01. History of Asbestos Use
Armstrong World Industries History of Asbestos Use
Armstrong World Industries first opened its doors in 1860, founded by Thoms M. Armstrong and John D. Glass inPittsburgh, Pennsylvania。By the 1890s, Armstrong World Industries was the largest producer of cork in the world, and in 1891, the company was incorporated.
Armstrong and Glass then expanded the company to produce绝缘, flooring and ceiling materials. Around this time,asbestoswas also starting to grow in popularity, and was an easy and inexpensive additive to their newline of products。
阿姆斯特朗（Armstrong）于1908年去世并不能阻止该公司进一步增长。1907年，扩张和飙升的业务导致该公司在Lancaster, Pennsylvania。This factory was followed by further expansion into South Gate, CA; Kakakee, Il; and Jackson, MS.
Armstrong World Industries survived the Great Depression and contributed to the war effort during World War II by producing ammunition, wing tips for planes, cork insulation for submarines and camouflage. WWII occurred at the beginning of the asbestos boom and the fibers were used heavily in the war efforts by many different工业公司。
During this time, Armstrong World Industries continued to expand and acquired other companies, some of whom may also have used asbestos in their products.
在阿姆斯特朗世界工业产品中使用石棉的使用于1987年结束，该公司继续增长。他们已经收购了其他公司，并分为更专业的实体，包括其组织地板的离开。2016年，阿姆斯特朗地板公司（Armstrong Flooring，Inc。）与阿姆斯特朗世界工业公司（Armstrong World Industries）分开，现在是一家公开交易的公司。
Resources for Mesothelioma Patients
02. Asbestos Products
阿姆斯特朗世界工业石棉产品
阿姆斯特朗世界工业公司的第一个产品，软木瓶的软木塞，但是，由于将其扩展到隔热，地板和天花板产品。The company used asbestos fibers in their products from 1909 until April 1987.
阿姆斯特朗世界工业生产的含石棉的产品包括弹性地砖,衬里感觉and backing for片乙烯基和声学cement, among others. Asbestos was added to these building materials to improve resistance to chemicals, fire and heat.
| Product Name | Start Year | 结束年 |
|---|---|---|
| Armstrong 314 Acoustic Cement | 1945 | 1953 |
| Armstrong Armaspray | 1966 | 1968 |
| 阿姆斯特朗·accobest垫片材料 | 1963 | 1967 |
| Armstrong Accopac Asbestos Paper | 1930 | 1939 |
| Armstrong Armaspray 16 Spray-on Insulation | ||
| 阿姆斯特朗Armatemp水泥10号 | ||
| Armstrong Asphalt Tile | 1961 | 1972年 |
| 阿姆斯特朗CC海军密封剂 | 1931 | 1972年 |
| 阿姆斯特朗乳液 | ||
| 阿姆斯特朗Excelon瓷砖 | ||
| 阿姆斯特朗Excelon乙烯基石棉地板砖 | 1939 | 1957 |
| Armstrong Finishes | ||
| Armstrong FRJ | ||
| 阿姆斯特朗重型FRJ | 1954 | 1980年 |
| Armstrong Heavy-Duty FRJ Insulation Jacket | ||
| Armstrong Hydrocord Flooring Felt | 1939 | 1957 |
| Armstrong LT – Cork Covering | ||
| Armstrong LT – Minus Thirty Cork Covering | ||
| Armstrong LT – Thirty Cork Covering | ||
| 阿姆斯特朗LT - 零软木塞盖 | ||
| 阿姆斯特朗LT密封剂 | ||
| 阿姆斯特朗乳房 | ||
| Armstrong Nonpareil High Pressure Cement | ||
| Armstrong Nonpareil High Pressure Covering Block | ||
| Armstrong Ring Facing Material | ||
| Armstrong Rubber Tile | ||
| Armstrong S-89 Adhesive | 1939 | 1957 |
| 阿姆斯特朗S-90粘合剂 | 1939 | 1957 |
| Armstrong Sealers | ||
| 阿姆斯特朗板块垫片材料 | ||
| Armstrong Sprayed Limpet | ||
| Armstrong Vinyl Asbestos Tile | 1955 | 1956 |
| CC Navy Sealer | 1942 | 1962 |
| Hydrocord Flooring Felt | 1955 | 1963 |
| LT – Cork Covering | 1956 | 1959 |
| LT密封剂 | 1939 | 1957 |
| Nonpareil High Pressure Cement | 1909 | 1932 |
| Nonpareil高压覆盖块 | 1909 | 1932 |
| S-89（粘合剂） | 1965 | 1983 |
| S-90 (Adhesive) | 1934 | 1983 |
03. Occupational Exposure
Armstrong World Industries and Occupational Exposure
Armstrong World Industries may have begun as a small two-person company, but by 1890 the company employed more than 750 people. The number of employees continued to grow throughout the 1900s and beyond, as the company was one of the earliest adopters of fringe benefits like dental insurance and paid vacation. As of 2016, the company had more than 3,000 employees.
All the employees who worked under Armstrong World Industries between 1909 and April 1987 may have experiencedoccupational asbestos exposurefrom the plants in which they were working or from the products themselves.
04. Asbestos Litigation
Asbestos Litigation Against Armstrong World Industries
在1980年代中期，阿姆斯特朗世界工业开始被淹没personal injury lawsuitsand other claims resulting from their previous asbestos use. Initially, the company was paying the claims by insurance they had under the Wellington Agreement. This insurance was later replaced by the Center for Claims Resolution in 1988 until the mid-1990s.
Due to cases brought against them by employees,public school districts, property owners and others, Armstrong World Industries found themselves with almost $200 million in liability and defense costs by 1994. At that time, it was estimated that in the future they would also be liable for almost $250 million in additional legal payouts.
As a result of these expenses, Armstrong World Industries filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December of 2000. At the time of filing, they faced more than 175,000 personal-injury claims from defendants who claimed to have developedasbestos-related diseases由于公司的石棉使用。
在申请破产两年后，阿姆斯特朗世界工业公司（Armstrong World Industries）被认为是2002年美国前100名污染者之一。在他们的不幸之后，该公司开始努力重塑品牌，并进行了为期六年的计划，以重新配置该组织。
05. Asbestos Trust Fund
Armstrong World Industries Asbestos Trust Fund
In 2002, Armstrong World Industries announced their plans to create a billion-dollar trust in order to settle their asbestos-related lawsuits. The trust would be started with two-thirds of the company’s shares, which became available through bankruptcy.
The current payment percentage for successful claims is 19.7%.
Theasbestos trust fund通过使用阿姆斯特朗世界工业的股票，现金和其他证券，于2006年实现。该信托基金于2007年5月14日开始接受索赔，最初由20.6亿美元资助。在该信托运营的头两年内，他们收到了超过200,000项索赔。当前的基础价值支付百分比为19.7％。付款百分比从2020年10月9日的26％下降到19.7％。
Actual payment percentages may be higher according to various factors including, but not limited to, age, exposure, type and firm settlement history. The Armstrong World Industries’ trust continues to accept and pay out claims today.
