Johns-Manville — Manville NJ Plant

Plaintiffs alleged in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation that they were exposed to asbestos while working at the Johns-Manville plant complex in Manville, New Jersey — the company’s namesake town and one of its largest historic asbestos-manufacturing operations. For the full corporate summary, see the Johns-Manville manufacturer page.

Plant Description and Operating Era

The Manville NJ site was Johns-Manville Corporation’s namesake industrial complex, developed after the 1912 merger that formed the modern company. The Somerset County plant complex allegedly produced asbestos-cement Transite pipe, asbestos-cement board, asbestos roofing, asbestos pipe covering, and other asbestos-containing building products, with peak workforce running into the thousands during the mid-twentieth century. Manville NJ operations wound down in the years following J-M’s August 26, 1982 Chapter 11 filing — the largest asbestos-related bankruptcy in American history.

Premises ACM Narrative

At the Johns-Manville Manville NJ plant during the U.S. asbestos era (approximately 1912-1985), plaintiffs alleged that asbestos was present through:

  • Raw asbestos fiber handling — receiving, weighing, blending, and milling of chrysotile fiber (and in early Manville lines, amphibole crocidolite/amosite fiber)
  • Asbestos-cement product manufacturing — Transite pipe forming, asbestos-cement sheet pressing, corrugated asbestos-cement roofing manufacture
  • Product finishing — sawing, drilling, sanding, and edge-finishing generating airborne asbestos dust throughout production halls
  • Asbestos pipe covering on plant steam mains
  • Asbestos-block hot-side lagging on autoclaves, curing kilns, and asbestos-cement plant boilers
  • Asbestos sheet gaskets at product-machine flanges
  • Asbestos-fabric arc chute plates in plant switchgear
  • Asbestos sprayed fireproofing on structural steel (pre-1973 EPA ban)
  • Shipping and warehousing — packaging asbestos-cement pipe, roofing, and asbestos textile products

Workers Exposed

  • J-M asbestos mill workers — raw fiber receiving, weighing, blending, milling
  • Transite pipe forming machine operators and finishers
  • Asbestos-cement board pressers
  • HFIAW Insulators — on pipe covering and Kaylo/Aircell installation
  • UA Pipefitters — flange bolt-up
  • IBB Boilermakers — plant boilers and Transite autoclave work
  • IBEW Electricians — switchgear and motor control work
  • BAC Bricklayers — refractory in curing kilns
  • Millwrights — machine tool installation
  • Shipping and receiving workers — handled asbestos-cement pipe and roofing bundles

If You Worked at Johns-Manville Manville NJ

If you or a family member worked at the Johns-Manville Manville NJ plant — or any other Johns-Manville site including Waukegan IL, Corona CA, Pittsburg CA, Somerville NJ, Perth Amboy NJ, Norwood OH, Lompoc CA, Green Cove Springs FL, or Denver CO — and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, or another asbestos-related disease, you may have a legal claim.

The Manville Personal Injury Settlement Trust — established under Manville’s 1982 Chapter 11 reorganization, the landmark U.S. asbestos bankruptcy trust — provides compensation for J-M asbestos-injury claims.

Free, confidential case evaluation: Speak with O’Brien Law Firm — (314) 936-2956