Harbison-Walker Refractories Company History of Asbestos Use
Harbison-Walker was originally founded as the Star Fire Brick Company in 1865. The company first made fireclay bricks for large furnaces. In 1875, Samuel P. Harbison and Hay Walker took over operations. The company was renamed Harbison-Walker in 1902.
Early in the company’s history, the Industrial Revolution led to a demand for industrial furnaces in the United States. The demand created new markets for Harbison-Walker refractory products. During this time, the company grew by expanding its product offering and acquiring smaller companies.
During Harbison-Walker’s rise in the 1950s, the company began using asbestos. The mineral was added to a variety of products, including gunning mix and block in 1955, rollboard in 1960 and asbestos cement in 1964.
Asbestos was a key additive to refractory products because of the mineral’s resistance to heat and chemical abrasion. The incorporation of asbestos made Harbison-Walker products valuable in the construction of furnaces and kilns.
In 1967, Harbison-Walker became a subsidiary of Dresser Industries, Inc. At the time of acquisition, Harbison-Walker was still using asbestos in its products.
Harbison-Walker discontinued the use of asbestos in the 1970s. Despite this, years of using the mineral caused thousands of people to experience asbestos exposure.
The Relationship Between Harbison-Walker Refractories Company and Halliburton Company
When Dresser Industries, Inc. purchased Harbison-Walker in 1967, it became responsible for Harbison-Walker’s former and ongoing asbestos use.
Dresser Industries, Inc. spun-off Harbison-Walker in 1992 into a new company called INDRESCO Inc., but agreed to split the cost of asbestos claims with Harbison-Walker’s new owners.
However, in 1998, Harbison-Walker’s new owners demanded financial help from Dresser Industries, Inc. to address claims. That year, Dresser Industries, Inc. merged with Halliburton Company.
After the merger, Halliburton Company became responsible for paying Harbison-Walker’s current and future asbestos claims. The rise in asbestos lawsuits against Harbison-Walker put financial strain on both companies.
In 2003, Harbison-Walker merged with A.P. Green Industries and North American Refractories Company (NARCO). The trio of companies was named ANH Refractories until 2015. At that time, the group rebranded as HarbisonWalker International (HWI) to take advantage of Harbison-Walker’s name recognition. HarbisonWalker International is still in business today.
DII Industries, LLC Asbestos PI Trust Fund
Prior to filing for bankruptcy, Harbison-Walker and its parent company, Dresser Industries, Inc., shared liability for Harbison-Walker’s asbestos claims. In 1998, Halliburton Company acquired Dresser Industries, Inc. and assumed responsibility for asbestos claims connected to both Dresser Industries, Inc. and Harbison-Walker Refractories Company.
As the number of asbestos lawsuits against Harbison-Walker increased, the companies could not support the rising cost of claims. By 2002, Harbison-Walker filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and Halliburton reached a settlement agreement to fund asbestos trusts to resolve asbestos claims in exchange for protection from further liability. Under the agreement, Halliburton Company committed to contribute approximately $5.1 billion to fund two separate asbestos trusts.
In 2005, the DII Industries, LLC Asbestos PI Trust was established to pay claims on behalf of:
- Dresser Industries, Inc.
- Halliburton Company
- Harbison-Walker Refractories Company
- Kellogg Brown and Root, Inc.
Asbestos victims continue to file claims related to Harbison-Walker exposure through the DII Industries, LLC Asbestos PI Trust fund. All approved Harbison-Walker claims are paid by the asbestos trust fund.
Most Recent Information From DII Industries, LLC Asbestos PI Trust
The trust’s year-end 2024 report revealed, as of December 31, 2024:
- Over 3,280 Harbison-Walker asbestos personal injury trust claims were paid.
- The Trust has paid approximately $63.2 million for Harbison-Walker claims.
- Over $2.167 million was reported in settled but unpaid Harbison-Walker and Halliburton claims.
- Over $1.98 billion has been paid in Harbison-Walker and Halliburton claim settlements since the inception of the Trust.
- Over $1.32 billion in total assets remain in the DII Industries, LLC Asbestos PI Trust to pay Harbison-Walker and Halliburton claims.
Current DII Industries, LLC Asbestos Trust Payment Percentage for Harbison-Walker Claims
The current payment percentage is 60% for the DII Industries, LLC Asbestos PI Trust. At a payment percentage of 60%, the current payout on a Harbison-Walker Expedited Review claim for mesothelioma is $81,900.
Determining Review Process When Filing a Harbison-Walker Claim
An experienced asbestos lawyer will evaluate the injured party’s information to determine the appropriate review process when submitting a Harbison-Walker asbestos claim. A sample of Harbison-Walker claims filed between 2022 and 2024 indicated that approximately 66% of claims were filed under the Expedited Review (ER) process. Approximately 33% of Harbison-Walker claims were filed using the Individual Review (IR) process.
- Expedited Review Process: Harbison-Walker claims meeting all medical and exposure requirements outlined in the Trust Distribution Procedures should be submitted through the ER process for a streamlined review. Qualified claims will receive the standard scheduled value based on the diagnosed disease level.
- Individual Review Process: Harbison-Walker claims can be submitted through the IR process on a case-by-case basis and will undergo a thorough review of exposure history, medical documentation, and personal records to determine the individual liquidated value. IR submission is required for certain lung cancer cases, secondary exposure, or when standard trust criteria aren’t met.
The Trust is currently accepting claims to compensate asbestos victims with payments determined by factors such as diagnosis, age, exposure history and the law firm’s settlement history. If you or a loved one had exposure to Harbison-Walker products and believe you are entitled to compensation, learn how a mesothelioma lawyer can help.
Resources for Mesothelioma Patients
Harbison-Walker Refractories Company Asbestos Products
Harbison-Walker manufactured several asbestos products from 1955 to the 1970s. These products included cement and refractory products used to build industrial furnaces and other machines.
Asbestos was a useful additive to refractory products due to the mineral’s fire- and chemical-resistant characteristics.
Harbison-Walker Refractories Company and Occupational Exposure
The addition of asbestos in Harbison-Walker products exposed thousands of workers to the mineral. Stonemasons and bricklayers were among those most likely to come into contact with the company’s asbestos products.
Harbison-Walker employees who manufactured refractory products also may have experienced exposure. As a result, workers may develop asbestos-related diseases, such as mesothelioma or lung cancer.
Asbestos Litigation Against Harbison-Walker Refractories Company
Harbison-Walker’s history of asbestos use caused thousands of workers to experience exposure. After the company discontinued asbestos products in the 1970s, Harbison-Walker faced a number of lawsuits from individuals who developed asbestos-related disease.
In 2001, Harbison-Walker was involved in a lawsuit involving five individuals who developed cancer from the company’s asbestos products. A.P. Green Industries and Armstrong Contracting and Supply Corporation were also named in the lawsuit.
