Ehret Magnesia Manufacturing Company made asbestos pipe insulation and other asbestos-containing products for decades. Asbestos exposure in workers led to illnesses like mesothelioma and resulting lawsuits. Keene Corporation, which acquired Ehret, eventually filed for bankruptcy and set up an asbestos trust fund.
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Did Ehret Magnesia Use Asbestos?
Ehret Magnesia Manufacturing used asbestos for several decades, incorporating it into insulation and other construction products. Ehret mined its own asbestos for many years, extracting both magnesia and asbestos from limestone in the Valley Forge area of Pennsylvania.
Ehret Magnesia History
Ehrent Magnesia Manufacturing Company dates back to the 1890s purchase of several limestone quarries in and around Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.
- Ehret mined magnesium-rich limestone and asbestos to use in its 85% magnesia products: 85% magnesia and 15% asbestos for insulating.
- Ehret Magnesia created two brand names for its asbestos pipe insulation: Durocel and Thermalite. The company’s two insulation products became so popular that both became signature brands.
- As the company expanded, so did its product line, including adding thermal insulation and construction supplies that continued to be made with asbestos.
- Until the late 1960s, Ehret Magnesia continued making asbestos-containing products even though documents show that the company was fully aware of the dangers of ingesting asbestos fibers.
- In fact, in 1959, Ehret Magnesia merged with another company that created asbestos-containing products, Baldwin-Hill.
- The merger formed Baldwin-Ehret-Hill and lasted until 1968 when Keene Corporation bought out the company.
- No asbestos-containing products were manufactured under Keene’s ownership, but the company continued to sell Ehret Magnesia’s products.
- The National Park Service bought the Valley Forge Ehret plant and surrounding land in 1976.
In addition to acquiring Ehret Magnesia’s products, Keene Corporation also took on thousands of asbestos-related claims. It is now solely responsible for Ehret Magnesia asbestos liabilities, processed through a trust fund.
Asbestos-Containing Products Made by Ehret Magnesia
Although asbestos pipes were the company’s most-used product, Ehret Magnesia had several asbestos-containing products, including:
- Ehret Air Cell
- Ehret Fiberkote
- Ehret Enduro High Temperature Blocks
- Ehret Asbestos Sponge Felt
- Ehret Asbestos Paper
- Ehret Asbestos Millboard
- Ehret Asbestos Wick and Rope
- Baldwin Mono-Block (asbestos covering)
- Valley Forge asbestos sheets
- Valley Forge asbestos packing
- Valley Forge asbestos gaskets
- Thermasil insulation
- Thermacil cement
- Thermacil asbestos block
- Number One insulating cement
- Mono-block insulating cement
Who Was at Risk for Exposure to Asbestos from Ehret Magnesia Products?
Anyone who handled, worked with, or worked near Ehret asbestos products risked exposure. Workers in the Ehret mines and manufacturing facilities were at high risk of asbestos exposure.
When these workers handled asbestos, they likely released fibers. Asbestos fibers in the air can easily be inhaled by anyone working in the area.
Other workers who used Ehret abestos products were also at risk of exposure:
- trabajadores de la construcción
- Aisladores
- Industrial workers
- Power plant workers
- Instaladores de tuberías
- Fontaneros
- Steamfitters
- trabajadores de calderas
- trabajadores de demolición
These workers may have been exposed to asbestos fibers when handling the products, installing them, and making repairs.
El Marina de los EE. UU. used asbestos products from several companies, including Ehret. These products went into ships. Shipyard workers risked exposure, as did the Navy service members who crewed ships with asbestos products. Navy veteranos today have high rates of asbestos illnesses.
What Ehret Magnesia Knew About Asbestos Dangers
Records from Ehret Magnesia indicate that executives in the company knew at least some of the risks of using asbestos in their products.
They knew as soon as the 1930s that their workers had unusual rates of respiratory illnesses, including cáncer de pulmón. In spite of this knowledge, the company did nothing to protect workers or stop using asbestos.
Ehret Magnesia/Keene Corporation Lawsuits
In 1971, Keene Corporation began the process of fighting asbestos-related claims. Most of the claims came from employees and contractors who worked decades ago for Ehret Magnesia.
Since Keene acquired Ehret Magnesia, it also took on all its asbestos claims. By the end of 1991, the company had resolved over 2,400 asbestos-related claims.
The numbers quickly increased to over 100,000. In 1996, Keene filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, still facing an overwhelming number of cases.
The company came out of bankruptcy in 1996 and soon after created an asbestos trust fund entitled the Keene Creditors Trust. El asbestos trust was set up to pay all pending and future asbestos-related claims.
Ehret Magnesia Faces Fines for Illegal Dumping
In January 1997, workers at Pennsylvania’s Valley Forge State Park found that an asbestos-containing fiber optic cable had contaminated soil in the park.
The cable was located close to the site where Ehret Magnesia once manufactured its products.
Upon further investigation, it was discovered that Ehret Magnesia had been illegally dumping their waste materials into the Schuylkill River and abandoned pits. The illegal activity had gone on for decades.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) declared the area an emergency hazardous territory for immediate clean-up.
Shortly after, the area was cordoned off, and the asbestos was wetted to reduce the chance of people ingesting airborne asbestos fibers.
In 2013, the clean-up began, including excavating and transporting contaminated soil over a 112-acre area in the Valley Forge National Historical Park. The clean-up was completed in 2014, and the park re-opened.
If You Were Exposed to Ehret Magnesia Asbestos Products
Contacto an asbestos attorney if you were exposed to asbestos through Ehret products. They can explain your legal options and help you seek compensation. You could be eligible for compensation from the asbestos trust.
A abogado especializado en mesotelioma will guide you through the claims process and ensure you have the best chance of getting compensation. They can also find other companies responsible for your past asbestos exposure. These could lead to additional reclamos o demandas to help you recover damages.
Additional Information and Legal Resources for Asbestos Victims
If you’ve been injured by asbestos, keep in mind that there is a good chance that you’ll qualify for considerable compensation. Don’t forget to fill out our form for our free Paquete de compensación financiera, lleno de información sobre los abogados con experiencia en asbesto y mesotelioma en su área. Si tiene preguntas o necesita ayuda adicional, contáctenos en 800-793-4540.
