GAF Corporation

GAF Corporation, originally known as General Aniline & Film Corporation, traces its origins to 1886 and became one of the largest building materials manufacturers in the United States. The company is particularly significant in asbestos history because it acquired the Ruberoid Company, one of the oldest and most prolific asbestos product manufacturers in America. Through this acquisition and its own manufacturing operations, GAF produced and distributed an extensive range of asbestos-containing building products from the early twentieth century through the mid-1980s.

GAF's primary asbestos-containing products were concentrated in roofing and flooring. The company manufactured asbestos roofing shingles, roofing felt, and related roofing accessories that were installed on millions of American homes and commercial buildings. Their roofing products used chrysotile asbestos fibers mixed with asphalt and other materials to create weather-resistant, fire-retardant roofing systems. GAF also produced vinyl-asbestos floor tiles and asbestos-cement siding shingles for residential and commercial applications.

The acquisition of Ruberoid significantly expanded GAF's exposure to asbestos liability. Ruberoid had been manufacturing asbestos-containing products since the late 1800s, and its product line included roofing, siding, pipe insulation, and other construction materials. By absorbing Ruberoid, GAF inherited not only the manufacturing operations but also the legal responsibility for decades of asbestos product distribution. This would prove to be an enormous financial burden as asbestos litigation expanded in the 1980s and 1990s.

GAF's asbestos products were distributed through an extensive network of building supply dealers and contractors. Roofers, siding installers, floor tile installers, and general construction workers across the United States and Canada were exposed to asbestos fibers during the cutting, fitting, and installation of GAF products. Maintenance and repair work on aging GAF roofing and siding also generated asbestos exposure for subsequent generations of workers.

GAF reorganized as GAF Materials Corporation and established trust mechanisms to address asbestos personal injury claims. Today, GAF continues to operate as the largest roofing manufacturer in North America, producing only asbestos-free products. However, the installed base of GAF and Ruberoid asbestos-containing roofing, flooring, and siding products remains present in buildings across the continent.