Celotex Corporation, headquartered in Tampa, Florida, was a major manufacturer of building insulation products, acoustic ceiling tiles, and fiber board products for commercial and institutional construction — including products used in US Navy shore facility construction throughout the WWII and postwar era. Celotex asbestos-containing ceiling tile, acoustic tile, and insulation board products appeared in the administrative buildings, barracks, technical school facilities, and office buildings at naval installations across the United States that were built or renovated during the period when Celotex incorporated asbestos fiber in its tile and insulation board products for enhanced fire resistance and structural stability.

Asbestos in Celotex Building Products

Celotex incorporated asbestos in multiple building product lines:

  • Acoustic ceiling tile — Celotex acoustic ceiling tiles used asbestos fiber as a component of the tile composition for fire resistance and dimensional stability. Navy shore facility buildings using suspended Celotex acoustic ceiling tile systems accumulated asbestos exposure potential for occupants as the tiles aged and became friable, with routine building maintenance, renovation, or tile replacement operations releasing asbestos fiber from the tile face
  • Thermal insulation board — Celotex fiberboard insulation products used asbestos fiber as a reinforcing component in some product lines used in WWII-era Navy building construction for wall, ceiling, and duct insulation applications. Maintenance workers and Seabee construction ratings working on Navy buildings with Celotex insulation board encountered asbestos during building renovation and repair
  • Roofing products — Celotex manufactured roofing materials that in some product lines incorporated asbestos fiber for fire resistance in the roofing substrate, with the roofing materials appearing in Navy shore facility building construction of the WWII and postwar era

Celotex products appeared throughout Navy shore facility building stock:

  • Naval station administrative buildings — the administrative, support, and technical school buildings at naval stations and naval air stations used Celotex ceiling tile and insulation board in interior construction, creating asbestos exposure for the personnel working in these buildings over decades of occupancy
  • Naval shipyard facilities — the administrative and technical school buildings at US Navy public shipyards used Celotex and similar asbestos-containing building products in the WWII-era and postwar construction
  • NMCB (Seabee) construction work — Seabee Construction Battalions building expedient structures and base facilities in deployed environments used standard Navy-issue building materials that included Celotex and similar asbestos-containing ceiling and insulation board products in their construction specifications for the period

VA Claims for Veterans Exposed to Celotex Corporation Products

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure at naval shore facilities. Navy shore-based personnel and Seabees who lived or worked in buildings with Celotex and similar asbestos-containing ceiling tile and insulation products at naval installations and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.