01. History
Bender Shipbuilding & Repair Company History
Theodore Jackson Bender founded the Bender Welding and Machine Company in 1919. It transitioned to shipbuilding and repair in the 1950s. During the Korean War, the company prepared reserve ships for battle and relocated to the Mobile River. That’s when the company began building ships outright.
The company had a prominent focus on fishing vessels. It shipped out over 1,000 of them in the United States and overseas. Bender also built barges, towboats, offshore support vehicles, U.S. Navy ships and more. In 1980, the company officially became the Bender Shipbuilding & Repair Co., Inc. By the end of the century, the site contained pierside facilities and four repair docks.
The company eventually declared bankruptcy in 2009. It sold the next year for $31.25 million to Signal International. It operates today as Signal Ship Repair. The shipyard is 26 acres with 3,300 feet of deepwater frontage.
Bender Shipbuilding & Repair Company History at a Glance
- Other Names: Bender Welding and Machine Company, Signal Ship Repair
- Location: Mobile, Alabama
- Owner(s): Signal International, Theodore Jackson Bender, Thomas Benton Bender, Jr., Thomas Benton Bender, Sr.
- Years of Operation: 1919 – Present
- Wartime Operations: Korean War
- Size of Shipyards: 26 acres
- Types of Ships Built/Serviced: Barges, containerships, crab boats, dry docks, ferries, fishing vessels, freighters, offshore support vehicles, passenger boats, patrol crafts, platform supply vessels, push boats, shrimp boats, towboats, tugboats, U.S. Navy ships
Those who worked at Bender Shipbuilding & Repair Company may have been exposed to asbestos. Asbestos is a durable, fire-resistant mineral that was often used in shipbuilding. Asbestos exposure can lead to mesothelioma and other cancers.
Resources for Mesothelioma Patients
02. Asbestos Use
Asbestos at Bender Shipbuilding & Repair Company
Asbestos was commonly used in construction for decades. In buildings, it was used in floors, walls, ceilings, roofs, insulation and more. On ships, it was used to insulate pipes, boilers and hulls. Workers building and repairing these ships were at risk of occupational asbestos exposure. Such exposure can lead to mesothelioma and other cancers.
Asbestos Exposure at Bender Shipbuilding & Repair Company
Many kinds of shipyard workers may come into contact with asbestos. They include:
- Blacksmiths
- Boatbuilders
- Boiler workers
- Electricians
- Enginemen
- Insulators
- Mechanics
- Painters
- Pipefitters
- Sheet metal fabricators
- Ship scalers
- Steamfitters
- Tool keepers
- Veterans
- Welders
It can take decades after asbestos exposure for mesothelioma symptoms to present. If you were exposed to asbestos in a shipyard, you can tell your doctor. The two of you can monitor for any symptoms of asbestos diseases.
03. Lawsuits
Asbestos Lawsuits for Bender Shipbuilding & Repair Company
Mesothelioma patients may be eligible to receive compensation. One option is to file a lawsuit against the companies that made the asbestos products. When asbestos lawsuit settlements are reached, they yield over a million dollars on average. Victims can use this money to pay for treatment and other related expenses.
An experienced asbestos attorney can help affected families pursue the best compensation options.
04. Trust Fund Claims
Asbestos Trusts Associated With Bender Shipbuilding & Repair Company
Bender Shipbuilding & Repair Company does not have an asbestos trust fund. But people who worked at the shipyard may be eligible for compensation from other asbestos trust funds. Several companies that supplied asbestos products to Bender Shipbuilding & Repair Company have created trust funds to compensate victims.
Asbestos Trust Funds and Eligible Years of Employment
The following companies provided asbestos products to Bender Shipbuilding & Repair Company. After exposing innocent people to asbestos and facing many asbestos lawsuits, these companies filed for bankruptcy and created trust funds to pay victims. If an individual worked at Bender Shipbuilding & Repair Company and developed an asbestos disease, they may be able to file a claim against these companies’ trusts.
| Asbestos Company Name | Eligibility Start Date | Eligibility End Date |
|---|---|---|
| Babcock & Wilcox | 1/1/1965 | 12/31/1982 |
| Eagle-Picher | 1/1/1930 | 12/31/1972 |
| Fibreboard | 1/1/1952 | 12/31/1982 |
| North American Refractories | 1/1/1963 | 3/31/1976 |
| Owens-Corning | 1/1/1969 | 12/31/1982 |
