The Nicolet Company (Keasbey & Mattison)

The Nicolet Company was initially called Keasbey & Mattison and produced pipe insulation and other products using asbestos. Resulting asbestos lawsuits led to bankruptcy. Claimants can seek compensation through the Armstrong World Industries Asbestos Trust.

If you suffer from mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer, you may be eligible for a large amount of compensation. Complete nuestro formulario para recibir nuestro Paquete de Compensación Financiera gratuito. Nuestro paquete contiene información completa sobre abogados con experiencia en mesotelioma en su zona, cómo presentar una reclamación para fondos fiduciarios de asbesto, cómo recibir su compensación en 90 días y más. 

Did Nicolet Use Asbestos?

Nicolet made products with asbestos, including Keasbey & Mattison insulation. Nicolet acquired Keasbey & Mattison in the 1960s and continued making asbestos products until filing for bankruptcy in the 1980s.

Keasbey & Mattison/Nicolet History

• The Nicolet Company dates back to 1873. Founded by Dr. Richard V. Mattison and Henry G. Keasbey, it was originally a pharmaceutical company called Keasbey & Mattison.

• Keasbey & Mattison moved to Ambler, Pennsylvania, in 1881 and continued making patented medications, like their popular invention, Bromo Caffeine.

• Mattison discovered that mixing the magnesium carbonate used for the company’s laxative milk of magnesia with asbestos made an effective insulating material. Wrapping it around pipes reduced heat loss and saved money.

• With the creation of asbestos pipe insulation, Keasbey & Mattison shifted its focus to creating asbestos products. It became a leading company and employer in the small town of Ambler, helping to revitalize the local economy.

• According to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, although the company helped people find employment and increased the town’s economy, Keasbey & Mattison’s asbestos products made Ambler the “asbestos capital of the world.”

• British asbestos company Turner & Newall acquired Keasbey & Mattison in 1934. In the 1960s, it sold to CertainTeed Corporation and then Nicolet. All of the companies made asbestos products in Ambler.

• In the 1960s, Turner & Newall had an exclusive licensing agreement with Armstrong World Industries that allowed Armstrong to sell the company’s asbestos limpet spray insulation in the U.S. Because of how it was applied, limpet was particularly dangerous and put workers at a very high risk of asbestos exposure.

• The licensing agreement added Armstrong to the list of companies associated with asbestos from Keasbey & Mattison and the Ambler factory.

• Armstrong became liable for asbestos claims associated with Keasbey & Mattison and Nicolet. Armstrong filed for bankruptcy in 2000 and opened a trust to compensate claimants.

Nicolet/Keasbey & Mattison Asbestos Lawsuits

Nicolet and CertainTeed began facing asbestos lawsuits as early as the 1970s. Some of them were related to Keasbey & Mattison pipe insulation.

Secondhand Asbestos Exposure Lawsuit

According to Riverfront Times-News (RTN), Ambler resident Mary Samsel grew up on Kilgore Drive, a short distance from The Nicolet Company’s asbestos-cement plant.

Her father worked at the plant, and on numerous occasions, she would accompany him to work.

Samsel later became a physician and never worked around asbestos or asbestos-containing products. At the age of 47, she was diagnosed with asbestos-related lung cancer.

Although doctors initially thought Samsel’s disease was caused by smoking, a closer look at one of her right lungs revealed asbestos fibers in it.

At the time of her exposure, a manufacturing company, CertainTeed, had taken over the plant. Samsel sued CertainTeed. They settled for an undisclosed amount.

Armstrong Asbestos Lawsuits

An important later case made it possible for more victims of Nicolet and Keasbey & Mattison asbestos products to seek compensation from Armstrong World Industries.

Keith Edwin Gibson sued Armstrong in 1986 over exposure to asbestos in Keasbey & Mattison insulation. The U.S. District Court of Colorado decided Gibson could sue Armstrong. Because Nicolet bought Keasbey & Mattison and continued to make its asbestos products, asbestos liabilities passed to Armstrong when it acquired Nicolet.

The decision was a landmark in asbestos cases in the U.S. It set a precedent allowing asbestos exposure victims to sue multiple companies and making businesses liable for the practices of the companies they acquire.

Bankruptcy and Asbestos Trust Fund

The Nicolet Company was found liable in many other asbestos-related lawsuits. In 1987, facing over 61,000 cases, Nicolet filed for bankruptcy.

Armstrong World Industries eventually acquired the Nicolet Company. 

When Armstrong took over the company, it also took over all its asbestos-related cases, which the Armstrong World Industries Asbestos Trust handles.

The fund, created in 2006, started with over $2 billion. Over $200 million has already been paid out. The current payment percentage for the Armstrong World Industries Asbestos Trust is 13.5%.

Occupations Affected by The Nicolet Company

The Nicolet Company’s asbestos products were distributed to and used in many industries, affecting numerous occupations and workers, including:

• electricistas
• trabajadores de la construcción
• Fontaneros
• Instaladores de aislamiento
• Roof workers and carpenters
• Home decorators
• Automobile mechanics
• Sandblasters
• Sheet metal workers
• Welders and welder helpers
• Yard workers and laborers
• Blacksmiths
• Ingenieros
• Utility workers
• Technicians

The first workers in line to be exposed to asbestos in the company’s products were their own employees. Workers in Keasbey & Mattison and Nicolet factories, like the one in Ambler, were likely to be exposed when handling or working near asbestos.

Some people experienced secondhand exposure to asbestos in Keasbey & Mattison products. Workers often brought asbestos fibers home on their clothing. Not understanding the risks, they unknowingly exposed family members.

Asbestos Products Manufactured by Nicolet/Keasbey & Mattison

The following are among the many asbestos products made by Keasbey & Mattison and then Nicolet:

• 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 Century Asbestos Shingles
• Range Boiler Jacket
• “Featherweight” Pipe Insulation
• Hy-Temp Block Insulation
• Kaytherm Pipe Insulation
• Kaytherm Block Insulation
• Asbestos Cement Air Duct
• Zebra Pipe Insulation
• Bestfelt Lamino Sponge Pipe Insulation
• Air Cell Sheets and Blocks
• Simplex “Super Shrunk” Pipe Insulation
• Special Fine Corrugated Air Cell Pipe Insulation
• Duplex Pipe Insulation
• Asbestos Cloth Jacket for K&M Pipe Covering
• Automobile gaskets

Superfund Site in Ambler

On the western edge of Ambler, Pennsylvania, lies what’s known as the “white mountains.” For many years, The Nicolet Company dumped wastes in the area at the Wissahickon Creek site.

In the 1970s, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) noticed and ordered the company to stop dumping toxic wastes. The damage already done resulted in airborne asbestos fibers landing in peoples’ homes, cars, and playground equipment.

The EPA eventually fined The Nicolet Company $1.4 million, but because of its bankruptcy, it never paid the fine.

Extensive cleanup of the site began in 1985. The EPA cleaned up toxic wastes that had reached up to 30 feet.

If You Were Exposed to Keasbey & Mattison/Nicolet Products

A mesothelioma lawyer can help you claim with the Armstrong Trust if you have an asbestos illness related to Nicolet products.

Experienced asbestos attorneys will review your work history and determine if you are eligible for the trust. They will give you the best chance of making a successful claim.

Lawyers can also find any other companies that might be liable for your damages. You could be eligible for additional trusts or to file a lawsuit.

Additional Help and Resources

Use our free Asbestos Attorney Locator Tool to find an experienced mesothelioma attorney in your area. Remember to fill out our form for your free Financial Compensation Packet, with information on asbestos and mesothelioma lawyers in your area.