Harbison-Walker Refractories Company
Harbison-Walker Refractories Company is part of a family of companies under the umbrella of parent company ANH Refractories. The companies offer high-grade fireproof ceramic refractory products and services for high-temperature applications in the cement and lime, energy, chemicals, non-ferrous metals, glass, iron and steel, and environmental technology industries, according to the ANH Refractories company profile.
Harbison-Walker was founded in 1865 as the Star Fire Brick Company. In 1875 the company was taken over by a new group of entrepreneurs and given its current name. Around 1910, the company expanded its offerings to super-duty silica refractories for the steel industry, special fireclay and super-duty fireclay blast furnace refractories, forsterite refractories for glass and other industries, new types of basic refractories especially adapted for the lining of rotary kilns, open-hearth steel furnaces, copper converters, and many other furnaces.
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The company’s fortunes increased throughout the 20th century starting with gaining Andrew Carnegie’s extensive network of iron mills as a customer. And despite a small downturn in the 1980s, Harbinson-Walker hit an all time high in 1997, when its profits hit an all time high of $335.5 million.
Asbestos and Harbison-Walker
Part of the reason for Harbison-Walker ‘s success may be attributed to the use of asbestos in many of its products. For any manufacturer involved in products which required a high level of fireproofing, insulation, or durability, asbestos was the go-to material. Refractories needed all of the above. Unfortunately, exposure to airborne asbestos can cause numerous health issues, including mesothelioma, a rare but deadly form of cancer that is generally caused only by exposure to asbestos.
Even while Harbison-Walker was enjoying their success, they were being hit hard by an avalanche of asbestos lawsuits filed by its workers and individuals who used their refractory products. These individuals include steelworkers, potters, shipyard workers, boilermakers and many others who developed mesothelioma as a result of exposure to the asbestos in Harbison-Walker’s products.
Harbison-Walker filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February, 2002. In 2005 Halliburton purchased the struggling company and agreed to pay $4.17 billion to pay the approximately 200,000 pending asbestos claims.
If you have been exposed to asbestos from working for Harbison-Walker or with any of their refractory products, and have developed an asbestos-related disease such as asbestosis, lung cancer, or mesothelioma as a result, you may be eligible for compensation. Mesothelioma attorneys may be able to help you receive the mesothelioma settlement you need and deserve.