About the Harbison-Walker Refractories Trust
Harbison-Walker Refractories Company was one of the oldest and largest manufacturers of refractory materials in the United States, tracing its roots to Pittsburgh in 1865. For more than a century, Harbison-Walker produced the firebrick, refractory cements, castable refractories, and plastic refractories used to line the furnaces, kilns, and high-temperature vessels that are the backbone of the steel, glass, aluminum, cement, and chemical industries. At the height of its production, Harbison-Walker operated manufacturing plants throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and other industrial states, supplying refractory products to steel mills, glass plants, aluminum smelters, and refineries across the country.
Like many refractory manufacturers of its era, Harbison-Walker incorporated asbestos into a number of its product lines. Asbestos provided exceptional heat resistance and binding properties in refractory cements and castables, and was used in formulations including the company’s well-known Plistix plastic refractory, Kastolite castable refractory, and Aurex products. Workers who applied these materials to furnace linings, repaired high-temperature equipment, or worked in the vicinity of Harbison-Walker product applications faced significant asbestos exposure. Steelworkers, furnace operators, boilermakers, refractory bricklayers, and maintenance mechanics at steel mills and industrial plants who worked with Harbison-Walker refractories during the mid-twentieth century are among those most heavily affected.
Harbison-Walker Refractories Company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2002, citing the mounting burden of asbestos personal injury lawsuits. The bankruptcy proceedings led to the establishment of the Harbison-Walker Refractories Company Asbestos PI Trust, which is funded to compensate eligible claimants who developed mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, or other asbestos-related disease from exposure to asbestos-containing Harbison-Walker products.
Trust Fund Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Trust Name | Harbison-Walker Refractories Company Asbestos PI Trust |
| Predecessor Company | Harbison-Walker Refractories Company |
| Parent Company | Dresser Industries / Halliburton (various ownership periods) |
| Bankruptcy Filing Year | 2002 (Chapter 11) |
| Primary Products | Plistix, Kastolite, Aurex, asbestos-containing firebrick and refractory cement |
| Claims Processor | Harbison-Walker Refractories Company Asbestos PI Trust |
| Claim Types Accepted | Mesothelioma, Lung Cancer, Asbestosis, Other Asbestos Disease |
| Key Industries | Steel, glass, aluminum, cement, refining, industrial manufacturing |
| Geographic Focus | Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Indiana, and all major industrial states |
Payment percentages and scheduled values are set by the trust’s Trust Distribution Procedures and may change over time. An attorney will provide current payment information at the time of filing.
Who Is Eligible to File a Harbison-Walker Trust Claim
Workers who were exposed to asbestos-containing Harbison-Walker refractory products and have received a qualifying diagnosis are eligible to file. Because Harbison-Walker supplied the entire American heavy industry sector, the eligible worker population is broad and spans many states and industries.
Occupations With High Harbison-Walker Exposure Risk
- Steelworkers who applied Plistix, Kastolite, or other Harbison-Walker refractories to blast furnaces, open hearth furnaces, and electric arc furnaces
- Furnace operators and relining crews at integrated steel mills
- Boilermakers who applied Harbison-Walker refractory cements to industrial boilers
- Refractory mechanics and bricklayers who installed Harbison-Walker firebrick and castables
- Glassworkers who applied Harbison-Walker refractories in glass tank furnaces and forehearths
- Aluminum smelter workers who used Harbison-Walker refractories in reduction cells and holding furnaces
- Cement kiln workers who applied Harbison-Walker refractory linings
- Refinery workers who installed Harbison-Walker refractories in process furnaces and heaters
- Maintenance mechanics and millwrights who repaired Harbison-Walker refractory linings
- Shipyard workers who applied Harbison-Walker refractories to marine boilers and engine room equipment
Key Worksites
- Integrated steel mills throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and the Great Lakes region
- Glass manufacturing plants in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio
- Aluminum smelters operated by Alcoa and Reynolds Metals
- Oil refineries and petrochemical plants along the Gulf Coast and in the Mid-Atlantic region
- Cement plants and lime kilns across the eastern United States
- Power generating stations with coal-fired and industrial boilers
- Naval shipyards including Philadelphia, Bethlehem, and Newport News
Qualifying Diagnoses
- Mesothelioma (pleural, peritoneal, or pericardial)
- Lung cancer with a documented history of asbestos exposure
- Asbestosis confirmed by appropriate medical evaluation
- Other asbestos-related diseases as defined in the Trust Distribution Procedures
Key Harbison-Walker Products and Asbestos Content
| Product Name | Product Type | Primary Uses |
|---|---|---|
| Plistix | Plastic refractory (trowelable) | Furnace lining repairs, furnace door seals, boiler settings |
| Kastolite | Castable refractory | Poured or cast furnace linings, trough liners, ladle linings |
| Aurex | Refractory coating and cement | High-temperature surface coatings, furnace maintenance |
| Harbison-Walker Firebrick | Formed refractory brick | Furnace lining, boiler wall construction, coke oven linings |
| HW Refractory Mortar | Bonding mortar | Bonding firebrick courses in furnace construction |
Many Harbison-Walker product formulations from the 1930s through the early 1980s incorporated chrysotile or amosite asbestos. The asbestos content varied by product line and era of manufacture. An attorney experienced in refractory industry asbestos claims will research which specific products were in use at your facility during your employment.
How to File a Claim With the Harbison-Walker Trust
- Retain a mesothelioma attorney immediately after your diagnosis. All asbestos attorneys handle trust fund claims on contingency — you pay nothing unless you recover. An attorney will assess your Harbison-Walker claim and identify all other trust fund and civil lawsuit options based on your complete work history.
- Document your exposure to Harbison-Walker products. Useful evidence includes employment records from steel mills, glass plants, or other industrial facilities; union membership and dispatch records; purchase records or product invoices naming Harbison-Walker products; plant maintenance records identifying Plistix, Kastolite, or other Harbison-Walker materials; and sworn affidavits from co-workers who can confirm Harbison-Walker product use at your worksite.
- Gather complete medical records. A confirmed pathology report diagnosing mesothelioma or another qualifying asbestos disease is essential. Your attorney will collect all diagnostic and treatment records and may arrange for review by an asbestos disease specialist.
- Compile your employment history. Social Security earnings records, union pension and dispatch records, employer records from mills and industrial plants, and co-worker affidavits all help establish the scope and nature of your Harbison-Walker product exposure.
- Your attorney prepares and submits the claim. All required forms, medical evidence, and exposure documentation are compiled and submitted to the Harbison-Walker Asbestos PI Trust on your behalf.
- The trust processes your claim and issues a payment offer. The trust applies its Trust Distribution Procedures, verifying medical and exposure eligibility, assigning the applicable disease category and scheduled value, and calculating the payment at the current payment percentage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Many Harbison-Walker refractory product lines contained asbestos during the mid-twentieth century, including Plistix plastic refractory, Kastolite castable refractory, Aurex coatings, and various refractory cements and mortars. Asbestos was used in these products for its heat resistance and binding properties. Formulations varied by era, and not all Harbison-Walker products or all production runs contained asbestos. Your attorney will research which products were in use at your specific worksite and during your years of employment.
Yes. Asbestos fibers released when Harbison-Walker refractory products were mixed, applied, or disturbed could travel significant distances within a plant or work area. Workers who were in the vicinity of Plistix or Kastolite applications — or who later worked in areas where dried Harbison-Walker materials were being chipped, ground, or removed — can have valid exposure claims. Your attorney will assess the nature and extent of your exposure based on your work history and the specific conditions at your worksite.
Absolutely, and for most industrial workers this is essential to maximizing recovery. Steel mills, glass plants, and other heavy industrial facilities used refractory products from multiple manufacturers, along with asbestos insulation, gaskets, and other asbestos-containing materials. Multiple trust fund claims and civil lawsuits can all be pursued simultaneously. An experienced asbestos attorney who represents industrial workers will identify every applicable trust and every available legal avenue based on your complete work history.
State statutes of limitations apply, typically ranging from one to three years from the date of mesothelioma or asbestos disease diagnosis or from the date you knew or should have known your illness was asbestos-related. These deadlines are strictly enforced. Contact a mesothelioma attorney immediately after your diagnosis to protect your right to file and ensure no deadline is missed.