About Combustion Engineering and Its Asbestos Liability
Combustion Engineering, Inc. (CE) was founded in 1912 and grew to become one of the foremost suppliers of boilers and combustion systems in the United States. Operating from its headquarters in Windsor, Connecticut, CE designed and manufactured utility boilers for coal-fired and oil-fired electric power plants, industrial boilers for manufacturing and process facilities, and marine steam systems for naval and commercial vessels. CE also developed a significant nuclear power division, supplying pressurized water reactor (PWR) systems and components to commercial nuclear power plants.
CE boilers were massive, high-temperature systems that required extensive asbestos insulation to operate safely and maintain energy efficiency. The asbestos was applied to CE boiler drums, steam tubes, headers, ductwork, and related piping throughout each facility. Workers who installed, operated, maintained, and repaired CE boiler systems were exposed to this insulation during normal work activities. Boilermakers, insulators, pipefitters, and maintenance workers at power plants and industrial facilities where CE equipment was installed faced ongoing asbestos exposure throughout their working careers.
ABB Group acquired Combustion Engineering in 1989, but the decades of accumulated asbestos claims against CE ultimately led ABB to seek bankruptcy protection for its U.S. CE operations and establish a court-supervised asbestos trust. The CE trust was funded with more than $1 billion to compensate victims of CE equipment asbestos exposure.
Trust Fund Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Trust Name | Combustion Engineering 524(g) Asbestos PI Trust |
| Predecessor Company | Combustion Engineering, Inc. (acquired by ABB Group 1989) |
| Payment Percentage | 15.3% |
| Claims Administrator | Verus Claims Services |
| Initial Funding | Over $1 billion |
| Products / Equipment | Utility boilers, industrial furnaces, combustion systems, nuclear PWR systems; all with asbestos insulation |
| Primary Industries | Electric power generation, petroleum refining, chemical manufacturing, nuclear power, U.S. Navy |
| Claim Types Accepted | Mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, pleural disease |
Despite the 15.3% payment percentage, the CE trust is among the more significant trusts in the asbestos system given its $1 billion+ funding and the broad population of workers who encountered CE boiler equipment. For mesothelioma claimants, the actual payment can be substantial, particularly when combined with claims against other applicable trusts.
Who Is Eligible to File with the Combustion Engineering Trust?
Eligibility requires documented exposure to asbestos materials associated with Combustion Engineering boilers, combustion systems, or nuclear equipment, along with a qualifying medical diagnosis. The most commonly eligible workers include:
- Power plant workers: Operators, maintenance technicians, and contractors at coal-fired and oil-fired electric power plants where Combustion Engineering boilers were installed and insulated with asbestos.
- Boilermakers: Workers who constructed, installed, repaired, and inspected CE boiler systems, working directly with and around asbestos insulation, gaskets, and packing materials.
- Insulators and pipefitters: Trades workers who applied, maintained, or removed asbestos insulation on CE boiler systems, ductwork, and related pipe systems.
- Nuclear power plant workers: CE was a significant supplier of pressurized water reactor systems to U.S. commercial nuclear plants. Workers at facilities using CE nuclear equipment who encountered asbestos insulation on CE components may have claims.
- Shipyard workers: CE manufactured marine boilers for naval vessels. Shipyard workers who installed or maintained CE marine boiler systems may have asbestos exposure claims.
- Industrial facility workers: Workers at refineries, chemical plants, paper mills, and other industrial facilities where CE boilers and combustion systems were installed and maintained.
Qualifying diagnoses: mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, and pleural conditions.
How to File a Combustion Engineering Trust Claim
- Consult a mesothelioma attorney: Your attorney will review your work history at power plants, industrial facilities, shipyards, and nuclear plants to assess CE equipment exposure.
- Document CE equipment presence: Your attorney uses facility records, plant equipment lists, utility company records, and industry databases to establish that CE boilers or other equipment were present at the facilities where you worked.
- Establish exposure: Your job duties, proximity to CE boiler maintenance activities, and duration of exposure are documented through employment records, co-worker testimony, and union records.
- Compile medical evidence: Pathology reports and diagnostic records for mesothelioma or other qualifying disease are assembled.
- Submit to Verus: Your attorney submits the completed claim package to Verus Claims Services, which administers the CE trust.
- Review and payment: The trust reviews the claim and pays at 15.3% of the scheduled disease value upon approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Combustion Engineering Trust pays at 15.3% of the scheduled disease value. The trust was funded at more than $1 billion, and the 15.3% rate is set to ensure the trust can compensate all future claimants over the long term. For a mesothelioma scheduled value of $200,000–$300,000, the actual payment can be meaningful, especially when combined with other applicable trust claims.
CE boilers were used in coal-fired and oil-fired electric power plants, petroleum refineries, chemical manufacturing plants, pulp and paper mills, steel mills, and other industrial facilities. CE also supplied marine boilers to the U.S. Navy and commercial shipyards, and nuclear steam supply systems to commercial nuclear power plants. Workers across all of these industries may have claims with the CE trust.
Yes. Workers who encountered CE boilers typically also worked with products from other manufacturers at the same facilities — including Manville insulation, Babcock & Wilcox boiler components, Owens Corning Kaylo, and other asbestos products. All applicable trust claims can be filed simultaneously. An experienced mesothelioma attorney will identify every applicable trust based on your complete work history.
Yes. Combustion Engineering was a major supplier of pressurized water reactor systems and components to U.S. commercial nuclear power plants. Workers at nuclear facilities using CE equipment who were exposed to asbestos insulation on CE components may have claims with the CE trust. A mesothelioma attorney experienced with nuclear plant asbestos exposure can evaluate your specific facility history.