GAF Materials Corporation

GAF Materials Corporation is a company based in Wayne, New Jersey, that has roots dating back to the late 19th century. The GAF acroynym stands for General Aniline & Film. The company has historically been primarily focused on manufacturing of roofing materials for residential and commercial applications. At one time GAF was also active in manufacturing photographic film as well as cameras and projectors (both still and motion picture). Briefly in the 1970s, it was the official film of Disneyland. [ [http://yesterland.com/photocenter.html GAF, Elgin, and Hallmark at Yesterland ] ] Most of its plants and operations are in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States.

History

Founded in 1886, GAF Materials Corporation has grown to be North America's largest roofing manufacturer. Its flagship brand is the Timberline architectural shingle. In 2007, it acquired Elk Corporation, another significant roofing manufacturer. Annual sales for the two combined companies are approximately $2.5 billion. In addition to roofing, the company offers other building materials, such as decorative stone, composite decking and railing, fiber-cement siding, specialty fabrics, and metal ductwork.

The earlier history is somewhat more complex (see American IG).The principal shareholder in GAF Materials Corp. on Jan. 8, 2001, became the 27th company in the United States to file for protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code from liabilities relating to asbestos-exposure lawsuits.However, GAFMC officials tout the company as the largest roofing supplier in North America, and insist that the bankruptcy of G-1 Holdings, its principal shareholder, differs significantly from those of other high-profile building products suppliers such as Owens Corning and Armstrong World Industries, which are also under siege from asbestos-related lawsuits. GAFMC, which G-l Holdings excluded from its filing, claims it currently has no asbestos liability as the result of a corporate restructuring six years ago that separated the two companies.

GAF has advocated on behalf of its agenda in Congress including financing the lobby group Coalition for Asbestos Resolution, an organization that has worked primarily to pass the asbestos legislation. [Labaton, Stephen. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E00E1DD1E30F934A25753C1A96F958260 "How a Company Lets Its Cash Talk"] , "The New York Times", October 17, 1999. Accessed October 9, 1999.]

References

External links

* [http://www.gaf.com GAF Materials Corporation]
*http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0VCW/is_2_27/ai_70711788
*http://www.colorantshistory.org/IGFarbenAmerica.html