Clow Corporation and Asbestos-Containing Pipe Products

Company History

Clow Corporation was a significant American manufacturer of pipe and plumbing products throughout much of the twentieth century. Operating primarily in the industrial and municipal infrastructure markets, Clow built a reputation as a supplier of cast iron, ductile iron, and related piping systems used in waterworks, sewage systems, and industrial facilities across the United States. The company’s products were specified and installed on construction and industrial jobsites from the post-World War II era through the late twentieth century, placing them in widespread use during the period when asbestos was routinely incorporated into pipe insulation and related building materials.

During the mid-twentieth century, asbestos was considered an ideal additive for insulation and sealing products used in conjunction with pipe systems. Its heat resistance, tensile strength, and chemical stability made it a standard component in the insulation wraps, gaskets, packing materials, and joint compounds that accompanied pipe installations in industrial plants, commercial buildings, refineries, shipyards, and municipal infrastructure projects. According to asbestos litigation records, Clow Corporation’s pipe products were present on numerous such jobsites during the decades when asbestos-containing accessory materials were in standard use.

Clow Corporation was subsequently acquired by larger corporate entities as the American manufacturing landscape consolidated in the late twentieth century. Asbestos use in pipe-related products across the industry phased out in the early 1980s, largely in response to mounting regulatory pressure from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, as well as the growing body of medical evidence linking asbestos fiber inhalation to serious and fatal respiratory disease.

Asbestos-Containing Products

Court filings document that Clow Corporation manufactured and supplied pipe products and related materials during the period when asbestos was widely used in pipe insulation systems. While the specific branded product lines attributed to Clow in litigation records vary by case and jurisdiction, plaintiffs alleged that asbestos-containing materials were used in connection with Clow pipe products — including insulating wraps, joint packing compounds, and gasket materials — on a broad range of commercial, industrial, and municipal jobsites.

According to asbestos litigation records, the pipe products most frequently at issue in Clow-related claims were associated with large-diameter cast iron and ductile iron pipe systems used in water and wastewater infrastructure, as well as industrial process piping. These systems required insulation, joint sealing, and packing materials that, during the relevant period, commonly contained chrysotile and in some cases amphibole asbestos fibers.

Plaintiffs alleged that asbestos-containing insulation applied over or around Clow pipe systems could release respirable fibers during installation, maintenance, and removal activities. Court filings document claims that workers engaged in cutting, fitting, wrapping, and finishing insulation on these pipe systems were exposed to elevated airborne fiber concentrations, particularly in enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces such as mechanical rooms, underground vaults, and industrial plant interiors.

It is important to note that Clow itself may or may not have manufactured the specific insulating materials at issue in every claim — in many asbestos pipe cases, multiple defendants are named, including both the pipe manufacturer and the manufacturers of the insulation, gaskets, and joint compounds used in conjunction with their products. According to asbestos litigation records, claims against Clow and similar pipe manufacturers have often proceeded on theories related to the foreseeability of insulation use and the conditions under which pipe systems were installed and maintained.

Occupational Exposure

Workers across a broad range of trades encountered Clow pipe products and associated insulating materials during the decades of peak asbestos use. The occupational groups most frequently represented in asbestos litigation records involving pipe manufacturers include:

Pipefitters and plumbers who installed, connected, and maintained cast iron and ductile iron pipe systems in commercial, industrial, and municipal settings. These workers handled pipe sections, applied joint compounds and packing, and worked alongside insulators who applied asbestos-containing wrap and block insulation to adjacent piping.

Insulators (asbestos workers) who applied, repaired, and removed thermal insulation on pipe systems in refineries, power plants, chemical facilities, shipyards, and large commercial buildings. Court filings document that insulators worked in close proximity to pipe systems supplied by manufacturers including Clow, and that the insulation materials they handled routinely contained asbestos through the 1970s.

Maintenance and repair workers in industrial facilities and municipal waterworks who cut into, repaired, or replaced sections of pipe and associated insulation during the operational life of these systems. Plaintiffs alleged that maintenance work — including activities such as grinding, cutting, and disturbing aged insulation — could generate significantly higher fiber concentrations than original installation.

Construction laborers and helpers who worked on large commercial, institutional, and infrastructure projects where Clow pipe products were specified. These workers were often present when pipe insulation was being applied and may have been exposed to ambient fiber concentrations without direct involvement in insulation work.

Shipyard workers represent another category identified in asbestos litigation records. Pipe systems used aboard naval and commercial vessels, including those supplied by major pipe manufacturers of the era, were routinely insulated with asbestos-containing materials, and ship construction and repair created conditions of high cumulative asbestos exposure.

According to asbestos litigation records, exposure to asbestos-containing pipe insulation has been associated with diagnoses of mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, and pleural disease. Mesothelioma — a rare and aggressive cancer of the lining of the lungs, abdomen, or heart — is considered a signature asbestos-caused disease, and its presence in a claimant’s history is a significant factor in litigation and compensation proceedings.

The latency period between asbestos exposure and the development of asbestos-related disease is typically between 20 and 50 years. This means that workers exposed to asbestos on jobsites in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s may only now be receiving diagnoses. Family members of workers who brought home asbestos dust on their clothing — a phenomenon known as secondary or take-home exposure — have also appeared as claimants in asbestos litigation.

Clow Corporation has not established an asbestos bankruptcy trust fund. The company has not filed for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code in the manner that has led dozens of other asbestos defendants to create Section 524(g) trusts for the compensation of claimants with asbestos-related disease.

Accordingly, individuals who believe they were exposed to asbestos through Clow pipe products or in connection with Clow jobsite presence do not have access to a dedicated trust fund claims process associated with this manufacturer. According to asbestos litigation records, claims involving Clow Corporation have been addressed through civil litigation in the tort system.

Potential legal avenues for affected individuals and families may include:

  • Direct civil litigation against Clow Corporation or its corporate successors, based on allegations of negligence, strict product liability, or failure to warn regarding asbestos hazards associated with pipe products and related materials
  • Claims against asbestos trust funds established by other defendants — including manufacturers of the insulation, gaskets, packing, and joint compound products used in conjunction with Clow pipe systems — many of which have established active trusts with ongoing claims processes
  • Workers’ compensation claims, which may be available depending on the circumstances of exposure and applicable state law
  • Secondary exposure claims, available to family members of workers who experienced take-home asbestos exposure through contaminated work clothing and equipment

Because asbestos litigation is complex, highly fact-specific, and involves multiple potential defendants across a worker’s occupational history, individuals with asbestos-related disease diagnoses are strongly encouraged to consult with an attorney experienced in asbestos litigation before pursuing any claim.

If you or a family member worked with or around Clow pipe products between the 1940s and early 1980s and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, or another asbestos-related disease, your legal options are primarily through the civil court system, as no Clow asbestos trust fund exists. However, you may be eligible to file claims against the trust funds of other manufacturers whose insulation, packing, or sealing products were used alongside Clow pipe systems on the same jobsites. An asbestos attorney can review your work history, identify all potential defendants and applicable trust funds, and advise you on the best path toward compensation. Most asbestos attorneys handle these cases on a contingency basis, meaning there is no upfront cost to pursue a claim.