A. P. Green Industries
A.P. Green Industries began in 1910 as a small brick making plant in Mexico, Missouri named after its owner. The business grew rapidly and in just five years was worth twice what A.P. Green originally paid for it. Green eventually bought a larger plant and began specializing in refractory products, which can withstand very high temperatures.
In 1998, A.P. Green merged with Global Industrial Technologies, which was in the same business as A.P. Green. The similarity of their products and high percentage of market share enjoyed by each company caused the Federal Trade Commission to file a complaint against the merger, claiming it would violate antitrust laws. A.P. Green and Global addressed the FTC’s concerns by agreeing to its demand that Global sell a division of its company to a third party. In mid-1999, the newly-formed company was facing a hostile takeover. Austria-based RHI Refractories stepped in, brokered a friendly merger with Global Industries and formed RHI Refractories America.
In 2002, three RHI subsidiaries – A.P. Green, Harbison-Walker and North American Refractories, Co. – broke from RHI and formed ANH Refractories, Co. ANH still exists today and continues to manufacture and distribute refractory products.
A.P. Green and Asbestos
Because A.P. Green manufactured products intended to withstand high heat, most of them contained asbestos. Everything from adhesives to cements contained at least some level of asbestos. Plant workers and product installers were routinely exposed to potentially harmful levels of the material. It is estimated that A.P. Green products contained an average of three and five percent asbestos, though some contained as much as 15 percent.
The real danger, however, was not caused by the amount of asbestos that was used, but rather by the degree of exposure that resulted from plant workers being in an environment where asbestos fibers were in the air. This, combined with the long hours and many years that workers spent in their respective plants, puts them at very high risk of inhaling asbestos and developing an asbestos-related disease.
A.P. Green and Asbestos Litigation
Because of its widespread use of asbestos products, A.P. Green has faced with thousands of asbestos-related lawsuits. In February 2002, the company and two of its affiliates – Global Industrial Technologies, Inc. and Harbison-Walker – filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Though its parent company RHI Refractories Holding Company cited the economic recession as another reason for the Chapter 11 filing, asbestos-related litigation was the primary cause.
Other companies that filed Chapter 11 bankruptcies around this time due to asbestos litigation were often required by the court to create a trust. However, there is no indication that A.P. Green established an asbestos trust of its own, or other means of handling asbestos-related claims. The only mention of A.P. Green in an asbestos trust is on the website for the United States Gypsum Asbestos Personal Injury Trust. According to the filing instructions, this website was created to handle both USG and A.P. Green claims.
If you are experiencing any symptoms indicative of asbestos-related illnesses such as mesothelioma cancer, make an appointment to see your doctor. Tell your doctor about the symptoms you’re experiencing and the reason for your concern. If you need information about mesothelioma and asbestos exposure, click here to receive a free informational packet.
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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.
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