Alfa Laval is a global leader in industrial products for heat transfer, separation, and fluid handling. The company’s history includes decades during which asbestos-containing insulation was part of many of its products. The use of this carcinogenic material has led to untold numbers of people developing mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other deadly diseases. Individuals sickened after handling, installing, or maintaining Alfa Laval equipment may be eligible to pursue legal action seeking compensation for their injuries.
Alfa Laval Company History
In 1877, Gustaf de Laval was inspired by an article in the German periodical Milchzeitung and began developing a centrifugal separator. By 1879, he had successfully demonstrated the first continuous separator in Stockholm, and by 1883, he and his partner Oscar Lamm had established the company AB Separator in Sweden. The company’s early years were marked by rapid expansion. The De Laval Cream Separator Co. was formed in the United States in the mid-1880s, and by 1910, Alfa Laval had established subsidiaries in the United States, Canada, Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, and Russia.[1]
In 1889, the company acquired a patent for conical metal discs. Called Alfa-discs, they dramatically increased the company’s separators’ capacity. By 1890, the disc stack technology allowed Alfa Laval to introduce the world’s first continuous separator and the first continuous milk pasteurizer.
Gustaf de Laval died in 1913, having acquired 92 Swedish patents and established 37 companies over the course of his life. His spirit of innovation drove the company’s continued expansion of its product line. By 1916, Alfa Laval had sold its first separator for oil purification, and between 1919 and 1936, subsidiaries were formed in Denmark, South Africa, Finland, Australia, New Zealand, Poland, Yugoslavia, and Ireland.
In the 1930s, the company began producing heat-transfer technology. Its first plate heat exchanger was such an important addition to its product line that it became central to the success of its business. In 1938, Alfa-Laval introduced its first heat exchanger.[1]
In 1963, the company changed its name from AB Separator to Alfa-Laval AB. The name “Alfa” derives from the alpha discs, while “Laval” honors the company’s founder. The company continued to evolve through various ownership changes. It was acquired by Tetra Pak in 1991 and became an independent industry group within the Tetra Laval Group in 1993. Eventually, the Alfa Laval Group was acquired by the investment company Industri Kapital so it could further develop its leadership in separation, heat transfer, and fluid handling technologies.
Alfa Laval is still operating and has continued expanding through strategic acquisitions. The company operates manufacturing facilities in 42 major sites across the United States, Europe, Asia, and Latin America, and more than 100 service centers worldwide.[1]
How Did Alfa Laval Use Asbestos?
As a manufacturer and distributor of heat-related components, Alfa Laval included asbestos-containing insulation in many of its products. The company was not alone — the material was long prized by a wide range of industries for its exceptional heat-resistant qualities. Though its use dates back centuries to Ancient Greece, it was most widely used between the 1930s and 1980s, when confirmation of its toxicity was publicized.
Alfa Laval’s heat exchangers transferred heat or cooling from one liquid to another. This process required insulation materials that could withstand extreme temperatures without degrading. Asbestos provided the ideal answer for this need, as it was both fire-resistant and durable. As a result, the company used it in various forms of insulation, as well as in gaskets and other components that were integral to the operation of their equipment.
In addition to the equipment itself, the manufacturing process created serious health hazards for workers. Those involved in producing, installing, maintaining, or repairing Alfa Laval products were exposed to asbestos fibers that could become airborne during normal operations. When asbestos-containing materials were cut, drilled, or otherwise disturbed, microscopic fibers were released into the air where they could be inhaled or ingested by anyone in the vicinity.
Manufacturers knew as early as the 1920s that asbestos was dangerous to human health, but even as scientific evidence mounted regarding its risks, they continued to use it without providing adequate warnings. Alfa Laval, like many industrial manufacturers of the era, continued using asbestos in their products until the 1980s.
Workers at Alfa Laval facilities faced exposure risks during the manufacturing process, and workers outside of the company’s environment were exposed when installing, maintaining, or removing the equipment in the industrial settings in which they worked.
Alfa Laval Products That Contained Asbestos
Alfa Laval manufactured an extensive range of products, many of which contained asbestos insulation or components. These products included:
- Air-cooled condensers
- Air-cooled gas coolers
- Air-cooled liquid coolers
- Air coolers
- Air heaters
- Boilers
- Brazed heat exchangers
- Condensers
- District heating systems
- Electrical heat exchangers
- Evaporators
- Fresh water generators
- Pumps
- Reboilers
- Separators
- Thermal fluid heaters
- Tubular heat exchangers
- Valves
- Welded heat exchangers
Asbestos-containing products were used across numerous industries, including:
- Biofuels
- Biotech and pharmaceutical
- Crude oil refineries
- Engine and transport
- Food and beverage processing
- HVAC
- Marine operations (including Navy vessels)
- Metal working
- Mining and mineral processing
- Oil and gas
- Petrochemicals
- Power generation
- Pulp and paper
- Refrigeration and air-conditioning
- Wastewater treatment
The widespread distribution of these products across multiple industries meant that workers in many different sectors potentially faced occupational exposure to Alfa Laval’s asbestos-containing materials.
Who Was Affected by Alfa Laval Asbestos-Containing Products?
Occupational End Users
Alfa Laval’s global reach and diverse product line meant that workers across numerous industries and occupations had the potential of being exposed to asbestos from its products. Those at risk included:
- Industrial plant workers
- Power plant operators
- Refinery workers
- Marine engineers and mechanics
- HVAC technicians
- Maintenance workers
- Pipefitters
- Boiler workers
- Insulation workers
- Shipyard workers
- Oil and gas workers
- Chemical plant workers
- Food processing workers
- Construction workers
The company’s products were used in facilities worldwide, with manufacturing plants in 42 locations across the United States, Europe, Asia, and Latin America.[1] This global presence meant that workers in many countries potentially faced exposure to Alfa Laval’s asbestos-containing products.
Among Alfa Laval’s U.S. holdings was Niagara Blower, acquired in 2013. This company, founded in 1904 and located in Tonawanda, New York, was a provider of heat transfer products. Alfa Laval assumed all liabilities of Niagara Blower, including those related to asbestos exposure from the company’s historical operations.[2]
Alfa Laval Company Employees
Workers employed at Alfa Laval’s dozens of manufacturing facilities faced significant exposure risks during the process of making its asbestos-containing products and preparing them for shipment. Workers were involved in handling raw asbestos materials, manufacturing insulation components, assembling heat exchangers, and testing finished products.
Even office workers and supervisors at Alfa Laval’s manufacturing facilities were at risk of exposure to airborne asbestos fibers that spread throughout the buildings during production activities. Because asbestos, once disturbed, floats freely in the air, virtually anybody inside a facility where asbestos-containing products were made faced some level of exposure risk.
Secondary Asbestos Exposure Risk
Beyond those who experienced occupational exposure inside or outside of Alfa Laval’s walls, family members exposed to those who made or worked with the company’s products were also at risk. Secondary exposure occurs when workers unknowingly carry asbestos fibers home on their clothing, hair, or skin.
Those at highest risk of secondary exposure were wives who laundered work clothes contaminated with asbestos fibers, but children who hugged parents returning from work could also be exposed. Beyond asbestos accumulating on clothing or hair during the workday, the fibers could also settle on furniture, carpeting, and other household surfaces, creating a constant risk for entire families.
Secondary exposure cases have been documented in families of workers from many industries where Alfa Laval products were used, including refineries, power plants, and manufacturing facilities. Many victims of secondary exposure have developed the same serious asbestos-related diseases as those who worked directly with asbestos materials.
Lawsuits Involving Alfa Laval
In its 2016 annual report, Alfa Laval noted that as of December 31, 2016, it was facing a total of 824 asbestos-related lawsuits, and it anticipated that additional cases would continue to be filed.
The plaintiffs filing these lawsuits come from a wide range of backgrounds, including many veterans who served onboard Navy ships. Each plaintiff blames occupational exposure to Alfa Laval products containing asbestos for their lung cancer or mesothelioma. Despite facing hundreds of claims, the company has continued to maintain that these legal actions will not have a material adverse effect on the company’s financial condition or results of operation. The company reported sales of 35.6 billion SEK (Swedish Krona) in 2016, equivalent to approximately USD 42.4 billion.[”2”]
As more individuals develop symptoms of asbestos-related diseases, which often take 20 to 50 years to manifest after exposure, additional lawsuits are expected to be filed against Alfa Laval and other manufacturers of asbestos-containing products.
Were You Exposed to Alfa Laval Asbestos?
If you were employed at an Alfa Laval facility or were exposed to the company’s asbestos-containing equipment and you’ve been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, you have several options for compensation. The same is true for veterans exposed to contaminated Alfa Laval equipment installed onboard a Navy ship on which you served.
Veterans Claims
For former service members, the Department of Veterans Affairs has created a program that specifically addresses the harms suffered by veterans whose military duty is linked to their mesothelioma or other asbestos-related illness. If qualified, veterans are entitled to:
- Disability payments. A mesothelioma diagnosis generally receives a 100% disability rating.
- Medical treatment from specialists in asbestos-related conditions at VA treatment centers or some of the nation’s most advanced cancer centers.
- Assistance programs, including emotional support, in-home nursing, and coverage for therapeutic devices.
To be eligible for these benefits, veterans will need to provide documentation regarding both their service record and their diagnosis. They’ll also need to submit medical opinions confirming the link between their service and their asbestos-related medical condition.
Lawsuits, Settlements, and Asbestos Trust Funds
Veterans and those exposed to Alfa Laval equipment on the job are also eligible for other forms of compensation. Though the company’s employees are generally limited to filing workers’ compensation claims, all others are eligible to file a personal injury lawsuit against Alfa Laval.
Though Alfa Laval has not established an asbestos trust fund, many people diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease have been exposed to equipment from more than one asbestos company, and may be eligible to file a claim for compensation from asbestos trust funds established by any of those that have filed for bankruptcy, or who supplied asbestos to Alfa Laval.
Contact an Asbestos Attorney
After you’ve arranged your treatment plan, victims of asbestos exposure are well served by meeting with an experienced mesothelioma attorney. These specialized lawyers have deep knowledge and resources that will help you identify all potential sources of your asbestos exposure. They will review your work history and the industries where you were employed so they can pinpoint all of the asbestos-containing products and environments that put you at risk.
An experienced asbestos attorney can explain your legal options and the process involved with each, so you can determine which course of action is best for you. If you decide to move forward, they’ll guide you through the process, ensuring that all required documentation is properly prepared and filed on time and representing you in negotiations, court, and more.
There are time limits on filing every type of personal injury lawsuit, and these statutes of limitations come quickly when you’re dealing with everything else involved in a mesothelioma diagnosis. Your attorney will make sure you meet all required deadlines and work to maximize the compensation you receive for your medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and other damages.
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