A C & S Inc.
A C & S, Inc. started as the Armstrong Cork Company. Launched in the 1920s, Armstrong’s sole business was installing cork insulation in cold storage units and facilities. Over time, Armstrong became a national corporation, primarily by buying independent, local insulation companies. During the 1940s and 1950s, Armstrong profits began to decline and the owners looked for a solution. They decided Armstrong would become two companies – one comprised only of insulation products and contracts, the other comprised of all the rest. This newly created subsidiary was called Armstrong Contracting and Supply Corporation.
The dual-corporation business venture continued for over 10 years. But in the late 1960s, Armstrong decided the time had come to rid itself of certain businesses that no longer fit the Armstrong culture. One of them was Armstrong Contracting and Supply. Because the parent company did not want its Armstrong Contracting employees leaving on bad terms, they were given the option of buying out the business and having it renamed A C & S, Inc.
The employees agreed and through a series of stock transactions the company known as A C and S was formed. A C & S continued with its insulation business, building a reputation as a reliable contractor. Unfortunately, the material used for insulation shifted from cork to asbestos, which has been known to cause mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.
A C & S and Asbestos
In 1974, A C & S issued a corporate policy stating it would no longer use material containing what is referred to as “friable” asbestos. While A C & S created a policy to stop using certain kinds of asbestos in 1974, it did not stop using asbestos entirely. In fact, according to an A C & S, Inc. bankruptcy statement, the company continued to use some friable asbestos-containing material on certain projects for another decade. It also continued to use material considered to be non-friable until 1985.
Asbestos was most commonly used in shipyard-related insulation for products like boilers. Jess Lemmons worked as a boilermaker at Todd Shipyard in Houston, Texas and often used block insulation, pipe covering and other materials that contained asbestos. When he passed away from an asbestos-related condition, his wife sued A C & S and won a $3 million verdict. In addition to shipyard workers, common claimant vocations have included pipefitters, ship fitters and sheet metal workers. Many of these lawsuits have been filed from those affected by mesothelioma.
A C & S and Asbestos Litigation
Most claimants or family members of claimants filing a suit alleged that the victims developed mesothelioma because of their exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that affects something called the mesothelium. The mesothelium is a membrane that covers most of the body’s internal organs. When cancer cells develop inside the membrane, they can easily spread to the organs themselves.
From 1981 to 2002, A C & S resolved more than 247,000 individual asbestos-related claims and the number kept increasing. It received nearly 55,000 claims in the year 2001 alone. The financial strain forced A C & S to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September, 2002.
An initial reorganization plan was rejected because the judge felt it did not adequately take into consideration ongoing or long-term costs of asbestos-related claims against A C & S. A second reorganization was approved in 2007 and included the establishment of a Trust to handle existing and future asbestos-related claims against the company. A C & S was ordered to place $400 million in the Trust upon its creation and to continue paying into the Trust as needed to ensure that claimants received appropriate settlements.
Symptoms of asbestos-related illnesses include shortness of breath, chest pain, abdominal pain, weight loss, bowel obstruction and anemia. Asbestos-related illness can be difficult to diagnose and symptoms can take decades to manifest. If you have been exposed to asbestos and are concerned about a possible related illness, contact your doctor. The Mesothelioma Center provides a free informational packet to those looking for more information on mesothelioma and asbestos exposure.
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© 2012 The Mesothelioma Center |
Last Modified Thursday, February 9th, 2012 | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy |
The information provided by The Mesothelioma Center is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Sponsored by a law firm concentrating in asbestos litigation, The Peterson Firm, LLP with offices at 1350 Connecticut Ave, NW, Fifth Floor, Washington DC 20036.
