Gardner Denver: Asbestos Exposure from Industrial Pumps and Compressors

Gardner Denver is a longstanding American manufacturer of industrial pumps, air compressors, blowers, and related fluid-handling equipment. The company supplied machinery to some of the most asbestos-intensive industries in the United States — including oil and gas, chemical processing, mining, and heavy manufacturing — during the decades when asbestos was routinely used as a component material in industrial equipment. According to asbestos litigation records, workers who operated, maintained, or repaired Gardner Denver equipment during the mid-twentieth century may have encountered asbestos-containing materials as part of their routine job duties.

Company History

Gardner Denver traces its origins to the mid-1800s, when it began manufacturing equipment for the mining industry. Over the following century, the company grew into a major supplier of industrial machinery, expanding its product lines to include centrifugal pumps, reciprocating compressors, vacuum systems, and a wide range of fluid-transfer and pneumatic equipment.

By the mid-twentieth century, Gardner Denver had established a significant commercial presence across multiple heavy industries. Its equipment was deployed in oil refineries, petrochemical plants, paper mills, power generation facilities, steel foundries, and shipyards — workplaces where asbestos was heavily used as insulation, packing, and gasket material throughout the same era.

The company changed ownership and corporate structure several times across the decades. It was known for manufacturing durable, heavy-duty equipment designed for demanding industrial environments, and its products were frequently found alongside other asbestos-containing machinery and systems in plant settings where total asbestos exposure could be cumulative and complex.

Gardner Denver is reported to have moved away from asbestos-containing components in the early 1980s, broadly in line with tightening federal regulations and a growing industrial shift away from asbestos use following the EPA’s and OSHA’s escalating regulatory actions during that period.

Asbestos-Containing Products

According to asbestos litigation records, Gardner Denver manufactured or supplied industrial pumps and compressors that incorporated asbestos-containing internal components. Court filings document allegations that asbestos was used in gaskets, packing materials, valve assemblies, and other sealing components associated with the company’s equipment.

Pumps

Plaintiffs alleged that Gardner Denver industrial pumps — including centrifugal, rotary, and positive-displacement models used in chemical, petroleum, and general manufacturing settings — relied on asbestos-containing packing and gaskets to maintain seals under high-temperature and high-pressure operating conditions. These components were subject to routine wear and required periodic replacement, a maintenance process that court filings document as a potential source of asbestos fiber release.

Compressors and Blowers

According to asbestos litigation records, Gardner Denver air compressors and blowers used in mining, manufacturing, and industrial facilities were alleged to have incorporated asbestos-containing materials in their internal sealing systems and associated insulation. Plaintiffs alleged that maintenance and repair of these machines — including the removal and replacement of worn gaskets and packing — disturbed asbestos-containing components and released respirable fibers into the breathing zone of workers.

Replacement Parts and Packing Materials

Court filings document claims that asbestos-containing replacement parts, including braided packing rope and sheet gaskets, were used in the maintenance of Gardner Denver equipment as a matter of standard industrial practice during the relevant decades. Plaintiffs alleged that both original-equipment components and aftermarket asbestos packing materials were routinely used on Gardner Denver pumps and compressors throughout the 1940s through the early 1980s.

Occupational Exposure

Workers in several skilled trades and industrial occupations may have encountered asbestos-containing materials associated with Gardner Denver equipment. According to asbestos litigation records, the following occupational groups have been represented in claims involving Gardner Denver machinery:

Pump Mechanics and Millwrights — Workers who specialized in the installation, maintenance, and overhaul of industrial pumps were frequently required to remove and replace asbestos-containing packing and gaskets as part of routine service. Court filings document that this work — which involved scraping deteriorated packing from pump shafts and stuffing boxes, cutting replacement gaskets from sheet stock, and handling braided asbestos packing rope — could generate significant concentrations of airborne asbestos fiber.

Pipefitters and Plumbers — Plaintiffs alleged that pipefitters working in facilities that used Gardner Denver pumps regularly handled or worked in close proximity to the equipment during maintenance outages, potentially disturbing asbestos-containing pump internals and adjacent insulation.

Compressor Operators and Mechanics — Workers responsible for the operation and upkeep of Gardner Denver compressors in mining and industrial settings were alleged in court filings to have had repeated contact with asbestos-containing sealing materials over the course of their careers.

Oil Refinery and Chemical Plant Workers — Process operators, instrument technicians, and general maintenance workers employed at facilities using Gardner Denver equipment were represented in litigation alleging bystander-level exposure from ongoing pump and compressor maintenance activity performed by other trades in the same work areas.

Shipyard Workers — Gardner Denver pumps and fluid-handling equipment were used aboard naval and commercial vessels and in shipyard environments. Court filings document claims that shipyard workers encountered asbestos-containing Gardner Denver equipment during ship construction, overhaul, and repair.

Nature of Asbestos Exposure

The exposure risk associated with pump and compressor equipment is closely tied to the maintenance cycle. Industrial packing and gasket materials had finite service lives under demanding operating conditions, making replacement a regular and predictable job task. According to asbestos litigation records, workers who performed this work — or who worked nearby when it was performed — were at risk of inhaling asbestos fibers dislodged during disassembly, scraping, cutting, and fitting of replacement materials.

Asbestos fibers are microscopic and can remain airborne for extended periods in enclosed or poorly ventilated industrial environments. Repeated exposure over a working career, even at levels that workers of the era would not have recognized as hazardous, is now understood to carry significant risk of asbestos-related disease.

Litigation History

Gardner Denver has been named as a defendant in asbestos personal injury litigation. Plaintiffs alleged that the company manufactured equipment containing asbestos-containing components and that workers who used or serviced that equipment were exposed to asbestos fiber as a foreseeable result. Court filings document claims brought on behalf of workers diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, and other asbestos-related conditions.

No established asbestos bankruptcy trust exists for Gardner Denver. The company has not filed for asbestos-related bankruptcy reorganization, which means claims against Gardner Denver proceed through the civil court system rather than through a trust fund claims process.

Because Gardner Denver does not have an asbestos bankruptcy trust, individuals seeking compensation for asbestos-related disease attributed to exposure from Gardner Denver equipment must pursue claims through civil litigation. This is a different process than submitting a claim to an asbestos trust fund, which typically involves a standardized documentation and review process outside of court.

Civil litigation against active defendants can result in jury verdicts or negotiated settlements, but the process, timeline, and outcomes vary considerably depending on individual circumstances, the jurisdiction, and the specific facts of the case.

If you or a family member has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, or another asbestos-caused illness and worked with or around Gardner Denver industrial pumps or compressors, the following points are relevant to understanding your legal options:

  • No Gardner Denver asbestos trust fund exists. Claims cannot be submitted to a bankruptcy trust. Compensation, if available, must be sought through the civil court system.

  • Civil litigation remains an option. Attorneys experienced in asbestos personal injury law can evaluate whether a civil claim against Gardner Denver or other defendants is viable based on your documented work history and medical diagnosis.

  • Other trust funds may apply. In most industrial settings, workers were exposed to asbestos from multiple sources simultaneously — insulation, other manufacturers’ equipment, building materials, and packing products. Many of those other manufacturers have established bankruptcy trusts. An asbestos attorney can identify all applicable trusts and defendants based on a detailed occupational history.

  • Time limits apply. Statutes of limitations govern how long a person has to file an asbestos claim after a diagnosis. These windows vary and can be strict. Prompt legal consultation is advisable following any asbestos-related diagnosis.

  • Documentation matters. Records of employment history, job duties, union membership, Social Security work history, and co-worker affidavits can all help support a claim. Even incomplete records do not necessarily prevent a viable case from being pursued.

Workers and families researching Gardner Denver asbestos exposure are encouraged to consult with a qualified asbestos litigation attorney to obtain a case-specific assessment of available legal remedies.