Plisulate Finishing Cement No. 102

Manufacturer: Plibrico Company Product Categories: Pipe Insulation, Refractory Materials

Product Description

Plisulate Finishing Cement No. 102 was a finishing cement and insulating compound manufactured by the Plibrico Company, a Chicago-based firm that built its reputation on refractory and insulating products for industrial applications. Plibrico operated for much of the twentieth century as a supplier to heavy industry, offering a broad line of castable refractories, insulating cements, and surface finishing compounds designed to withstand high-temperature environments.

Plisulate Finishing Cement No. 102 was formulated as a top-coat or finishing layer applied over base insulation systems on pipes, boilers, vessels, and other high-temperature industrial equipment. As a finishing cement, it served both functional and protective roles: sealing underlying insulation layers against moisture infiltration and mechanical damage, while providing a smooth, workable surface. Products of this type were commonly specified in industrial plant construction, power generation facilities, petrochemical refineries, shipbuilding, and anywhere that large-scale pipe and equipment insulation systems were required.

The Plibrico name was well known among insulation contractors and industrial tradespeople during the mid-twentieth century. The company’s products, including the Plisulate line, were distributed across industrial markets in the United States and appeared on job sites ranging from manufacturing plants to naval vessels. Workers in these environments encountered Plisulate Finishing Cement No. 102 during installation of new insulation systems as well as during repair, maintenance, and removal of existing insulation.

Asbestos Content

Litigation records document that Plisulate Finishing Cement No. 102 contained asbestos as a component of its formulation. Plaintiffs alleged that Plibrico incorporated asbestos fibers into finishing cements of this type because asbestos provided properties that were highly desirable for high-temperature insulating applications: thermal stability, resistance to flame, binding strength, and the ability to be mixed into a workable cement paste that could be troweled or hand-applied to irregular surfaces.

Finishing cements and insulating coatings of this era — particularly those intended for use on industrial pipe insulation systems operating at elevated temperatures — frequently relied on asbestos, most commonly chrysotile and in some formulations amphibole varieties such as amosite, to achieve the required performance characteristics. Plaintiffs in asbestos litigation involving Plibrico products alleged that the company was aware or should have been aware of the health hazards associated with asbestos-containing materials during the period these products were manufactured and sold, yet continued to produce and distribute them without adequate warning to the workers and tradespeople who used them.

The specific fiber types and percentage compositions documented in litigation records may vary depending on the production period and the particular formulation of No. 102 involved. Individuals who worked with or around this product should consult with qualified legal counsel and industrial hygiene professionals to evaluate exposure history.

How Workers Were Exposed

Industrial workers across a variety of trades encountered Plisulate Finishing Cement No. 102 in the course of their normal work activities. Litigation records document that exposure occurred in multiple phases of a product’s lifecycle — during original installation, during repair and maintenance, and during removal or demolition of existing insulation systems.

During installation, workers mixed the dry cement powder with water to achieve a workable paste. This mixing process, particularly when performed with dry material in enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces, was documented in litigation as generating significant quantities of airborne dust. Plaintiffs alleged that this dust contained respirable asbestos fibers that workers inhaled without the benefit of adequate respiratory protection.

Application of the finishing cement required workers to trowel or hand-apply the mixed material onto pipe surfaces, vessels, and equipment. This hands-on work placed workers in close, sustained contact with the product. In industrial settings, multiple workers might be present in the same work area simultaneously, meaning that even workers who were not directly applying the product could be exposed to airborne fibers generated by others — a pattern of bystander exposure that litigation records document extensively in asbestos cases involving insulation products.

Maintenance and repair activities presented additional exposure risks. Plaintiffs alleged that when existing Plisulate finishing cement was cut, chipped, abraded, or removed to access underlying equipment, the disturbance of the hardened material released asbestos fibers into the work environment. This type of secondary exposure could affect insulators, pipefitters, boilermakers, maintenance mechanics, and other tradespeople working in proximity to the disturbed material.

Facilities where such products were commonly used — industrial manufacturing plants, refineries, power generation stations, and shipyards — often involved confined spaces with limited ventilation, conditions that litigation records document as intensifying worker exposure to airborne asbestos fibers. Workers in these environments may have been exposed to multiple asbestos-containing products simultaneously, as Plibrico products would frequently have been used alongside insulation, pipe covering, block insulation, and other materials from other manufacturers that also contained asbestos.

The information contained in this article is provided for informational and reference purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Individuals with potential asbestos exposure claims should consult with a qualified attorney licensed in their jurisdiction.