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United States Mineral Products Company

Expert Fact Checked

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Jennifer Lucarelli Legal Advisor and Contributor


In 1875, United States Mineral Products Company (USMP) was formed in New Jersey. Eventually, it began making fire-resistant materials, insulation and acoustical products. When the company expanded its product line, it sometimes included asbestos fibers. The USMP has since stopped using the fiber in its products, though thousands of people have been exposed from its past use. The number of lawsuits against USMP led it to file for bankruptcy in 2001 and form an asbestos trust fund. The trust continues to pay claimants.


01. History of Asbestos Use

United States Mineral Products History of Asbestos Use

Quick Facts
  • Years in Operation: 1875 – present
  • Location: Stanhope, New Jersey
  • Production: Fireproofing materials
  • Asbestos Trust: Yes

USMP began producing mineral wool in 1875. The New Jersey-based company first operated as U.S. Mineral Wool Company. It later rebranded to USMP, which better encompassed its larger, fire-resistant product line.

Initially, the company focused on fire-proofing materials for the construction and defense industries, producing fireproofing sprays and shields. The products were marketed under various names, depending on where in the world the materials were sold. In the United States and the greater North American region, the company’s products are still sold under the CAFCO® brand. Internationally, USMP goods are branded as Isolatek International. The company manufactured fire-resistant products that included asbestos from 1954 through the early 1970s.

United States Mineral Products Company Locations in the U.S.

Since ending its asbestos use, the company has continued to grow, expand and diversify. USMP now produces commercial, petrochemical and tunnel fire-resistant materials.

02. Asbestos Products

United States Mineral Products Company Asbestos Products

USMP’s first products did not contain asbestos. The carcinogen was added to its manufacturing process in 1954.

The asbestos fibers were used in products to increase their fireproofing ability, durability and flexibility. Asbestos-containing USMP products included heat shields, acoustical materials and fireproofing spray, among others.

USMP’s asbestos products include:

  • United States Mineral CAFCO® Blaze Shield Fireproofing
  • United States Mineral CAFCO® Blaze Sheild Type D
  • United States Mineral CAFCO® Cominco All-Purpose Insulating Cement
  • United States Mineral CAFCO® Cominco Mono-Ply Insulating Cement
  • United States Mineral CAFCO® Fireproofing
  • United States Mineral CAFCO® Heat Shield Fireproofing
  • United States Mineral CAFCO® Patching Fiber
  • United Stated Mineral CAFCO® Power Shield Fireproofing
  • United States Mineral CAFCO® Sound-Shield
  • United States Mineral CAFCO® Spray

United States Mineral Products ended its use of asbestos in the early 1970s. Today, all products sold under the CAFCO® and Isolatek brand are asbestos-free.

03. Occupational Exposure

United States Mineral Products Company and Occupational Exposure

All those employed by USMP between 1954 and the early 1970s may have been exposed to asbestos while on the job. Workplace asbestos exposure is among the most dangerous; repeated, long-term exposure is most likely to lead to an asbestos-related disease later in life. USMP employees who manufactured or installed the asbestos-containing products are among those most at risk for asbestos exposure.

Those who worked with the company’s asbestos-containing products may also have experienced occupational exposure. Those at risk include engineers, architects and cement masons, among others.

Occupations Impacted by United States Mineral Products Company’s Asbestos Use

Today, workers in construction and related fields may be exposed to the contaminated products when working in older buildings, homes or schools.

04. Asbestos Litigation

Asbestos Litigation Against United States Mineral Products Company

In the 1980s, USMP began to be named in asbestos-related lawsuits. The high cost of court proceedings and settlements for mesothelioma claimants led the company to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July 2001. At the time of filing, USMP had received more than 223,000 asbestos claims.

A number of these claims stemmed from the use of CAFCO® asbestos-containing products in the World Trade Center. Many of those involved with the construction of the World Trade Center, as well as first responders and clean-up personnel after the 9/11 terror attacks, have developed asbestos-related diseases because of the use of USMP and other companies’ asbestos products.

Such was the case of John Maiorana, a New York Metropolitan area sheet metal worker. John was employed as a sheet metal worker on two jobsites known to have used CAFCO® D, a fireproof asbestos spray. He worked on the World Trade Center in the fall of 1969 and Meadowbrook Hospital in the spring of 1970.

In January 1983, John was diagnosed with colon cancer related to his asbestos exposure. Six months later, at 40 years old, he died from the disease. In 1995, a jury awarded John’s widow, Arlene M. Maiorana, $3.31 million. USMP was found liable for 50% of the jury award.

Multi-million dollar awards, like the one granted to Arlene Maiorana, directly resulted in USMP’s bankruptcy filing and the creation of an asbestos trust fund.

05. Asbestos Trust Fund

United States Mineral Products Company Asbestos Trust Fund

The United States Mineral Products Company Personal Injury Asbestos Trust was formed in 2005 and initially funded with $8 million dollars.

The current payment percentage for successful claims is 15%.

The trust began as a requirement of the company’s 2001 bankruptcy filing. The formation of the trust fund enabled USMP to continue operations and ensure mesothelioma victims could receive compensation.

The trust pays all successful claimants a set percentage of its awards. This ensures it maintains sufficient funds to pay future victims.

Today, the USMP trust remains operational and continues to accept and settle claims. If you believe you or a loved one is entitled to compensation, learn how a mesothelioma lawyer can help.