestos". "South Africa no longer holds monopoly on crocidolite since Australia has appeared in the field." About 1940, there was a gradual buildup in the Blue industry in S. Africa due to war requirements. Crocidolite assumed an important position in the manufacture of munitions of war. "Marine insulations absorb a large quantity of blue asbestos because of its property of being resistant to attack from sea water. Steam boiler mattresses and such insulating products are commmonly used in naval vessels."

20. May 1951, pp. 26-28 summary p. 193

    Market Conditions. Textiles - should the defense program increase, many users for non-priority purposes will find their supplies sharply curtailed. A-C pipe backlogs increasing due to wide use by government agencies.

21. May 1951, p. 38 summary p. 193

    Wage Rate changes for asbestos workers.

22. June 1951, pp. 4-11 summary p. 193

    Article "Blending Fibres for Fabrication of Asbestos Textiles" by J. L. Tucker, J-M Research Center. Lists textile products, their end uses, and necessary properties. Lists grading codes, uses, etc.

23. June 1951, pp. 14-16 summary p. 193

    Market Conditions. Textiles - shortage of spinning fibre and heavy defense orders for these products combine to create a critical situation for civilian users. Paper - continuation/enlargement of defense program could easily create inadequate production. Low pressure insulation - jobbers seem to be awaiting clarification of prices under government regulation before building inventories.

24. June 1951, pp. 32-34 summary p. 193

    Article on L. M. Cassidy.

25. June 1951, pp. 36-40 summary p. 193

    Article on J-M Annual Meeting. Expansion of research facilities and enlargement of operations for mining and milling asbestos to increase J-M contribution to national defense were described to stockholders. J-M expects to produce a great amount of materials for defense. The company has no problem of converting production for defense, because J-M products are equally important in a peace or war economy. Mr. Cassidy said that the new research building now under construction at the company's Research Center would provide room for a number of projects important to the nation's defense, including the scientific development of substitutes for critical materials, jet aircraft blanket insulations, filters for radioactive dusts, improved fireproof clothing and other projects which will play a vital role in military and civilian defense. Asbestos fibre is a strategic material and there currently exists a world-wide shortage of the fibre. Reporting on the effect of the defense program on sales of J-M products, Mr. Cassidy said that there is already a considerable demand for J-M's industrial products such as packings, insulations and friction materials required by other manufacturers engaged in defense production as well as by the armed services. "So far, the government's requirements for Johns-Manville building products have not been very great," Mr. Cassidy said. "But it is believed that they will increase as the defense program steps up." Mr. Cassidy showed the stockholders that J-M sales during the war years averaged $99 million per year while in 1950 they were $203 million, or $104 million more than the yearly average for the 1941-1945 period. Earnings for the 1941-1945 period averaged $5-1/3 million annually, while last year earnings rose to $22-3/4 million or $17-1/2 million more than they averaged during the war years.

26. June 1951, p. 42 summary p. 194

    Robert C. Simmons, J-M Manager of Government Service since 1934, appointed vice president of JMSC. Member of Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers.

27. July 1951, pp. 4-10 summary p. 194

    Article by W. E. Sinclair "Production of Crocidolite or Blue Asbestos in South Africa." (1st part)

28. July 1951, pp. 12-14 summary p. 194

    Market Conditions. Textiles - "Demand for all textiles, particularly cloth, by agencies of the Defense Department, continues at such a high level that civilian users are operating on a hand to mouth basis. One serious limitation on ability of producers to satisfy this demand is the shortage of fibres of spinning grades.

29. July 1951, p. 28 summary p. 194

    J-M vice president for sales, William R. Wilkinson, elected president of Asbestos Cement Products Association.

30. July 1951, p. 28 summary p. 194

    J-M personnel changes.

31. July 1951, p. 40 summary p. 194

    Obit. - Raymond J. Newberry, J-M Director of Traffic (age 55).

32. July 1951, p. 44 summary p. 194

    R. M. Langley, a J-M salesman for 29 years in the Cleveland District, promoted to District Manager of the Pittsburgh District.

33. Aug. 1951, pp. 4-12 summary p. 194

    Article by W. E. Sinclair "Production of Crocidolite or Blue Asbestos in South Africa." (2nd part)

34. Aug. 1951, pp. 14-16 summary p. 194

    Market Conditions - A-C shingles, roofing and siding demands improved because of requirements for government projects.

35. Aug. 1951, p. 26 summary p. 194

    Wage rate changes for asbestos workers.

36. Aug. 1951, p. 40 summary p. 195

    J-M develops a new automatic ring packing called Uneepac, designed for water, steam, oil, air, gas, vacuum, etc.

37. Aug. 1951, pp. 42-44 summary p. 195

    J-M opens new floor tile production line at Waukegan.

38. Aug. 1951, p. 46 summary p. 195

    Asbestos Fibre and Textile Manufacturers Advisory Committee met with NPA and was told the government is taking steps to develop new U.S. and Canadian asbestos sources by assisting Canadian suppliers to obtain materials to boost their production. Defense Minerals Administration is exploring asbestos deposits in Oregon and California. NPA called upon industry to accept as many direct defense orders for asbestos as it can fill without crippling delivery to defense-supporting industries. Navy representatives at the meeting said that the Navy during the next six months will require almost 800,000 pounds of asbestos. It is estimated that the Navy's need represents about 20 percent of all current domestic production of asbestos products. Navy officials were asked to specify only those requirements that are immediate and pressing. The committee pointed out that many producers of asbestos products are filling only DO-rated orders for the most part consisting of DO-97's (for maintenance, repair and operating supplies) placed by defense-supporting industries. However, members said that some relief may result from NPA's recent order limiting passenger car production because asbestos products are used in automobiles. The Committee said that substitute materials developed since World War II have been perfected, and should be utilized by defense agencies as much as possible. According to NPA officials Canadian producers have been supplying about 700,000 tons of asbestos of all types each year to world markets. During the last five years, the average annual output of textile-strength fibre from Canada has been 18,000 tons. R. H. Coultrap, of NAPA's Miscellaneous Metals and Minerals Division presided at the meeting.

39. Aug. 1951, pp. 46-48 summary p. 195

    A. K. Higbe appointed Production Mgr. of J-M Building Products Division.

40. Aug. 1951, p. 48 summary p. 195

    Clinton B. Burnett appointed J-M Director of Engineering.

41. Sept. 1951, p. 6 summary p. 195

    J-M introduces Quinterra Type 3, an asbestos high temp electrical insulation.

42. Sept. 1951, pp. 14-16 summary p. 196

    Market Conditions.

43. Oct. 1951, pp. 18-20 summary p. 196

    Market Conditions.

44. Oct. 1951, p. 38 summary p. 196

    CJM approves plan for increasing capacity of its mine by enlargement of present shaft and sinking of second shaft. The project is part of the plan to convert entirely to underground mining.

45. Oct. 1951, p. 42 summary p. 196

    J-M appoints Edward Phoenix to Mgr. of Market Surveys Dept.

46. Oct. 1951, p. 44 summary p. 196

    CJM began work on building new mill - estimate of five years to complete.

47. Oct. 1951, p. 48 summary p. 196

    While fire training on ships at naval stations, nurses wear asbestos suits in a slightly dressier fashion than those worn by the men.

48. Nov. 1951, pp. 10-20 summary p. 196

    Article on J-M Quinterra electrical insulations.

49. Nov. 1951, pp. 26-28 summary p. 196

    Market Conditions. High Pressure Insulation - heavy demand. A-C products - demand good due to activity from government agencies. Demand increased for electrical conduit and pressure pipe in military and defense plant constuction.

50. Nov. 1951, pp. 36-38 summary p. 196

    Wage rates for pipe coverers.

51. Nov. 1951, pp. 44-46 summary p. 196

    J-M's L. R. Hoff honored for outstanding service at recent meeting of ATI.

52. Dec. 1951, pp. 14-16 summary p. 196

    Market Conditions. Raw Fiber - demand for spinning fiber is heavy as a result of the shortage in asbestos textiles to meet defense requirements. A-C products - outlook difficult to predict "because so much depends on actions in Washington."

53. Dec. 1951, p. 38 summary p. 196

    Karl V. Lindell named general manager of J-M's Asbestos Fiber Division.

54. Dec. 1951, p. 40 summary p. 196

    J-M forms Exploration Dept. in Canada.