Atwood & Morrill Co. — Asbestos Product Reference

Company History

Atwood & Morrill Co. is an American industrial valve manufacturer with deep roots in the heavy industrial and marine sectors. Operating out of Salem, Massachusetts, the company built a long-standing reputation as a producer of high-pressure valves and related flow-control equipment for demanding industrial environments. Atwood & Morrill valves were widely specified for use in power generation facilities, petrochemical refineries, shipyards, and other heavy industrial settings where reliable performance under extreme temperature and pressure conditions was essential.

Throughout much of the twentieth century, Atwood & Morrill products were considered workhorses of American industry. Their valves and steam-control equipment were installed in facilities across the country, appearing in naval vessels, land-based power plants, and processing facilities that formed the backbone of the nation’s industrial infrastructure. Like many manufacturers operating during the mid-twentieth century, Atwood & Morrill produced equipment during an era when asbestos-containing materials were routinely incorporated into industrial components — particularly those designed for high-temperature service.

The company continued operations into the modern era, though its product lines and ownership structure evolved considerably over the decades. Atwood & Morrill is understood to have moved away from asbestos-containing components in approximately the early 1980s, consistent with broader industry transitions prompted by mounting regulatory pressure from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) during that period.

Asbestos-Containing Products

According to asbestos litigation records, Atwood & Morrill manufactured and supplied industrial valves and steam traps that incorporated asbestos-containing materials as component parts. Plaintiffs alleged that these products included internal packing, gaskets, and sealing materials that contained asbestos in amounts sufficient to release respirable fibers during normal installation, operation, and maintenance activities.

Court filings document that the relevant product categories attributed to Atwood & Morrill in litigation contexts include:

  • Industrial valves — including gate valves, globe valves, check valves, and other flow-control devices used in high-pressure steam and fluid systems. Plaintiffs alleged that the internal packing materials used to seal valve stems were manufactured with asbestos fiber, a common industry practice during the mid-twentieth century.
  • Steam traps — devices used to discharge condensate and non-condensable gases from steam systems while retaining live steam. According to litigation records, steam traps attributed to Atwood & Morrill were alleged to contain asbestos in their sealing and insulating components.

Court filings further document that asbestos-containing packing in industrial valves of this type typically consisted of braided or compressed asbestos fiber formed into rings or rope that was seated within the valve bonnet to prevent leakage around the valve stem. Over time, this packing material degraded, required replacement, and — during both installation and removal — could release asbestos fiber into the surrounding work environment.

It is important to note that valve and steam trap products of this era often required asbestos-containing companion materials — including pipe insulation, flange gaskets, and fitting cement — that were not manufactured by Atwood & Morrill but were routinely used alongside their equipment. Workers who handled Atwood & Morrill products may therefore have encountered asbestos exposure from multiple concurrent sources.

Occupational Exposure

Plaintiffs alleged in asbestos litigation that workers in a range of trades and industries encountered Atwood & Morrill valves and steam traps in the course of their regular occupational duties. Court filings document that the populations most frequently identified in these cases include pipefitters, steamfitters, boilermakers, millwrights, and operating engineers — skilled tradespeople whose work routinely brought them into direct contact with valve packing and steam system components.

According to litigation records, the following work activities were identified as presenting potential asbestos exposure risk in connection with industrial valve and steam trap products:

  • Packing replacement — The process of removing worn asbestos valve packing and installing new packing material was described by plaintiffs as a task that generated visible dust. Workers performing this task without adequate respiratory protection could inhale asbestos fibers released during extraction of degraded packing material.
  • Valve overhaul and repair — Maintenance crews responsible for disassembling, inspecting, cleaning, and reassembling industrial valves were alleged to have disturbed asbestos packing and gasket materials as a routine part of their duties.
  • System installation — Plaintiffs alleged that tradespeople installing new valve assemblies into piping systems also encountered asbestos-containing packing materials, which were sometimes trimmed or compressed to fit during initial installation.
  • Proximity exposure — Court filings document claims from workers who were not directly performing valve maintenance but who worked in enclosed spaces — including engine rooms, boiler rooms, and processing areas — where others were disturbing valve packing materials, creating shared airborne fiber hazards.

Industrial sectors where Atwood & Morrill products were alleged to have been used, according to litigation records, include:

  • Maritime and shipyard environments — Naval vessels and commercial ships required extensive valve systems for steam propulsion, auxiliary machinery, and fluid management. Atwood & Morrill valves were identified in litigation records as having been installed aboard naval and commercial vessels, exposing shipyard workers and naval personnel during both construction and maintenance operations.
  • Power generation facilities — Steam-driven power plants relied heavily on high-pressure valves and steam traps throughout their piping systems. Plaintiffs alleged that maintenance workers and operators at such facilities encountered Atwood & Morrill products routinely.
  • Petrochemical and refinery settings — Refineries and chemical processing plants used large numbers of industrial valves to control the flow of high-temperature fluids and gases. Court filings reference these environments in connection with Atwood & Morrill product exposure claims.
  • Industrial manufacturing plants — General manufacturing facilities using steam for process heating and power transmission also employed valve products consistent with Atwood & Morrill’s product lines.

According to asbestos litigation records, the latency period associated with asbestos-related disease — typically ranging from ten to fifty years between first exposure and diagnosis — means that workers exposed to Atwood & Morrill products during the 1940s through the early 1980s may be presenting with illness today or in coming years.

Trust Fund / Legal Status

Atwood & Morrill Co. is classified as a Tier 2 manufacturer for purposes of this reference. The company has been named as a defendant in asbestos personal injury litigation. However, as of the time of this writing, Atwood & Morrill does not appear to have established a dedicated asbestos bankruptcy trust fund. The company has not, to documented public knowledge, resolved its asbestos liability through the federal bankruptcy trust process that many other asbestos defendants pursued under Section 524(g) of the United States Bankruptcy Code.

According to asbestos litigation records, claims involving Atwood & Morrill have proceeded through the civil court system. Plaintiffs alleged injuries including mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, and other asbestos-related conditions arising from occupational contact with the company’s valve and steam trap products.

Because no dedicated trust fund exists, individuals with potential claims related to Atwood & Morrill products would pursue recovery through direct civil litigation rather than a trust claim submission process.

If you or a family member worked in power generation, shipbuilding, refinery operations, or other heavy industry and were exposed to industrial valves or steam equipment manufactured by Atwood & Morrill, you may have legal options worth discussing with an attorney experienced in asbestos exposure cases.

Key points to understand:

  • No trust fund: Atwood & Morrill does not maintain a publicly documented asbestos bankruptcy trust. Potential claims would be pursued through the civil litigation process, not a trust claim form submission.
  • Other defendants may apply: Workers who encountered Atwood & Morrill valves typically worked alongside products from many other manufacturers. Asbestos exposure cases frequently involve multiple defendants, including manufacturers who do operate trust funds. An attorney can evaluate the full scope of your exposure history.
  • Relevant diagnoses: Conditions recognized in asbestos litigation include mesothelioma, lung cancer (with documented asbestos exposure), asbestosis, and pleural disease. If you have received such a diagnosis, documentation of your work history — including job sites, employers, and specific products you handled or worked near — is essential to evaluating any potential claim.
  • Statutes of limitations apply: Legal deadlines for filing asbestos claims vary by state and by the nature of the claim. Consulting an attorney promptly after diagnosis is strongly advised.
  • Veterans and maritime workers: If your exposure occurred during military service or aboard commercial vessels, additional legal avenues, including claims through the Department of Veterans Affairs, may be available alongside or in addition to civil litigation.

Attorneys handling asbestos cases can typically review exposure histories without charge and advise whether the facts of a particular situation support a viable legal claim against Atwood & Morrill or other manufacturers whose products may have contributed to asbestos-related illness.