Amatex Corporation specializes in fiberglass textiles for high-temperature applications. In the past, Amatex made asbestos-containing textiles and put workers at risk for developing mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis. Due to related lawsuits, the company filed for bankruptcy and set up an asbestos trust to compensate claimants.[1]
Amatex History and Asbestos
The company that would become Amatex was founded in 1950. Called American Asbestos Textile Corporation, it had headquarters in Norristown, Pennsylvania.[2] The headquarters are still located in this city.
In addition to facilities in Norristown, Amatex also operated a manufacturing facility in Meredith, New Hampshire. Amatex purchased a textile mill from Keasbey & Mattison, another textile manufacturer, in 1962. Amatex made asbestos fabrics in Meredith until 1982 when it began bankruptcy proceedings.[3]
Today, Amatex Corporation also has facilities in Laconia, New Hampshire. The company now manufactures textiles with fiberglass to withstand high temperatures.
Current products include vertex, aluminized fiberglass, specially coated thermoglass, metallic wire, and silica. The company also makes tapes, ropes, sleeves, and gaskets with these materials, all engineered for use in high-temperature environments.
Amatex was bought by Davlyn Group in 2020. Davlyn is a textile company. It also acquired Norfab at the same time that it bought Amatex.
How Did Amatex Use Asbestos?
For decades, asbestos was the material of choice for heat-resistant products. Amatex, like similar companies, utilized this asbestos to manufacture their products. While the company no longer uses asbestos, the material was abundant and commonly used in the past.
Asbestos is a natural mineral that is mined. It is naturally resistant to heat and fire, making it ideal for the types of products manufactured by Amatex.
Amatex made a variety of textiles woven with asbestos fibers from 1950 through 1982. These products included cloths and fabrics that could be made into heat- and fire-resistant clothing and safety gear, cords and ropes, yarn, thread, wicks, tubing, and many other materials used in a variety of industries.[4]
Some of the products Amatex made with asbestos include:
- Woven tape
- Tape
- Cloth
- Cord
- Roving
- Thread
- Rope
- Tubing
- Wick
- Yarn
Amatex product brands that contained asbestos include:
- Quietline
- Safecote
- Thermolan
- Titegrip
Who Was Exposed to Asbestos from Amatex?
Asbestos exposure is dangerous because the fine, tiny fibers can lodge in the tissues of the human body and remain there for decades.
Asbestos fibers can cause serious cell damage, leading to dangerous and life-threatening diseases.
Not everyone exposed contracts these diseases. Those who do may end up with progressive, painful, and deadly diseases like mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, or other types of cancer.
People exposed to asbestos can potentially inhale the tiny, light fibers. These fibers easily become airborne and often settle as dust on surfaces.
Those who work around asbestos can inhale or consume the fibers. They are also at risk of transporting the fibers home on their clothing, putting their family members at risk of exposure.
Amatex factory workers were most at risk of asbestos exposure. These workers handled asbestos directly in the making of textiles. Even the workers who were in the facilities but did not directly handle asbestos could have been exposed.
Thousands of people employed by other companies in other industries may also have been exposed, especially companies that used Amatex products:
- Factory workers
- Chemical plant workers
- Powerplant workers
- Construction workers
- Insulation workers
- Boiler workers
- Pipefitters
- HVAC installers and repairers
- Oil refinery workers
- Shipyard workers
Amatex Asbestos Lawsuits
Asbestos-related illnesses often take years to develop. Because of this long latency period, Amatex did not begin to receive asbestos lawsuits in great quantities until the 1970s. By 1982, the lawsuits became so expensive the company had to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and reorganize.
The company only emerged from this reorganization in 1990. Overall, Amatex faced about 9,000 separate lawsuits from claimants demanding the company admit liability and provide compensatory damages.
One of these lawsuits came from a former shipyard worker, Ernest Cleveland. In his line of work, Cleveland used asbestos products originating from several companies, including Amatex. Shipbuilding is one of the industries that commonly used asbestos, and it used asbestos in almost every component.
In 1982, Cleveland filed a lawsuit after developing asbestosis, a painful and progressive scarring of lung tissue caused by asbestos exposure. Amatex settled with Cleveland; however, other defendants refused to settle, and the case went to trial. Ultimately, Cleveland received $1.5 million in settlements.[5]
Amatex Bankruptcy, Reorganization, and Asbestos Trust Fund
Many people exposed to asbestos in Amatex products filed lawsuits against the corporation. These people got sick from exposure, claiming Amatex was responsible for their mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other illnesses.
Facing numerous lawsuits and potential payouts, Amatex had no choice but to reorganize. The company began the process by filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 1982.
Amatex emerged from reorganization in 1990 with an asbestos trust fund of $16 million.[1]
The trust fund was a requirement of bankruptcy protection, ensuring current and future claimants could receive compensation from the company.
The Amatex Asbestos Disease Trust Fund is currently inactive. If you believe you may have a claim against Amatex, you may not be able to file it. Consult with a mesothelioma lawyer to discuss your options where inactive trust funds may be involved.
