Crown Cork and Seal

Crown Cork and Seal History and Involvement With Asbestos

Crown Cork & Seal has a long history dating back to 1892 when William Painter invented a better bottle cap for soft drink and beer containers. While Crown never directly made asbestos products, it became responsible for asbestos claims after acquiring Mundet Cork in 1963.

Mundet Cork made cork-lined bottle caps but also produced insulation and cement containing asbestos. Crown sold most of Mundet’s businesses within 2 years but kept liability for exposure linked to those asbestos products. Because of this, Crown has paid more than $700 million for asbestos-related claims.

Workers at Mundet’s insulation and cement plants faced asbestos exposure, along with their family members. Companies that used Crown’s products like oil refineries and the U.S. Navy, also exposed workers and service members. Because Crown acquired Mundet, people exposed to asbestos from these products may have claims linked to Crown.

Crown Cork & Seal Faces Asbestos Lawsuits

In June 2012, a Louisiana jury found Crown 33% responsible for a $12 million verdict in Frederick Schulte’s mesothelioma lawsuit. Schulte worked at McDermott Incorporated Shipyard installing asbestos pipe insulation that Mundet Cork produced. He was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2011.

Also in 2012, Crown Holdings faced asbestos-related legal challenges when Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton vetoed a bill the American Legislative Exchange Council pushed. The bill aimed to limit asbestos company liability for past use of the toxic mineral, especially for companies acquiring businesses facing existing asbestos claims. Dayton’s veto stopped this effort in Minnesota.

Crown successfully influenced legislation in other states to reduce protections for people filing asbestos-related claims. For example, in Pennsylvania, lawmakers passed laws that lowered these protections.

Mundet Products That Exposed Crown to Asbestos Litigation

Construction workers came into contact with asbestos when using cement, insulation and other building materials. Because asbestos was cheap, tough and didn’t burn, it was a top choice for many construction products.

Mundet Cork Products With Asbestos

• Mundet Block Insulation
• Mundet Cork 85% Magnesia Asbestos Insulation
• Mundet Mineral Wool Finishing Cement
• Mundet Mineral Wool Insulating Cement
• Mundet Pipe Covering

Magnesia asbestos pipe insulation was made from magnesia alba or magnesium carbonate and often contained asbestos. Mixing 85% magnesium with 15% asbestos made the insulation strong and able to hold together well. Most of Mundet’s pipe insulation used chrysotile asbestos fibers.

Where Is Crown Cork & Seal Today?

Crown Holdings Inc. is a large company focused on metal packaging in the U.S. It produces containers for drinks, food, health and beauty products, promotional items, luxury goods and household or industrial products. The company uses materials like paper, plastic and metal.

Crown runs 192 manufacturing plants and employs more than 33,000 people across 47 countries. The company began with the invention of the “Crown Cork” bottle cap in Baltimore and expanded into a global business.

In the 21st century, Crown sold its cosmetic and plastic divisions but maintained net sales of $7.9 billion. The company has operated for more than 120 years adapting through many technological changes.

In 2017, Crown moved its Corporate & Americas Division Headquarters from Philadelphia to Yardley, Pennsylvania where it continues to operate. As of 2025, Crown Holdings holds a market value of about $11.7 billion.