[POST-WWII TOUR OF EUROPEAN JOHNS-MANVILLE ASBESTOS PRODUCTS MANUFACTURING PLANTS]

This silent film shot sometime between 1945 and 1949 shows a tour made by Johns-Mansville executives in the post-WWII era, of various manufacturing plants that appear to be making asbestos related products. Notably, Johns Manville sold asbestos and manufactured products with asbestos in Europe, including owning facilities and investing in operations in countries like Belgium and France. The company was a global leader in asbestos products before phasing out their use by the mid-1980s. The film includes a look at the manufacture of what appears to be insulation, roofing tiles, fireproof liners and those used for things like brake pads, and so on. Viewers will note that no respiratory protection or other measures to protect workers from asbestos are shown. Some parts of the film show damaged or destroyed factories, including some in the French occupation zone. One section of the film (15:19) shows signage for "T Force". Interestingly, T-Force was the operational arm of a joint US Army–British Army mission to secure German scientific and industrial technology before it could be destroyed by retreating German forces or looters during the final stages of the Second World War and its aftermath. Key personnel were also to be seized and targets of opportunity exploited when encountered. The effort was a business and technology-oriented parallel of sorts to the Monuments Men pursuit of art and financial treasure. Note: Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring, toxic, carcinogenic and fibrous silicate minerals. There are six types, all of which are composed of long and thin fibrous crystals, each fibre being composed of many microscopic "fibrils" that can be released into the atmosphere by abrasion and other processes. Note: we do not know definitively that asbestos manufacture is shown throughout the film.

0:00 Film starts with aerial shots, from an aircraft
0:44 A Lockheed Constellation is shown on the runway, probably refueling at Gander on the way to Europe
1:47 Funicular cable car heads up a mountain, possibly in Switzerland
2:28 What appears to be fibrous asbestos (but could also be wool or a similar product) is shaped and packaged
3:19 A large band of asbestos fibers moves on a belt
3:34 A white liquid, possibly a bonding agent mixed with asbestos, is poured into a container and then spun into thread. (Note: Asbestos products like brake pads were made by blending asbestos fibers with other materials like resins, and then molding the mixture under pressure and heat to form the brake pad shape.)
4:45 Smashed factory after bombing in WWII
5:12 Large array of what appears to be batten of asbestos fibers, and images showing processing to manufacture rope-like materials and continuous sheets
7:35 Manufacture of thread
9:00 Inside a foundry, a kiln burns red hot
10:05 Thick layers of asbestos move on a continuous belt
10:25 Rolls of asbestos batten or insulation are seen in a store room
10:49 Ingots of molten metal are moved in a foundry
12:44 Sheets of batten like asbestos, possibly for use as insulation, are shown. (These might also be used to create continuous sheets shown later).
13:15 Manufacture of fabric like continuous sheets of asbestos are shown
14:08 Manufacture of fireproof asbestos roofing panels
14:30 What appears to be fireproof asbestos roofing panels are shown
14:33 Johns Mansvill executives pose for the camera
14:48 A scenic bridge over a river
15:02 Factory areas with broken windows, possibly from bomb blast damage
15:18 Men walk past a sign indicating "T Force" parking areas
15:25 A display case shows various pipes or fittings made from asbestos
15:34 A ball mill is used to break down asbestos into particulate
15:44 A heavy roller breaks asbestos fibers into particulate
16:17 Large fabric like rolls of asbestos sheeting being manufactured
16:51 Building shown with asbestos shingles or roof tiles
17:33 Civilian Grumman J4F-2 (G-44) Widgeon being loaded