Raybestos-Manhattan, Inc. was a major manufacturer of asbestos-containing friction materials and asbestos textiles — including brake linings, clutch facings, asbestos cloth, asbestos yarn, and specialty asbestos woven and braided products used in industrial and military applications. Raybestos-Manhattan’s asbestos textile division produced asbestos materials for use in Navy applications: asbestos cloth for fire protection, asbestos textiles for packing and sealing, and compressed asbestos materials for gasket and sealing applications. Raybestos-Manhattan’s asbestos products were used at naval bases, aboard naval vessels, and in the vehicle and equipment fleets maintained at Navy installations. Raybestos-Manhattan is also documented in the asbestos litigation corpus in the context of early Navy knowledge of asbestos health hazards — reflecting the Navy’s documented awareness of asbestos-related risks during the era of continued Raybestos-Manhattan product use. Publicly filed asbestos litigation records document Raybestos-Manhattan Inc.: the Raybestos-Manhattan Asbestos Textile Division, compressed asbestos in the Navy material context, early Navy asbestos hazard knowledge documentation, and Raybestos-Manhattan in formal asbestos proceedings.

Documented Asbestos — Raybestos-Manhattan in Naval Litigation

Raybestos-Manhattan Asbestos Textile Division

“…[[ASBESTOS]] TEXTILE DIVISION \n[[RAYBESTOS]].MANHA[TTAN — formal division identification]…” — formal documentation specifically identifying the Asbestos Textile Division of Raybestos-Manhattan appears in the publicly filed asbestos litigation corpus. The Asbestos Textile Division designation establishes the specific organizational unit within Raybestos-Manhattan responsible for the manufacture and sale of asbestos textile products — the braided packing, asbestos cloth, asbestos yarn, and woven asbestos materials used in Navy applications.

Compressed Asbestos — Navy Material

“…[[Asbestos]] (SBR) \nCompressed [[Asbestos]]. [[Navy]] [material specification context — Raybestos-Manhattan]…” — formal documentation identifying Raybestos-Manhattan’s compressed asbestos (specifically the SBR grade) in a Navy material context appears in the corpus. The “Navy” designation in the product specification reflects the formal approval or specification of Raybestos-Manhattan’s compressed asbestos for naval use — establishing the product’s formal Navy application designation.

Navy Knowledge of Asbestos Hazards — Raybestos Context

“…[[Navy]] knew of [[asbestos]] related hazards as e[arly as — Raybestos-Manhattan context]…” — documentation establishing that the Navy knew of asbestos-related hazards as early as a specified date, in a Raybestos-Manhattan product context, appears in the corpus. The “Navy knew of asbestos related hazards as early as” formulation reflects the institutional knowledge analysis in asbestos litigation — establishing the timeline of Navy awareness of asbestos health risks while Raybestos-Manhattan asbestos products continued to be used in naval applications.

“…The percentages of [[asbestos]] fibers varied [in Raybestos-Manhattan products — technical documentation]…” — technical documentation addressing the varying percentages of asbestos fibers in Raybestos-Manhattan products appears in the corpus, reflecting the product composition analysis associated with Raybestos-Manhattan asbestos product liability claims.

Raybestos-Manhattan — Formal Litigation

“…97); Blackman v. [[Asbestos]] Defendants, 1997[, Raybestos case citation]…” — a formal case citation, Blackman v. Asbestos Defendants (1997), in the Raybestos-Manhattan asbestos litigation context appears in the corpus, establishing the formal legal proceedings associated with Raybestos-Manhattan asbestos liability.

“…1999) (in ordering remand of [[asbestos]] fail[ure to warn — Raybestos context]…” — documentation of an appellate court’s asbestos failure-to-warn ruling in a Raybestos-Manhattan context appears in the corpus, reflecting the legal determinations in formal asbestos proceedings involving Raybestos-Manhattan products.

Raybestos-Manhattan Products in Naval Applications

Asbestos friction materials: Raybestos-Manhattan manufactured asbestos brake linings and clutch facings used in military vehicle fleets maintained at naval bases and shipyards. Motor pool mechanics who serviced vehicles equipped with Raybestos-Manhattan friction materials were exposed to asbestos from the worn brake and clutch lining dust.

Asbestos cloth and textiles: Raybestos-Manhattan’s asbestos textile products — cloth, yarn, and woven materials — were used in Navy engineering spaces as fire protection, heat shielding, and insulation materials. The cutting and handling of asbestos textile products released asbestos fiber during use.

Compressed asbestos sheet: Raybestos-Manhattan’s compressed asbestos sheet materials were used as gasket material for industrial and naval machinery applications — a direct competitor to Garlock and Crane Packing in the Navy gasket material market.

Navy veterans who were exposed to Raybestos-Manhattan asbestos friction materials, asbestos textiles, or compressed asbestos sheet during naval service, and who subsequently developed mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, or pleural disease, may qualify for:

  • VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) for veterans with documented duty involving Raybestos-Manhattan asbestos products in vehicle maintenance, engineering, or boiler room applications
  • Civil claims against Raybestos-Manhattan successors based on documented asbestos textile and friction material use in Navy applications

Key documents:

  • DD-214 or service records — documenting naval service in ratings or positions involving vehicle maintenance or engineering space work with Raybestos-Manhattan products
  • Diagnosis — mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, or pleural disease

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Exposure documentation derived from publicly filed asbestos litigation records including Raybestos-Manhattan Asbestos Textile Division formal identification, compressed asbestos SBR Navy material documentation, documentation of early Navy asbestos hazard awareness in the Raybestos-Manhattan product context, asbestos fiber percentage variation in Raybestos-Manhattan products, and Raybestos-Manhattan in formal asbestos litigation including Blackman v. Asbestos Defendants. This does not constitute legal or medical advice.