Rutland Fire Clay Company made asbestos-containing products from 1900 to 1978. The company was sued by workers who claimed using its products caused them to develop asbestos-related diseases. The company went bankrupt and established a trust fund to handle future claims.
Filed in Oct. 13, 1999, and reorganized on Nov. 17, 2000
Rutland’s History with Asbestos
Rutland Fire Clay Company was founded in Montpelier, Vermont, in 1883. The first product it sold was a stove lining designed to reduce the buildup of soot and increase a stove’s efficiency.
The company later expanded to make stove polishes, home repair items and construction materials. Many of these products were designed to withstand high temperatures and were manufactured with asbestos because the mineral is naturally heat-resistant.
Rutland is now headquartered in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Products are made and shipped from Jacksonville, Illinois.
The company focused on controlling creosote, which is a combustible byproduct that can build up in coal and wood-fired chimneys and stoves.
Many Rutland products produced in the early 1900s were designed to reduce soot, which simplified fireplace maintenance. This made Rutland popular when shortages during World War II caused increased usage of wood stoves.
Rutland focused on manufacturing large quantities of construction products, which made using low-cost asbestos a profitable choice. Asbestos was used as filler in the company’s patching compounds and cements, which were designed to withstand high temperatures.
Like other asbestos companies, Rutland has faced tens of thousands of asbestos lawsuits filed by workers who developed asbestos-related diseases after using its products. These suits forced the company into bankruptcy. It was subsequently required to create a trust fund to compensate future victims.
Bankruptcy and Trust Fund
Rutland had 37,000 pending cases and $3 million in assets when it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October 1999.
In 1999, Rutland’s president, Thomas Martin, testified before Congress. He estimated Rutland’s liability for current and future asbestos claims at $67 million. Martin cited these claims as the reason for the bankruptcy.
The company set up a trust fund in 2000, known as the Rutland Fire Clay Company Asbestos Trust, to handle past and future claims. November 2010 to January 2011 was the last time period for which the trust accepted claims. The trust is currently registered as inactive.
As of 2022, Rutland continues to operate out of its headquarters in North Carolina, with manufacturing and production in the state of Illinois.
Were You Exposed to Asbestos Products Made by Rutland?
Gain access to trust funds, grants and other forms of compensation for you or your loved ones.
From 1984 to 1999, 50,000 asbestos-related cases were filed against Rutland. The majority of the lawsuits were filed by workers who used Rutland’s asbestos products on the job.
Two cases demonstrating types of asbestos exposure from Rutland products involved Ethel Scheidel and Kenneth Cobb.
In a 1997 New York Supreme Court case, Ethel Scheidel filed a claim against Rutland on behalf of her husband, Victor Scheidel. Scheidel encountered asbestos while working as an independent contractor and was later diagnosed with asbestosis.
In 2001, Owens Corning Fiberglass added Rutland as a party defendant in a case where a pipefitter, Kenneth Cobb, developed asbestosis. Cobb spent 40 years using asbestos insulation and wallboard for refrigeration, air conditioning and heating systems and pneumatic control systems. Cobb received $689,782 in compensatory damages.
Asbestos issues are not the only legal problem Rutland has dealt with in recent years. In 2016, Rutland paid a fine of $1,000 to the state of California for violating health and safety codes when it didn’t properly label its Safe Lite Fire Starter Squares, which had the potential of releasing toxic chemicals into the air.
In 2008, Rutland was fined $10,000 by the California Air Resources Board for distributing its One Match Gelled Fire Starter without proper certification.
Construction workers and mortar and bricklayers who used older asbestos-containing cement products manufactured by Rutland were likely exposed to asbestos.
Rutland made materials with asbestos found in rocks from the Vermont area. Rutland workers preparing these cement products also encountered asbestos exposure.
Recommended Reading
Address
1 S. Orange Ave., Suite 301, Orlando, FL 32801
Connect with us
Navigation
Monthly Newsletter
Stay up-to-date on treatment, research, clinical trials, doctors and survivors
The information on this website is proprietary and protected. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Any unauthorized or illegal use, copying or dissemination will be prosecuted. Please read our privacy policy and terms of service for more information about our website.
This website and its content may be deemed attorney advertising. Prior results do not predict a similar outcome.
The Mesothelioma Center’s claim as the most trusted resource is based on our more than 150 5-star Google and BBB reviews. Our organization also helps more than half of all mesothelioma patients annually diagnosed.
Your web browser is no longer supported by Microsoft. Update your browser for more security, speed and compatibility.
If you are looking for mesothelioma support, please contact our Patient Advocates at (855) 404-4592
Fact Checked
Our fact-checking process begins with a thorough review of all sources to ensure they are high quality. Then we cross-check the facts with original medical or scientific reports published by those sources, or we validate the facts with reputable news organizations, medical and scientific experts and other health experts. Each page includes all sources for full transparency.
Reviewed
Asbestos.com is the nation’s most trusted mesothelioma resource
The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com has provided patients and their loved ones the most updated and reliable information on mesothelioma and asbestos exposure since 2006.
Our team of Patient Advocates includes a medical doctor, a registered nurse, health services administrators, veterans, VA-accredited Claims Agents, an oncology patient navigator and hospice care expert. Their combined expertise means we help any mesothelioma patient or loved one through every step of their cancer journey.
More than 30 contributors, including mesothelioma doctors, survivors, health care professionals and other experts, have peer-reviewed our website and written unique research-driven articles to ensure you get the highest-quality medical and health information.
About The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com
Assisting mesothelioma patients and their loved ones since 2006.
Helps more than 50% of mesothelioma patients diagnosed annually in the U.S.
A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
5-star reviewed mesothelioma and support organization.
My family has only the highest compliment for the assistance and support that we received from The Mesothelioma Center. This is a staff of compassionate and knowledgeable individuals who respect what your family is experiencing and who go the extra mile to make an unfortunate diagnosis less stressful. Information and assistance were provided by The Mesothelioma Center at no cost to our family.
Whitmer, M. (2025, September 16). Rutland Fire Clay Company. Asbestos.com. Retrieved December 12, 2025, from https://www.asbestos.com/companies/rutland/
Michelle Whitmer has covered science and medicine for Asbestos.com for more than 15 years. She has been featured in multiplatform media, including The New York Times and KYW Newsradio. Whitmer is pursuing American Medical Writers Association certification, has completed OSHA Asbestos Standard for the Construction Industry training and is CDC certified in Health Literacy.
Fact-checked and verified content:
Our fact-checking process begins with a thorough review of all sources to ensure they are high quality. Then we cross-check the facts with original medical or scientific reports published by those sources, or we validate the facts with reputable news organizations, medical and scientific experts and other health experts. Each page includes all sources for full transparency.
Please read our editorial guidelines to learn more about our content creation and review process.
