About Pittsburgh Corning and the Unibestos Legacy
Pittsburgh Corning Corporation was a joint venture formed in 1937 by PPG Industries (formerly Pittsburgh Plate Glass) and Corning Glass Works. The company’s primary asbestos product was Unibestos — a pipe insulation made from amosite (brown asbestos), one of the most carcinogenic asbestos fiber types. Unibestos was manufactured at Pittsburgh Corning’s plant in Tyler, Texas and distributed nationally to industrial insulation contractors from the late 1940s through the early 1970s.
The Tyler, Texas plant became notorious as one of the most severe occupational asbestos disease sites in the country. Workers at the plant developed mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis at catastrophic rates. Federal investigations eventually led to the plant being designated a Superfund hazardous waste site due to widespread asbestos contamination throughout the surrounding area. The Tyler plant tragedy was one of the catalysts for the federal OSHA asbestos standard enacted in 1972.
Pittsburgh Corning also manufactured FOAMGLAS — a cellular glass insulation product that did not contain asbestos but was used alongside Unibestos at many industrial facilities. Exposure claims are limited to Unibestos and other Pittsburgh Corning asbestos-containing products.
Pittsburgh Corning filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in April 2000. The Pittsburgh Corning Asbestos Personal Injury Settlement Trust was established through the reorganization plan to compensate all current and future victims of Unibestos exposure.
Trust Fund Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Trust Name | Pittsburgh Corning Asbestos Personal Injury Settlement Trust |
| Predecessor Company | Pittsburgh Corning Corporation (joint venture: PPG Industries & Corning) |
| Bankruptcy Filing | April 2000 |
| Payment Percentage | 19% |
| Mesothelioma Scheduled Value | ~$280,000 (actual payment ~$53,200 at 19%) |
| Key Products | Unibestos amosite pipe insulation; FOAMGLAS cellular glass insulation (non-asbestos) |
| Manufacturing Location | Tyler, Texas (EPA Superfund site) |
| Claim Types Accepted | Mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, pleural disease |
At 19%, the Pittsburgh Corning Trust pays significantly more than trusts like Manville or the OC Subfund. Applied to a mesothelioma scheduled value of approximately $280,000, the actual payment is approximately $53,200. For workers who were heavily exposed to Unibestos, this is an important component of their overall compensation.
Who Is Eligible to File with the Pittsburgh Corning Trust?
To file with the Pittsburgh Corning Trust, you must show exposure to Unibestos asbestos pipe insulation or another Pittsburgh Corning asbestos-containing product, along with a qualifying asbestos disease diagnosis. Unibestos was widely distributed to industrial contractors and used at the same categories of facilities as other major insulation brands.
Eligible occupations commonly include:
- Insulators and pipe covering mechanics who applied Unibestos insulation
- Workers at the Tyler, Texas Pittsburgh Corning manufacturing plant
- Pipefitters and steamfitters who worked alongside insulators at refineries and chemical plants
- Boilermakers at power plants where Unibestos was specified
- Shipyard workers at naval and commercial shipbuilding facilities
- Maintenance workers at large industrial facilities who disturbed existing Unibestos insulation
- Construction workers at large industrial projects in the 1950s–1970s
Exposure period: Unibestos was manufactured from approximately the late 1940s through the early 1970s. Installed Unibestos remained in service at industrial facilities for decades afterward, and workers removing or disturbing aging insulation were exposed well into the 1980s and 1990s.
How to File a Pittsburgh Corning Trust Claim
- Retain a mesothelioma attorney: Your attorney will assess your work history to identify Pittsburgh Corning Unibestos exposure at specific job sites.
- Establish Unibestos exposure: Your attorney documents the facilities where you worked, uses product identification databases and site records to confirm Unibestos was present, and compiles co-worker affidavits and other supporting evidence.
- Compile medical records: Pathology report, diagnosis documentation, imaging studies, and treating physician records are assembled.
- Claim submission: The completed claim package is submitted to the Pittsburgh Corning Trust’s claims processor per the trust distribution procedures (TDP).
- Review and payment: The trust reviews the claim and pays at 19% of the scheduled disease value upon approval.
Can You File Other Claims at the Same Time?
Yes. Unibestos was used at the same industrial facilities as Kaylo (Owens-Illinois and Owens Corning), Manville insulation, W.R. Grace Monokote, Armstrong products, and many others. Workers exposed to Unibestos typically also have claims against multiple other trusts. All of these claims can be filed simultaneously, and a lawsuit against solvent defendants can proceed at the same time. An experienced mesothelioma attorney will identify every applicable trust based on your specific work history.
Frequently Asked Questions
The trust currently pays at approximately 19% of the scheduled disease value. For mesothelioma, with a scheduled value of approximately $280,000, the actual payment is about $53,200 before attorney fees. This is one of the higher payment percentages among major asbestos trusts.
Unibestos was Pittsburgh Corning’s brand of amosite (brown asbestos) pipe and block insulation. It was one of the most potent asbestos insulation products ever manufactured, with high concentrations of amosite fibers that are particularly associated with mesothelioma. Unibestos was installed at refineries, power plants, chemical plants, and shipyards across the country from the late 1940s through the early 1970s.
Pittsburgh Corning’s Unibestos manufacturing plant in Tyler, Texas was one of the worst occupational asbestos disease sites in the country. Workers there developed mesothelioma at rates far above any background level. The plant and surrounding area became so contaminated with asbestos that the U.S. EPA designated it a Superfund hazardous waste site. The Tyler plant tragedy was instrumental in prompting federal asbestos workplace regulations in the 1970s.
No. FOAMGLAS is a cellular glass insulation product that does not contain asbestos. The Pittsburgh Corning Trust covers only asbestos-containing products manufactured by Pittsburgh Corning, primarily Unibestos pipe insulation. FOAMGLAS exposure alone does not support a claim with this trust.
Yes. Filing with the Pittsburgh Corning Trust is entirely separate from claims with other trusts and from lawsuits against solvent defendants. Most mesothelioma patients who have Pittsburgh Corning exposure also have exposure to products from other bankrupt manufacturers, and all applicable trust claims can be filed simultaneously by your attorney.