Griptex (Combustion Engineering)

Griptex was a mineral fiber block insulation made by R & I Refractory and Insulation Corporation, a subsidiary of Combustion Engineering, Inc.¹ In sworn answers given in a lawsuit in February 1968, R & I and Combustion Engineering said R & I "began, on or about April 2, 1964, to manufacture" Griptex and its other insulating materials, and had made them up to that time.² Combustion Engineering's own answers in two later lawsuits, in December 1969 and March 1970, give the same start.^1,3

The answers describe the product differently over time: the 1968, 1969 and 1970 answers call Griptex "a mineral fiber block insulation, consisting of mineral wool," packaged in cardboard cartons, and name no asbestos.^1,2,3 Combustion Engineering's answers of December 1971 give a formula for "Griptex Block" of spun wool 73.53%, Granulor bentonite 13.24%, Dexecor 11.03% and asbestos 2.20%.⁴ The same answers say the block, for use in the 1500-1600 degree Fahrenheit range, has been made without asbestos since November 30, 1971.⁴

An insurance company's 1981 list of asbestos products, compiled from other companies' answers in lawsuits, lists Griptex block under Combustion Engineering as made from 1964 to 1972, with 2 in the column read as percent asbestos.⁵ The list also has a second Griptex block entry with no dates or figure.⁵

Pictures

How Griptex (Combustion Engineering) looked: a label, photograph or catalog page from our library. Each picture has its own page and library number, so it can be cited on its own.

• Label: GRIPTEX BLOCK INSULATION (DETRICK)Label or package · ACL Doc 15022

Asbestos claims

If you or a family member worked with or around Griptex (Combustion Engineering) and later developed mesothelioma or another asbestos disease, a claim may be paid by the Combustion Engineering 524(g) Asbestos PI Trust. Free case review.

What each document says

Every statement about Griptex (Combustion Engineering) in the documents, in each document's own words.

Kind of product

We list Griptex (Combustion Engineering) with pipe covering and block insulation, from how the documents describe its form. That page explains how such products exposed workers.

Trades that worked with products like it: Insulators and Insulation Workers, Pipefitters and Plumbers.

See also

• Combustion Engineering: the company's history, documents, people, products and plants
• Combustion Engineering on our products page: what the documents say about the company's asbestos products, with sources

References

1. The Borel v. Fibreboard Case File (1969-1972), Answers to interrogatories (March 30, 1970), p. 1.
2. The Tomplait v. Combustion Engineering Case File (1962-1969), Response to plaintiff's interrogatories (February 14, 1968), p. 1.
3. The Potter v. Fibreboard Case File (1969-1972), Answers to interrogatories under Rule 33 (December 23, 1969), p. 1.
4. The Potter v. Fibreboard Case File (1969-1972), Answers to plaintiff's interrogatories (December 30, 1971), pp. 1–2.
5. The Travelers Insurance Company's Product Information Booklet for Its Asbestos Seminar (1980–1981) (April 30, 1981), p. 5.
6. Travelers Asbestos Products Printout, July 1981 (July 1, 1981), p. 21.