Republic Powdered Metals

Republic Powdered Metals’ History With Asbestos

The company began using asbestos after it acquired the Reardon Company in 1966. Reardon’s Bondex line included roofing products, joint compounds, coatings and adhesives. Republic Powdered Metals added asbestos to strengthen materials and improve heat resistance, which helped prevent industrial accidents and fires. 

The company sold these  asbestos products until the early 1980s. Workers who manufactured, installed or handled these products faced serious asbestos exposure risks. Breathing asbestos fibers could cause mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive cancer that affects the lining of the lungs and other organs. Exposure occurred in manufacturing facilities, construction sites and during maintenance or demolition work.

Frank Sullivan founded the company in 1947 to make Alumanation, a protective coating. The company later added waterproofing and rustproofing products and expanded its business through acquisitions, including the Reardon Company.

Today, Republic Powdered Metals operates as RPM International Inc., a global manufacturer of coatings, sealants, and specialty chemicals. RPM International produces products for roofing, restoration and industrial applications under brands such as Rust-Oleum, Tremco and Carboline. As of 2025, it runs more than 140 facilities worldwide.

Development of Trust Fund

Bondex International, a subsidiary of Republic Powdered Metals, filed for bankruptcy on May 31, 2010, after facing more than 20,000 asbestos lawsuits. In 2014, Republic Powdered Metals joined the proceedings and contributed $797.5 million to the Bondex Asbestos Personal Injury Trust to compensate people exposed to asbestos from its products.

The trust began handling claims on July 1, 2016. As of 2025, the trust reports the payment percentage is 29.5%. based on a forecast of the trust’s total liability to present and future claimants. This percentage may change over time because of uncertainties in the forecast.

Claimants must show evidence of exposure to Bondex products and a diagnosis of an asbestos-related disease. The Bondex Trust can fast-track claims for people in urgent need. Claimants who are terminally ill with an asbestos-related disease or facing severe financial hardship may qualify for quicker review and payment. The trust evaluates medical records and financial circumstances to ensure the claim meets the criteria before processing it.

Republic Powdered Metals’ Asbestos Products

For decades, Republic Powdered Metals supplied a range of building and industrial materials that were later found to contain asbestos. These products put both construction workers and home renovators at risk of asbestos exposure.

Products That Contained Asbestos

• Bondex All-Purpose Joint Cement
• Bondex All-Purpose Joint Compound
• Bondex Ready-Mixed Joint Cement
• Bontone Fibred Masonry Coating
• Dramex Ready-Mixed Finish
• Dramex Texture Paint
• Liquid Aluminum Coating
• Mr. Mud brand products
• Triko brand products

Homeowners who used Republic Powdered Metals’ products were also at risk. The danger of exposure was generally lower for asbestos-containing textured coatings such as Dramex Texture Paint, but other products posed higher risks. One example is Bondex All-Purpose Joint Compound, which contained chrysotile asbestos and was widely used by do-it-yourself homeowners.

Workers at Risk From Republic Powdered Metals’ Products

Employees who produced these products faced the highest levels of risk. Workers who handled or applied them on the job were also at significant risk of asbestos exposure.

Jobs at Risk of Asbestos Exposure

• Boiler workers
• Chemical plant workers
• Construction workers
• Electricians
• Factory workers
• Industrial workers
• Insulators
• Masons
• Metal plant workers
• Mill workers
• Oil refinery workers
• Painters
• Pipefitters
• Plumbers
• Power plant workers
• Railway workers
• Roofers
• Rubber plant workers
• Shipyard workers
• Textile plant workers
• Veterans of the armed forces

Workers in these roles often faced daily exposure to asbestos dust, which greatly increased their chances of developing diseases like mesothelioma and lung cancer. Many later filed lawsuits to hold Republic Powdered Metals accountable.

Asbestos Litigation Involving Republic Powdered Metals

Republic Powdered Metals first faced an asbestos lawsuit over Bondex products in 1980. From then until 1999, it paid a total of $1.6 million in claims. Costs rose sharply in the early 2000s, when the company spent between $43 million and $82.5 million each year on asbestos liabilities.

The spike in lawsuits reflected the long latency period of asbestos-related diseases. Mesothelioma and other illnesses can take 20 to 60 years to develop, which meant people exposed before the company stopped making asbestos products were only beginning to show symptoms.

Most lawsuits stemmed from Reardon Company’s Bondex line. By 2010, Republic Powdered Metals reported more than 20,000 asbestos lawsuits tied to Reardon’s products, with the majority filed in Texas, Florida, Mississippi, Maryland, Illinois and Ohio.

In one case, a Texas painter received an $11 million verdict after developing mesothelioma. Of the 4 companies named in the case, Republic Powdered Metals was the only defendant that refused a settlement. The trial judge found it partially responsible for the worker’s illness.

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