G.A.F. Corporation

G.A.F. Corporation, which stands for "General Aniline and Film Corporation," was
established in 1929 as an American subsidiary of a German chemical company, I.G. Farben-
Industrie. G.A.F. was created by I.G. Farben-Industrie to compete with chemical firms in the
North American market. Eventually G.A.F. became one of the leading manufacturers of
residential and commercial construction products. These included deck materials, railings,
decorative stone, ductwork, and specialty fabrics. Unfortunately, the company used toxic
asbestos to manufacture these products.

Unlike other companies in the United States which benefited from the Second World War,
G.A.F. was seized by the United States federal government, because of its German parent
corporation. The federal government appointed the board of directors for the company until
1965. Thus, G.A.F.'s competitors, such as Kodak, Xerox, and DuPont, were able to grow, while
G.A.F. was seized.

After the seizure ended, however, G.A.F. acquired Ruberoid Corporation and quickly
expanded its product lines. Through this acquisition, G.A.F. added roofing materials to its
product line. Ruberoid products, however, used large amounts of asbestos for production.
Asbestos was added to insulation, shingles, and residential siding because the mineral made the
products resistant to weather and heat. Also, Ruberoid owned the largest asbestos mine in the
state of Virginia. This mine continued to operate long after asbestos was scientifically proven to
be toxic; closing in 1975.

As early as the 1920s, physicians recognized that exposure to asbestos caused severe
sickness when asbestosis was identified by British medical journals. It was know that illnesses
such as asbestosis and the aggressive cancer, mesothelioma, are caused by exposure to asbestos.

At the same time, insurance companies in the United States and Canada stopped selling life
insurance to asbestos workers. Moreover, safer substitutes for most asbestos uses were known as early as the 1930s. Nevertheless, G.A.F. chose to protect its substantial profit margins rather than discontinue use of the mineral.

The manufacturing of G.A.F. products exposed thousands of workers and consumers to
toxins. In particular, construction workers, miners, roofers, carpenters, and consumers were
exposed to the dangerous system. In 2001, G.A.F. filed for bankruptcy protection and was reorganized. A court-ordered trust was established to address unsettled and ongoing asbestos claims. Despite bankruptcy, G.A.F. Corporation continues to be a successful company. If you or a loved one has been injured by G.A.F., it is important that you contact Gori Julian & Associates immediately for more information on your rights.