Metalclad Insulation Corporation

Founded in 1933, Metalclad Insulation Company was later reorganized in 1967. The company then expanded and acquired several insulation companies. In the mid-1980s, all operations maintained by the company were consolidated to its California office. Unfortunately, several of the products manufactured by Metalclad are known to have contained asbestos.

In addition to making and installing insulation, Metalclad also manufactured fireproofing materials. These products were then used by workers engaged in various industries including public utilities and plumbing. The company also supplied the military with products containing asbestos.

Besides its use of asbestos, Metalclad was also involved in the removal of hazardous waste. Metalclad products were distributed throughout several industries including insulation companies and to the United States Navy. In the 1960s, the company’s products were utilized by Long Beach Naval Shipyard as well as other vessels. As a result, not just manufacturers, but also those in the Navy were exposed to asbestos-containing Metalclad products.

In 1972, Metalclad stopped manufacturing products that contained asbestos. At the time, Metalclad sold off any remaining asbestos-containing products that it had.

After discontinuing its usage of asbestos, Metalclad expanded into offering things like waste removal management and asbestos removal services. Metalclad's waste management operations began when the company purchased a landfill in Mexico in 1993.

MetalClad produced and manufactured asbestos cloth, insulation cement, pipe insulation, and various other products that contained asbestos. Even if a worker did not directly handle these products, they still might have been exposed to asbestos because the threads of the material are known to travel.

Because it subjected many of its workers to asbestos exposure, Metalclad was subject to various asbestos lawsuits. One of the lawsuits that received the most attention was initiated in 2005 by a US Navy Veteran who had been a machinist in the 1960s and was later diagnosed with mesothelioma due to exposure to MetalClad products. The jury, in this case, awarded the worker and his wife almost $6 million in damages. 

Metalclad has been involved in many lawsuits involving asbestos exposure over the last few decades.

One of these cases involved a California court and a Goodyear Tire worker who developed mesothelioma following exposure to asbestos-containing products manufactured by Metalclad. While the case was first decided for Metalclad, it was later determined the company had insulation in the plant and that repair work on the insulation led to the worker being exposed to asbestos.

Another case in which Metalclad was involved concerned a man who had worked on Navy submarines and later developed mesothelioma. The court in this case, however, ruled for Metalclad.

An additional case involved a man who developed asbestosis after time working at a California shipyard. This worker’s lawsuit was successful, but Metalclad obtained immunity in the case because it had functioned as a government contractor in this situation.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma or an associated condition to working around or using Metalclad products, you should not hesitate to speak with an experienced attorney. Contact the Throneberry Law Group today for assistance.