Nicolet/ Keasbey & Mattison

In 1881, when Henry G. Keasbey and his business partner Dr. Richard V. Mattison first moved their pharmaceutical company Keasbey & Mattison from Philadelphia to the small town of Ambler, Philadelphia, Ambler's residents hoped the company would help rebuild the town's economy. For a while, prosperity returned to Ambler as jobs at the Keasbey & Mattison factories and warehouses lured new residents to the area. The civic-minded Dr. Mattison even built an opera house and a new library.

However, many were not aware that the company's factories were manufacturing insulation that contained asbestos, a naturally-occurring mineral which has since been named as a human carcinogen. Because of this, Ambler residents who worked at the factories are now at an increased risk of developing asbestos-related diseases in the years since their exposure.

Asbestos and the Keasbey & Mattison Company

Keasbey & Mattison was initially involved in the production of patent medicines. The company soon changed its focus when, while working in his laboratory, Dr. Mattison found that the popular laxative milk of magnesia could be combined with asbestos to create an effective material for pipe insulation. By 1886, the company had shifted its focus to the manufacturing of construction and industrial supplies using asbestos.

By the early 20th century, Keasbey & Mattison had become one of the nation's leading manufacturers of asbestos textiles and products, shortening its name to "K&M" in the process. Some of K&M’s most popular products included:

• K&M Century Asbestos Shingles
• K&M Kolor-Mate Asbestos-Cement Structural Sheets
• K&M Hy-Temp Pipe Insulation
• K&M Featherweight and Hi-Temp 85 percent Magnesia Pipe and Block Insulation
• K&M Bestfelt Pipe Insulation
• K&M Hi-Temp Block and Pipe Insulation
• K&M Fine Corrugated and Special Fine Air Cell Pipe Insulation
• Century Asbestos Corrugated

K&M products were used in just about every aspect of the construction industry, from roofing to pipe fitting. Asbestos-containing K&M products may still be found in homes built before 1990, which can present a hazard to workers involved in the maintenance, repair, remodeling or demolition of older structures. As K&M products deteriorate over time, they can release dust containing microscopic asbestos fibers into the air. If inhaled, these fibers can become lodged in the lining of the lungs, causing diseases such as asbestosis, lung cancer or mesothelioma.

In 1934, Keasbey & Mattison was sold to a British company called Turner & Newall, which continued to operate the core business until 1962. At this time, Turner & Newall was sold to two other firms, including CertainTeed Corporation and Nicolet Industries, which continued to produce asbestos products and automobile parts at the facilities. The company ultimately became a division of Armstrong World Industries, ceasing operations in 1987 in part because of an onslaught of asbestos litigation.

Keasbey & Mattison and Asbestos Litigation

The disposition of Keasbey & Mattison ultimately became the subject of a landmark legal decision in 1987 when asbestos victim Keith Edwin Gibson successfully sued Armstrong World Industries for damages sustained through exposure to Keasbey & Mattison insulation products. The United States District Court of Colorado decided in favor of the defendant, reasoning that because Nicolet had purchased K&M's assets and continued the manufacture of its asbestos product line, Nicolet was Keasbey & Mattison's "successor-in-interest" and therefore answerable to the thousands of asbestos victims.

This important court decision established a precedent which allowed mesothelioma victims to pursue compensation from a greater number of companies. The court decision also established under Colorado law that companies are responsible for both the assets and liabilities of the businesses they purchase. The Armstrong World Industries Asbestos Personal Injury Settlement Trust was established in 2006 to compensate victims of Nicolet and K&M asbestos products, and the trust received initial funding of more than $200 million. As of 2008, $149 million in claim payments had been made from this trust.

Back in Ambler, Pennsylvania, a land developer in 2003 bought six acres of the site that K&M and Turner & Newall had used for more than 30 years for the disposal of asbestos-containing manufacturing wastes. Kane Core, the land developer, intended to build a 17-story condominium structure on the property. Mr. Core signed a Prospective Purchaser Agreement in 2003 which would absolve the company of liability associated with the fact that the property had been used for the disposal of toxic wastes. This Agreement has not yet been tested in court.

Resources for Former Workers

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related illness after working at the Nicolet/Keasbey & Mattison facility in Ambler, Pennsylvania, you may wish to find out more information about how or when you may have been exposed. A Patient Advocate can help to provide additional resources and detailed information about treatment options for mesothelioma and other asbestos-related conditions. Please call (800) 615-2270 or fill out the form on this page to speak with a Patient Advocate.

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