Jack Jones of Acoustical Spray Insulators 1964 to Present

We had the unique honor and rare privilege of interviewing Mr. Jack Jones, President and owner of Acoustical Spray Insulators located in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Jack has a whopping 55 years in the insulation business. “Back in the early days, no one had ever heard of spray foam. People often used thick cork as an insulator before SPF came on the scene. Otto Bayer was an industrial chemist, working with the foam in Germany. His technology was brought to the U.S. in the 1940’s by Mobay, a company focusing on the war effort. During WWII, spray foam was used on submarines and ships for noise reduction. The Navy was one of the biggest early users of SPF. In the early days, the industry wasn’t using spray foam as an exterior insulation. In the Northeastern U.S., it was more common for people to use rubber roofing, which could be installed less expensively.

The Early Years

“In the 1970’s, we used an old Gusmer FF to spray a lot of water tanks--to keep the tanks from freezing. We also sprayed a lot of freezers and coolers. Later, we did several government roofing projects for the Navy, Army and Air Force. Inspections were carried out with a government representative, the material rep and a company rep, all of whom would walk the job and inspect areas for the required thickness so that a warranty to be provided. The energy crisis of the 1970s prompted home builders to find ways to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. Our company performs work for commercial, institutional and residential projects. We also perform spray fireproofing and acoustical spray.

Jack Describes his First Spray Rig

“We started out with a 40 ft. tractor trailer to hold our equipment, diesel generator, extra parts, tools, scaffolding and special-made 200 to 300-gallon material tanks. Because we were an early cellulose contractor, we understood how to create an efficient spray rig. I would say that we started out in SPF well prepared, and that helped us become successful early on. Our best year was $6 million in roofing sales,” said Jack.

Early Foam Contractor’s Association Became the SPFA

In the 1970’s, a group of contractors and foam manufacturers got together to form what was called the Foam Contractor’s Association. It later evolved into the SPFA. The goal was to keep suppliers informed about codes and regulations. In turn, the organization could keep the contractors informed. That way, there was a central location that could dispatch information to the contractors more quickly, “said Jack.

Jack has Seen a lot of Changes in the Industry

Jack has seen a lot of changes over time for the industry. “In the old days, most contractors accomplished projects through trial and error. They had to understand surface preparation, how foam could be applied under various conditions as well as understand how to maintain equipment. You couldn’t just pick up the phone and call someone to help solve your problems. Contractors had to be resourceful and figure things out for themselves. Of course, safety practices have come a long way. Before OSHA was established, everyone did the best they could with what they understood at the time. As with any industry, it’s important to understand the history within the context of its time, “said Jack. When asked what new changes he would like to see in the industry today, Jack replied, “I would really like to see more positive promotions of spray foam because it’s the best product we have.”

We would like to thank Jack Jones, Cheryl Miller, ASI Office Manager and Acoustical Spray Insulators, Inc. for this great opportunity to talk about the old SPF days and to learn more about the history of the SPF industry. For more information about Acoustical Spray Insulators, Inc., see their contact information below:

Acoustical Spray Insulators, Inc.
Celebrating 55 Years of Business (1964 - 2019)
info@ASIspray.com
PO BOX 625
ALLENTOWN PA 18105
PH: 610.797.9272

ASIspray.com