North American Refractories Company (NARCO)

North American Refractories Company (NARCO) manufactured and supplied refractory products made with asbestos. The company’s asbestos use led to serious illnesses in some workers and resulting lawsuits. Eventually, NARCO filed for bankruptcy and established an asbestos trust to compensate victims.

If you suffer from mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer, you may be eligible for a large amount of compensation. Fill out our form to get a free Financial Compensation Packet. You’ll learn about the experienced mesothelioma lawyers in your area, how to get paid in 90 days, how to file a claim for the asbestos trust funds, and more.

NARCO History

Narco was founded in 1929 as a refractory cement manufacturer. For over 50 years, the company remained one of the largest businesses in its field.

As the company grew over the years, it added numerous products to its line, including hearths, stove fittings, and more.

Many of these products came into the NARCO’s lineup after merging with other companies, including the Worldwide Glass Industry, Harbison-Walker, RHI Refractories, and numerous other independent manufacturers.

As NARCO expanded, so did its locations. Manufacturing plants were open in several states, including Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.

Most of the company’s products needed heat and fire-resistant materials to work correctly. NARCO chose asbestos due to its affordability, ease of use, and ability to withstand extremely high temperatures and fire.

When the company began using asbestos, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had yet to place strict regulations on its use. Medical studies had already shown the dangers of asbestos. Many companies knew of these dangers and how asbestos can lead to life-threatening illnesses.

However, warnings were ignored by many manufacturing companies that were more concerned with making a large profit, even if it meant putting workers at risk.

In 1979, Honeywell purchased NARCO and merged it into the Honeywell Heating. Shortly after, Honeywell began selling NARCO’s refractory products throughout the nation.

The company eventually stopped using asbestos in its products. The long history of the use led to so many asbestos-related claims and lawsuits that NARCO filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

NARCO Lawsuits and Bankruptcy

Court documents state that by the early 2000s, NARCO was facing close to 300,000 asbestos-related claims and lawsuits.

The company settled a majority of these cases out of court. Still, as the claims kept coming in massive amounts, NARCO filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2002, with the agreement that it would set up an asbestos trust fund to compensate future and pending asbestos-related cases.

In 2008, NARCO emerged from bankruptcy and established The NARCO Asbestos Trust. The trust fund began accepting claims on October 15, 2013. It was funded with a little over $6 billion.

Meanwhile, Honeywell faced other claims for its other asbestos-related products unrelated to NARCO.

Although the NARCO division filed for bankruptcy, Honeywell fought numerous cases in court, including one lawsuit in which the company lost over $50 million after a former mechanic developed mesothelioma while working asbestos-containing products at Honeywell’s Bendix division.

Occupations Affected by NARCO

NARCO supplied its products to numerous different companies, which in turn affected a wide variety of workers. The types of workers that were affected by asbestos in NARCO’s products include:

• Sheet workers
• Metal workers
• Engineers
• NARCO plant workers

NARCO Asbestos-Containing Products

NARCO manufactured asbestos-containing products for many years, including the following:

• Aerogun
• BOF-Cote and BOF-Patch
• W0-339 MC Gun
• Unicote
• Anti-Erode Towel
• CM Gun Mix (including CM-18 Gun Mix)
• Stazon
• MC Gun Mix
• Narcocrete Trowel
• Narcogun CR-346
• Narcogun CR-346NN
• Narcogun CRD-347
• Narcogun MC-339
• Narcogun MCD-344
• Narcogun P-340
• Narcogun PD-345
• Narcogun SD-336
• Narmag 60 DBRC
• Narcolite
• Narmag OH Gun Mix
• Super 505 Hot Gun C
• Narcmag OH Gun Mix

If you worked with NARCO asbestos products, talk to a mesothelioma lawyer about your legal rights and how to seek compensation.

Resources for Asbestos Victims

Don’t forget to fill out our form to get our free Financial Compensation Packet, filled with information on the experienced asbestos and mesothelioma attorneys in your area. For additional assistance, contact us at 800-793-4540.