Buffalo Pumps, Inc. and Asbestos

Buffalo Pumps, Inc. was an American manufacturer of industrial pumps and related equipment. For decades, the company has supplied critical components for maritime operations, power generation, and chemical processing. Like many pump manufacturers of its era, the company incorporated asbestos into its components throughout much of the 20th century, putting thousands of workers who installed, maintained, or repaired these pumps at risk for mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, and other serious asbestos-related diseases.

History of Buffalo Pumps, Inc. 

Buffalo Pumps, Inc.’s manufacturing history began in 1887 in Western New York. Originally named the Buffalo Steam Pump Company, the company got its start as a producer of single and double-piston pumps. By the early 1900s, its manufacturing capabilities had expanded to include centrifugal pumps and pumps for marine applications.[1]

In the 1930s, the Buffalo Forge Company purchased Buffalo Steam Pump Company, creating the Buffalo Pumps Division of Buffalo Forge.  Buffalo Pumps played a vital role in supporting America’s military efforts during World War II. The Liberty ships, which were constructed under high-speed, emergency conditions to support the war effort, were equipped with Buffalo pumps. For its exceptional wartime production, Buffalo Pumps received the highest honor a manufacturer could receive for quality production of defense materials: the Army-Navy “E” Award. This prestigious recognition acknowledged the company’s commitment to producing reliable pumping equipment under the challenging conditions of wartime manufacturing.[2]

After the war, Buffalo Pumps continued to supply the U.S. Navy with specialized equipment. The company outfitted the aircraft carrier USS Lexington with a Buffalo pump that is the largest marine pump ever built, and which is still in use.[2]

While the defense market represented a significant segment of Buffalo Pumps’ business, commercial and industrial pumps represented the largest of the company’s operations. For more than two decades, Buffalo Pumps served as a key OEM supplier in several industries:

• Refrigeration systems for companies, including Carrier
• Paper manufacturing for major paper producers
• Lube oil systems for industrial clients such as General Electric, Westinghouse, and Solar Turbines

The company’s advanced canned pump technology, designed for applications where the possibility of leakage was unacceptable, was valuable in chemical processing and other sensitive industrial environments, and was recognized for its innovation. 

The company manufactured various types of pumps, including:

• Condensate pumps for steam systems
• Feed water pumps for boilers
• Circulating pumps for cooling systems
• Single suction full ball bearing pumps (Classes CH, CL, CM, CS, CO, CSS)
• Double suction full ball bearing pumps (Classes SA, S, SLH, SU, DSS, SW)
• Service pumps for general industrial use
• Fire pumps for emergency systems
• Absorption pumps for refrigeration systems
• Refrigerant pumps
• Vertical lube oil pumps
• Navy and marine duty pumps
• Canned motor pumps

By the 1960s, there was significant evidence ofasbestos’s severe health risks, but Buffalo Pumps continued using the hazardous material in its products until the 1980s. This prolonged use meant that workers across multiple decades faced dangerous occupational exposure.

In 1979, the Ampco-Pittsburgh Corporation acquired Buffalo Forge Company and all its divisions, including Buffalo Pumps, Inc. The Buffalo Pumps Division continued its growth in OEM (original equipment manufacturer) and marine markets under this new ownership. In 1985, the division became Buffalo Pumps, Inc., operating as a subsidiary of Ampco-Pittsburgh Corporation.[2]

Like many asbestos-using companies, Buffalo Pumps eventually faced mounting liability from asbestos-related lawsuits. As of 2017, Ampco-Pittsburgh’s Annual Report to Shareholders documented more than 6,900 pending asbestos claims against Buffalo Pumps, Inc. and other divisions owned by Ampco.[3] The company faced more than $21 million in asbestos claim payouts and defense costs, receiving over 1,000 new claims each year.

Unable to manage the enormous costs of asbestos litigation, Buffalo Pumps filed for bankruptcy protection and established an asbestos trust fund to compensate individuals harmed by exposure to asbestos in its products. This trust provides a way for current and future victims to seek compensation without the stress and extended process of filing a personal injury lawsuit.

How Did Buffalo Pumps Use Asbestos?

Buffalo Pumps used asbestos extensively in its products from at least the 1940s through the 1980s. Like many others, the company valued the mineral for its heat resistance, durability, and ability to create effective seals under high-pressure conditions. Asbestos was considered an ideal material for industrial applications, including pump components that needed to maintain tight seals while operating under extreme temperatures and pressures. 

The most common asbestos-containing parts in Buffalo Pumps included:

Gaskets: These sealing components were manufactured from compressed asbestos sheets and used throughout the pump assembly. Gaskets prevented leaks at connection points between pump sections, flanges, and piping. Workers regularly removed old gaskets and installed new ones during maintenance and repair work, releasing asbestos fibers into the air.

Packing Materials: Buffalo Pumps used braided asbestos rope as packing around pump shafts. The material prevented fluid leakage while still allowing the shaft to rotate. This packing wore down during normal operation and required regular replacement. Removing old packing and installing new represented one of the most significant sources of asbestos exposure for maintenance workers.

Valve Components: Valves that controlled fluid flow within Buffalo Pumps contained asbestos in their packing, gaskets, and internal components. These also required periodic maintenance that disturbed asbestos materials.

Insulation: Hot surfaces of many Buffalo Pumps were covered with asbestos insulation to prevent heat loss and protect workers from burns. This insulation was frequently damaged during operation or deliberately removed during maintenance work.

When Asbestos Fibers Became Airborne

While normal operation of Buffalo’s pumps didn’t release significant quantities of asbestos fibers, maintenance, repair, and overhaul activities did. When workers performed the following tasks, dangerous levels of asbestos contaminated their work environment:

• Removing and replacing worn gaskets
• Extracting old packing material with hooks or packing pullers
• Installing new asbestos packing around pump shafts
• Cutting or trimming asbestos gaskets to fit
• Removing or disturbing asbestos insulation
• Grinding or machining asbestos-containing parts
• Cleaning work areas contaminated with asbestos debris

Buffalo Pumps continued using asbestos in its products well into the 1970s, even as medical evidence increasingly demonstrated the material’s severe health risks. The company’s long use of asbestos means that workers across multiple decades faced potential exposure.

Who Was Exposed to Asbestos from Buffalo Pumps?

The widespread use of Buffalo Pumps in both industrial and maritime settings meant that thousands of workers across numerous occupations faced potential asbestos exposure from the company’s products.

U.S. Navy Veterans and Shipyard Workers

Naval personnel and shipyard workers faced particularly high risks of exposure to asbestos from Buffalo Pumps. The U.S. Navy relied heavily on Buffalo Pumps for various shipboard systems, installing them throughout engine rooms, boiler rooms, and other confined spaces aboard vessels.

Navy veterans who worked in the following ratings or positions were at elevated risk:

• Machinist’s mates who operated and maintained pump systems
• Boilermen who worked with feed water and condensate pumps
• Hull maintenance technicians who performed repairs
• Damage controlmen who maintained fire and flooding systems
• Shipyard workers who installed or overhauled pumps during vessel construction and repair

Working conditions on ships made things especially dangerous. Engine rooms and boiler rooms were typically cramped and had poor ventilation, which allowed high concentrations of asbestos fibers to accumulate. When workers performed maintenance on Buffalo Pumps in these environments, they often inhaled significant quantities of asbestos dust.

Industrial and Merchant Marine Workers

Beyond military applications, Buffalo Pumps were common in civilian industrial settings. Workers in the following occupations encountered these pumps regularly:

• Power plant workers who maintained boiler feed and condensate systems
• Chemical plant workers who operated process pumps
• Oil refinery workers who handled pumps in refining operations
• Plumbers and pipefitters who installed and serviced pump systems
• Steamfitters who worked on steam and condensate systems
• Boiler workers who maintained boiler feed pumps
• Industrial mechanics and millwrights
• Merchant mariners who worked aboard commercial vessels

Secondary Asbestos Exposure

Workers weren’t the only ones who were put at risk by asbestos in Buffalo Pumps. Many of those who worked with, maintained, or repaired the contaminated equipment unknowingly brought asbestos fibers home on their work clothes, hair, and skin. This exposed family members to the toxic material. Known as secondary or take-home exposure, this unfortunate circumstance has resulted in many mesothelioma and asbestos lung cancer diagnoses among spouses, children, and other household members who never worked directly with asbestos products. The family members who washed their loved ones’ contaminated work clothes faced particularly high risks, as shaking out or washing clothing released asbestos fibers into the home environment.

Asbestos Lawsuits Against Buffalo Pumps

As workers who had been exposed to asbestos in Buffalo Pumps began being diagnosed with mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases, the company was named in numerous personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits that accused it of knowing about asbestos dangers but failing to warn workers or provide adequate protection. Claims were filed by: 

• Navy veterans who developed mesothelioma after working with Buffalo Pumps in engine rooms and boiler rooms 
• Merchant mariners who served on commercial vessels equipped with Buffalo Pumps, alleging that exposure to asbestos during routine maintenance of the company’s equipment caused their illnesses 
• Industrial workers at power plants, refineries, and chemical facilities who performed regular maintenance involving asbestos gaskets and packing 
• Family members who developed mesothelioma from secondary exposure 

Buffalo Pumps Bankruptcy and Trust Fund

Unable to manage the mounting costs of asbestos litigation, Buffalo Pumps filed for bankruptcy protection. As part of the bankruptcy proceedings, the company established an asbestos trust fund to compensate current and future victims of asbestos exposure from its products.

The Buffalo Pumps asbestos trust allows individuals diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, or other asbestos-related diseases to file claims for compensation without pursuing traditional lawsuits. The trust evaluates claims based on medical evidence, work history, and exposure documentation.

Filing an asbestos trust fund claim typically results in a quicker resolution than going through the civil litigation process. It can provide victims with compensation without the uncertainty, stress, and delay of jury trials. However, trust payment percentages are generally lower than what a successful lawsuit might yield, though this depends on the claim itself, the trust’s funding levels, and that year’s claim volume.

Health Consequences of Asbestos Exposure

People exposed to asbestos from Buffalo Pumps face serious health risks, most of which don’t manifest for decades after exposure. Asbestos-related diseases typically have long latency periods that mean symptoms often don’t appear until 20 to 50 years after the initial exposure. In many cases, victims had no knowledge that their work involved asbestos or that it was dangerous.

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer that develops in the lining of body cavities that hold the internal organs. The disease is almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure. Most commonly, mesothelioma affects the lining of the lungs (pleural mesothelioma), but it can also occur in the abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma) or, most rarely of all, around the heart or testicles.

There is no cure for mesothelioma, and the prognosis is typically poor, with most patients surviving 12 to 21 months after diagnosis. Treatment options include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy, and frequently a combination of some or all of these protocols.

Lung Cancer

Asbestos exposure significantly increases the risk of developing lung cancer, particularly among individuals who also smoke. Asbestos-related lung cancer may develop decades after exposure and presents with symptoms similar to other forms of lung cancer, including persistent cough, chest pain, and difficulty breathing.

Asbestosis

Asbestosis is a chronic and progressive lung disease caused by inhaling asbestos fibers. The fibers create scarring in the lung tissue, reducing the lungs’ ability to transfer oxygen to the bloodstream. Patients experience shortness of breath that worsens over time. There is no cure for asbestosis, and severe cases can lead to respiratory failure.

Other Conditions

Additional health problems linked to asbestos exposure include:

• Pleural plaques (thickened areas on the lung lining)
• Pleural thickening (scarring of the lung lining)
• Pleural effusions (fluid accumulation around the lungs)
• Other cancers, including those affecting the throat, stomach, and colon

Were You Exposed to Asbestos from Buffalo Pumps?

If you worked with Buffalo Pumps and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, you may be entitled to compensation. Several options exist for seeking financial recovery:

Asbestos Trust Fund Claims

Because Buffalo Pumps established an asbestos trust fund, eligible victims can file claims directly with the trust. An experienced asbestos attorney can help you navigate the trust claim process, which includes:

• Gathering medical documentation of your diagnosis
• Compiling employment records and work history
• Documenting your exposure to Buffalo Pumps products
• Submitting a properly formatted claim to the trust
• Responding to any questions or requests for additional information

Trust claims are generally resolved more quickly than lawsuits, though the amount that victims receive can vary due to percentage reductions based on the trust’s payment schedule.

Personal Injury Lawsuits

Most of those who were occupationally exposed to asbestos worked with contaminated products from more than one manufacturer. Even if Buffalo Pumps was your primary source of exposure, you probably worked with or around products made by other companies as well.

When you work with an asbestos lawyer, one of the first things they will do is ask you about your work history. They will then cross-reference your career timeline against known asbestos product placements, thus identifying all potentially responsible parties. This investigation is meant to maximize your potential compensation by revealing exposure to products from companies that:

• Did not file for bankruptcy and can be sued directly
• Established their own asbestos trust funds
• Supplied raw asbestos materials to pump manufacturers
• Failed to provide adequate safety equipment or warnings

Why Hire an Experienced Asbestos Lawyer?

Asbestos litigation is complex and requires specialized knowledge. An attorney experienced in asbestos cases can provide crucial assistance not readily available to other lawyers, including:

• Expertise in asbestos placement and exposure: Lawyers work with professionals ranging from industrial hygienists to investigators who can identify exactly which products you encountered and when. These experts can also provide testimony about fiber concentrations based on the work you did and your work environment, and the likelihood of it leading to your illness.
• Medical documentation: Attorneys coordinate with medical experts who can connect your diagnosis to your occupational asbestos exposure.
• Witness testimony: Law firms maintain databases of former workers who can testify about conditions at specific job sites and the presence of specific asbestos products.
• Navigating multiple claims: Your lawyer can file trust claims with Buffalo Pumps and other bankrupt companies while simultaneously pursuing lawsuits against solvent defendants.
• Maximizing compensation: Experienced attorneys understand how to value asbestos claims and negotiate with defendants to make sure you get a fair settlement or high-quality trial representation.

Experienced asbestos attorneys are also very familiar with the physical implications of a mesothelioma diagnosis. They can arrange to come to your home for information, and may even be able to connect you with medical centers and professionals that can offer state-of-the-art treatment.

Time Limitations Apply

The legal system has rules about how much time can go by to file civil lawsuits. These rules are called statutes of limitations. They restrict how long you have to file an asbestos lawsuit, and these deadlines typically begin running from the date of diagnosis (for personal injury claims) or the date of death (for wrongful death claims). Once the statute of limitations expires, you lose the right to file a lawsuit, so don’t delay seeking legal advice. An attorney can evaluate your case and ensure all claims are filed before the applicable deadlines.