Document MJpE8VDxM1R84DxXkZ83XoORk

PLAINTIFF'S EXHIBIT GeorgiaFfccific 4k intracompany memo to Mr. E. B. Hollingsworth from M. A. Palmowski subiect NON ASBESTOS READY MIX cc: Messrs. C. W. Lehnert-Tigard 0. E. Burch-Portland D. C. Corkill-Portland J. B. Moss-Wilmington location location date Wilmington Chicago 2-10-77 I have conferred with my Quality Supt. and reviewed the current status of our nan-asbestos Ready-Mix. The answers to your questions are as followss 1. Except for the higher cost of manufacturing, the asbestos-free ReadyMix has no unfavorable characteristics in reference to plant testing and plant opinion. 2. We have had no field experience with asbestos-free Ready-Mix due to its low aalea volume. 3. In Janurary .27% of our 5 gal. Ready-Mix was asbestos-free. U. Only two branches buy our asbestos-free Ready-Mix,St. Louis and Minn eapolis. 5. The reasons for this concentration are as follows! A. St. Louis decided to buy the asbestos-free Ready-Mix because of its lower price. B. Minneapolis ordered asbestos-free because of a raging controversy in that area over the debilitating effects of asbestos on the environment and one's health. 6. United States Gypsum and National Gypsum sell no asbestos containing Ready-Mix in the Chicago area. As I understand the situation all of their joint cement products are now asbestos-free. One small company, Kadex, sells asbestos containing Ready-Mix to accounts that the Chicago Branches will not touch because of credit difficulties. 7. The performance of the competition's asbestos-free Ready-Mix is very poor. It has a reputation for poor working properties, poor shear,and cratering. 8. Except for the Chicago area where nobody wants asbestos-free Ready-Mix the market preference is for our competition's asbestos-free Ready-Mix. I believe this is due to many D/W crontractors long standing use of U.S.G products and all of U.S.G.*s Ready-Mix is asbestos-free. 9. To my knowledge there has been no pressure to sell asbestos-free Ready- RECEIVED BY Mix from anyone except for the two abovementioned branches. FEB 1 4 1977 gyp$UM DNISION SGP 0009051 GeorglaF&cifIc intracompany memo to (rom subject NON-ASBESTOS READY-MIX cont. location location date 10. Our non-asbestos Ready-Mix needs more body, less cratering, and alot of field testing to give it a reputation equal to our asbestos product. M.A.P. SGP 0009052