CertainTeed

CertainTeed is a North American building-products manufacturer serving residential and commercial construction. Its product portfolio spans roofing, siding, insulation, gypsum, ceilings, and related construction systems. The company traces its origins to 1904, when George M. Brown established the General Roofing Manufacturing Company in East St. Louis, Illinois. The business later broadened its scope beyond roofing and adopted the Certain-teed name during a 1917 corporate reorganization. CertainTeed became a publicly traded company in the early twentieth century, listing on the New York Stock Exchange in 1918. It subsequently developed into a diversified producer of construction materials, supplying contractors, builders, architects, distributors, and property owners. Its operations have included manufacturing plants across the United States and Canada, with products exported to more than 50 countries. The brand is organized around several major construction categories: roofing, siding, insulation, gypsum, and ceilings. These categories include individual materials as well as coordinated systems intended to support the building envelope, energy efficiency, moisture management, fire performance, acoustics, and exterior appearance. CertainTeed products are used in new construction, renovation, reroofing, and commercial building projects. CertainTeed has also been associated historically with asbestos-cement pipe manufacturing. The company phased out asbestos use in its products around 1990, but its former asbestos-related business has continued to generate product-liability litigation. Other litigation has concerned the performance of certain roofing-shingle and fiber-cement-siding products. These cases have included settlements, class actions, and disputed claims; individual court outcomes should not be treated as general findings about the current product portfolio. CertainTeed is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Saint-Gobain, the Paris-based international building-materials group. Under Saint-Gobain ownership, CertainTeed operates as a major North American brand within a broader global materials network. The company has reported a substantial record of product innovation and has held more than 350 patents over a recent 30-year period, according to the referenced encyclopedia material. Its current positioning emphasizes broad product coverage, technical performance, sustainability, installation support, and system-based solutions for professional construction markets.

CertainTeed began in 1904 as the General Roofing Manufacturing Company, founded by George M. Brown in East St. Louis, Illinois. The original business was established with reported startup capital of $25,000 and focused on roofing manufacture. In 1917, the company reorganized and incorporated under the name Certain-teed Products Corporation, marking an early transition from a single-category roofing operation toward a broader construction-materials enterprise. The company entered the public markets in 1918 through a listing on the New York Stock Exchange. Over subsequent decades, it expanded its manufacturing and commercial activities into additional building-product categories. The modern CertainTeed portfolio includes roofing, siding, insulation, gypsum, and ceilings, allowing the brand to supply materials used across both the exterior envelope and interior finishing stages of construction. CertainTeed developed a large North American manufacturing footprint. The referenced material identifies 65 manufacturing plants in the United States and Canada and says that the company exports building products to more than 50 countries. Its products have been directed at both residential and commercial construction, including new buildings, renovation, maintenance, reroofing, and replacement projects. The company has also accumulated a substantial patent history, with more than 350 patents reported over a 30-year period. The brand's history includes a significant legacy asbestos business. For many years, CertainTeed manufactured asbestos-cement pipe used by water utilities. Asbestos was used as a binder in the cement, and CertainTeed phased out asbestos in its products around 1990. Historical exposure claims later led to extensive product-liability litigation involving former workers, water-utility projects, and family members. A 2010 Los Angeles case produced a large jury verdict, but the trial court later overturned the verdict and required further proceedings. Separate disputes concerned alleged premature failure of organic shingles and alleged shrinking, cracking, and warping of fiber-cement siding. CertainTeed is currently a wholly owned subsidiary of Saint-Gobain SA, the Paris-headquartered building-materials group. Its present role is that of a major North American brand within Saint-Gobain's international portfolio. The company continues to be associated with multi-category building systems rather than a single product line, combining roofing, wall, insulation, gypsum, and ceiling offerings for professional and consumer construction channels.

1. 2020Bankruptcy filing related to historical asbestos liabilities

   The successor associated with CertainTeed's asbestos products filed for bankruptcy protection in North Carolina.

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2. 2015Recognition across siding and roofing categories

   CertainTeed was recognized as a leading brand in several siding and roofing categories, including insulated siding, vinyl siding, clay/concrete/synthetic tile roofing, and photovoltaic roofing.

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3. 1990Asbestos use phased out

   The company phased out asbestos in its products around this period, although historical asbestos-related claims continued afterward.

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4. 1918New York Stock Exchange listing

   Certain-teed Products Corporation began trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

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5. 1917Corporate reorganization and name change

   The company incorporated and adopted the Certain-teed Products Corporation name.

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6. 1904General Roofing Manufacturing Company founded

   George M. Brown established the original roofing business in East St. Louis, Illinois.

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A broad-line, performance-oriented building-products supplier for residential and commercial construction, with an emphasis on integrated building-envelope and interior systems.

• RoofingRoofing systems

  CertainTeed's roofing portfolio includes asphalt shingles and other roofing materials used in residential and commercial applications. The brand has also been associated with organic shingles, fiberglass shingles, clay, concrete, and synthetic tile categories, as well as photovoltaic roofing. Roofing offerings are positioned as system components supporting weather protection, appearance, and building-envelope performance.

• SidingExterior cladding

  The siding business covers vinyl, insulated, and fiber-cement exterior products for residential construction and renovation. These materials provide exterior weather protection and architectural appearance, with different lines addressing durability, energy performance, design variety, and maintenance requirements.

• InsulationBuilding insulation

  CertainTeed insulation products are used in walls, roofs, attics, floors, and other parts of the building envelope. The category supports thermal efficiency and may also contribute to acoustic and moisture-management objectives in residential and commercial construction.

• GypsumInterior building systems

  The gypsum portfolio serves interior wall and ceiling construction. Gypsum products are used by builders and contractors for partitions, finishes, fire-resistance assemblies, and other interior systems in residential and commercial buildings.

• CeilingsCeiling systems

  CertainTeed ceiling products address interior commercial and residential applications. The category complements the company's gypsum and insulation offerings and can support acoustic, visual, fire-performance, and installation requirements depending on the selected system.

• Asbestos-cement pipeHistorical water-infrastructure product

  CertainTeed historically manufactured asbestos-cement pipe for water utilities. The company phased out asbestos use around 1990. This discontinued historical business remains relevant because it has been the subject of product-liability claims and later asbestos-related bankruptcy proceedings involving a successor entity.

• 2005Discontinuation of a disputed organic-shingle typeOther

  CertainTeed organic shingles later became the subject of claims alleging premature failure and inadequate service life.

  What changed. The referenced material states that CertainTeed stopped manufacturing the particular organic-shingle type in 2005.

  Aftermath. A related class action was approved in 2010, with CertainTeed disputing the alleged defects.

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• 1990Phase-out of asbestos-containing productsStrategy

  CertainTeed had historically manufactured asbestos-cement pipe for water utilities, creating a legacy product-liability exposure.

  What changed. The company phased out asbestos use in its products around 1990.

  Aftermath. Historical exposure claims and litigation continued after the phase-out, including proceedings involving a successor entity.

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• 2020Bankruptcy proceeding for historical asbestos liabilitiesControversy

  A successor associated with CertainTeed's historical asbestos products sought bankruptcy protection, reflecting the continuing legal and financial consequences of legacy asbestos claims.

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• 2011Fiber-cement siding class actionsControversy

  Homeowners filed class actions alleging that WeatherBoards fiber-cement siding could shrink, crack, or warp. The reported filings continued into 2012.

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• 2010Asbestos-cement pipe litigationControversy

  CertainTeed faced product-liability litigation connected with historical asbestos-cement pipe used in water-utility projects. A Los Angeles jury returned a substantial verdict in one mesothelioma-related case, but the trial court later overturned the verdict and ordered a new trial.

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• 2010Organic-shingle performance class actionControversy

  A class action concerning alleged early failure or inadequate performance of CertainTeed organic shingles was approved. CertainTeed denied that the shingles were defective, and the court's settlement review did not constitute a determination of liability.

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1. CertainTeed
2. CertainTeed official website