Amatex Corporation
Amatex Corporation is a textile manufacturer based in Norristown, Pennsylvania that began in the 1950s as the American Asbestos Textile Corp. It has always specialized in products that can withstand extremely high temperatures. Its heat-resistant textiles are used to create a variety of products including cloth, sleevings and ropes. Its subsidiary, NOR*FAB, makes fire retardant synthetic material used in protective clothing for hazardous vocations like firefighters.
Amatex Corporation and Asbestos
Detailed information about specific Amatex products that contained asbestos is difficult to find. However, since asbestos is naturally resistant to heat and fire, and Amatex specializes in manufacturing heat-resistant material, it comes as little surprise that asbestos was a common ingredient.
Before the toxic nature of asbestos was fully understood, it was considered to be a “miracle” fiber because of its resistance to extreme temperatures. It was common in industrial, commercial and residential material, which is why asbestos-related diseases have developed in individuals from a variety of occupations.
Amatex employees were exposed to dangerous levels of asbestos. Some of the professions at risk of exposure included steel plant workers, insulation installers, pipefitters, boilermen, heating and air conditioning installers and shipyard workers.
Amatex Corporation and Asbestos Litigation
Amatex used asbestos in such a wide variety of products that a bankruptcy court ruled that claimants could file petition if they had worked in shipyards, the textile industry, or had handled insulation. Faced with more than 9,000 asbestos-related lawsuits, many involving mesothelioma, Amatex filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November, 1982. Almost immediately, Amatex was ordered by the court to create a Creditors’ Committee of Asbestos Litigants to handle current claims against the company.
However, no provision was made for future claimants. As part of its reorganization, Amatex created an Asbestos Disease Trust Fund to handle all of the injury claims it was still facing. During its first 10 years, the Amatex Asbestos Disease Trust Fund is estimated to have paid over $11 million in settlements. Documents indicate that the Trust Fund is still active.
Amatex Corporation emerged from bankruptcy in 1990 and continues its operations today. Though it still manufactures and distributes heat-resistant materials, its products have been asbestos-free since the late 1970s. If you worked in one of the above-mentioned industries prior to the 1980s, there is a possibility that you were exposed to asbestos and are at risk of developing an asbestos-related illness.
For information on filing a claim against Amatex or learning more about the legal process, visit our legal section. Our Patient Advocates are also available to answer questions and can be reached by completing this form.
-
05/18/2012 -
The Queen of Disco Donna Summer died on Thursday in her Naples, Florida, home after a quiet battle with lung cancer.
She was 63.
The five-time G ..
-
05/17/2012 -
Thoracic surgeon Robert Cameron, M.D., used his second annual Symposium for Lung-Sparing Therapies for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma last week in Los ..
-
05/17/2012 -
Researchers in Singapore have uncovered new technology for studying cancer stem cells that could spark quicker development of a more effective therapy ..
© 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.
