Ingersoll Rand

Ingersoll Rand is a worldwide manufacturer of drilling and blasting equipment for mining and construction industries.

Asbestos Exposure

For a few decades, Ingersoll Rand (IR) used asbestos for its fire-retardant properties in both packing and manufacturing. The use of this material is documented and may been seen in the company's technical manuals. Its low cost and availability made asbestos a popular manufacturing material. IR's asbestos-containing products included some of the following materials:

• Valve packing
• Compressors
• Sheet packing
• Steam pump packing
• Gaskets
• Braided asbestos

In the course of manufacturing and standard use of the above products, asbestos fibers often became airborne and workers in the surrounding areas may have been exposed to asbestos. The threat of asbestos expose was considered to be higher in environments where asbestos was found in assembly parts, workstation fixtures and protective clothing.

Litigation Involving Ingersoll Rand

After the Environmental Protection Agency classified asbestos as a carcinogenic material, IR's safety standards in asbestos handling practices were brought under scrutiny. In 2008, the company set up a reserve to cover its litigation expenses against current and future asbestos-related claims brought against the company.

According to Reuters, IR took out a non-cash pretax charge of $449 million for pending and estimated future asbestos claims through 2053. The fourth-quarter charge, which will be $277 million after taxes, results from a $538 million increase in recorded liability for asbestos claims to $755 million.

For the past 25 years, IR has been involved in ongoing asbestos litigation and continues facing lawsuits in both federal and state courts. The lawsuits are predominantly associated with the production of pumps and compressors, which incorporated asbestos-containing packing supplies and gaskets.

The 2002 annual report of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission notes that “although IR-New Jersey was neither a producer nor a manufacturer of asbestos, some of its formerly manufactured products utilized asbestos-containing components such as gaskets purchased from third-party suppliers.”

As of early 2008, the company had settled more than 208,000 claims, totaling more than $308 million, not including insurance recoveries. More than 100,000 outstanding claims currently await resolution while more new lawsuits are being filed.

If you work at IR or used any of their asbestos-containing products, it is important to undergo regular medical exams to monitor for signs of asbestos-related diseases. If you are currently suffering from mesothelioma or exhibiting symptoms of any other asbestos-related condition, you may benefit from understanding your options.

To request additional information on recourse that might be available to you, please take a moment to fill out the form on this page or call (800) 615-2270 to receive an informative packet in the mail.

Company Background

Ingersoll Rand is one of the leaders in global manufacturing of industrial equipment. In 1871, the original Ingersoll Rock Drill Company was founded by Simon Ingersoll. Ingersoll-Sergeant Drill Company and Rand Drill Company merged in 1905, resulting in the company known today as Ingersoll Rand, IR-New Jersey. In 2001, the company's corporate headquarters were moved to Bermuda, which saved IR an estimated $40 million a year while costing $27,000 in paperwork filing.

The Drilling Solutions business included factories in the United States, China, India and Japan and was sold to Atlas Copco in 2004. In 2007, IR sold their Bobcat and utility equipment divisions to companies such as Volvo and Doosan Infracore, which left the company with the Industrial Technologies, Climate Control Technologies and Security Technologies divisions. In 2008, IR Rand acquired and absorbed into its Climate Control Technologies division the established HVAC supplier Trane.

IR's main focus remains on mining and construction equipment and drilling and blasting procedures. The company's massive product line spans a considerable spectrum, including the following brands:

• Cisa
• Club Car
• Falcon Door Hardware
• Hussmann
• Interflex
• Kryptonite Locks
• LCN
• Normbau
• OMI
• Schlage Locks
• ARO
• Krack
• American Standard
• Thermo King
• Trane
• Von Duprin