NARCO Asbestos Trust Fund, Exposure & Compensation

North American Refractories Company (NARCO) manufactured refractory products used to withstand high temperatures. The company incorporated asbestos in many of these products for heat resistance, durability, and insulation.

After facing hundreds of thousands of asbestos lawsuits, NARCO filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and established the North American Refractories Company Asbestos Personal Injury Settlement Trust to compensate asbestos victims.

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If you or a loved one developed mesothelioma or another asbestos disease after exposure to NARCO asbestos products, an asbestos attorney at Early, Lucarelli, Sweeney & Meisenkothen (ELSM) can help you file a NARCO asbestos trust claim.

NARCO Asbestos Personal Injury Settlement Trust At a Glance

• The North American Refractories Company Asbestos Personal Injury Settlement Trust was established in 2013 and has paid approximately $775.35 million to asbestos victims with funds remaining.
• To file a NARCO asbestos trust claim, the victim must be diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos disease and prove NARCO is responsible for the exposure.
• NARCO asbestos exposure may have occurred through work with refractory products at industrial sites.
• ELSM Law asbestos lawyers will review your case to determine your eligibility and file a NARCO asbestos claim on your behalf.

Understanding the NARCO Asbestos Personal Injury Settlement Trust Fund

In 2002, North American Refractories Company and certain affiliated entities filed a petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code. At the time, NARCO and Honeywell International Inc. were facing numerous asbestos lawsuits alleging personal injury and wrongful death from exposure to asbestos-containing products associated with NARCO. After several years of legal proceedings, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania confirmed a reorganization plan in November 2007, which was later affirmed by the District Court in July 2008.

The North American Refractories Company Asbestos Personal Injury Settlement Trust became effective on April 30, 2013, to handle and resolve all asbestos-related claims tied to NARCO. The asbestos trust fund began accepting claims on October 15, 2013. The Trust was initially funded with cash contributions from Honeywell, stock in ANH Refractories Company (later known as HarbisonWalker International), and Honeywell’s agreement to make future payments.

In 2022, Honeywell entered into a buyout agreement to pay approximately $1.325 billion to the NARCO Asbestos Trust to fully terminate its long-standing financial obligation to fund asbestos claims and operating costs tied to NARCO. Under the prior agreement, Honeywell was required to fund trust liabilities and expenses, amounting to about $21 million annually, pursuant to a legal channeling injunction that directed asbestos claims to the trust. The buyout eliminated future funding obligations, resolved ongoing litigation between Honeywell and the trust, and replaced a $695 million reserve with a one-time payment, while allowing Honeywell to retain certain rights, including insurance recoveries and economic interests. Honeywell finalized the agreement in January 2023, paying approximately $1.327 billion.

Approximately 41,834 NARCO asbestos claims have been paid since the inception of the Trust. The Delaware Claims Processing Facility, LLC continues to handle these NARCO asbestos claims today.

In 2025, the NARCO Asbestos Personal Injury Settlement Trust:

• Paid 2,584 asbestos claims, including 50 Pre-Established Claims and 2,534 Annual Contribution Claims.
• Paid approximately $76.18 million to asbestos victims through Pre-Established Claims and Annual Contribution Claims.
• Reported 207 NARCO asbestos claims valuing approximately $8.93 million as settled but unpaid.
• Reported approximately $1.332 billion in total assets.

NARCO Asbestos Trust Payment Percentage

The NARCO Asbestos Personal Injury Settlement Trust will compensate victims exposed to NARCO asbestos products based on a payment percentage system that is designed to preserve money for future claims. The current NARCO Asbestos Trust payment percentage is 100%. At a payment percentage of 100%, a NARCO mesothelioma claim filed under the Expedited Review process can be expected to receive the standard Scheduled Value payment of $75,000.

Determining Review Process for NARCO Asbestos Claims

When filing a NARCO Asbestos Personal Injury Settlement Trust asbestos claim, an experienced asbestos lawyer will review the victim’s personal records to determine the appropriate review process to maximize the claimant’s compensation.

Claim review options are:

• Expedited Review (ER): An ER claim is evaluated under the standard review process to ensure it meets all requirements outlined in the Trust Distribution Procedures to qualify for the standard value payment percentage.
• Individual Review (IR): An IR claim receives an in-depth evaluation of the claimant’s records to determine the individual liquidated value that may be greater or less than the Scheduled Value for the disease level. IR filing is required for certain lung cancer diagnoses, secondary exposure cases, or if trust criteria is not met.

An asbestos attorney at Early, Lucarelli, Sweeney & Meisenkothen will evaluate the claimant’s case and file a mesothelioma claim. The claim value may vary depending on factors including the claimant’s age, diagnosis, exposure history, economic loss, and the law firm’s prior settlement history.

North American Refractories Company’s Role in Asbestos Exposure

In 1929, The North American Refractories Company was founded in Cleveland, Ohio and became a major manufacturer of refractory materials in the United States. From the 1960s until the early 1980s, NARCO incorporated asbestos into certain refractory products that were commonly used in chemical, glass, cement, iron, steel, and non-ferrous metal manufacturing plants.

By the early 2000s, NARCO faced hundreds of thousands of asbestos lawsuits. These asbestos liabilities led to bankruptcy proceedings and the creation of an asbestos trust to compensate individuals harmed by asbestos exposure.

Key events in NARCO’s asbestos history include:

• Late-1970s: North American Refractories Co. began facing asbestos-related lawsuits.
• 1979: NARCO was acquired (through a predecessor entity) by Honeywell International Inc., which assumed responsibility for related asbestos liabilities. NARCO continued operating as a refractory business supplying steel and other heavy industries.
• Early-1980s: The company discontinued manufacturing asbestos-containing products.
• 1986: ANH Refractories Company (later known as HarbisonWalker International) acquired NARCO’s operating business from Honeywell as part of an industry consolidation, while Honeywell retained responsibility for most legacy asbestos liabilities.
• 1999: In North American Refractories Co. v. Easter, two power plant engineers alleged their mesothelioma and asbestosis diagnoses resulted from exposure to asbestos-containing NARCO products. The court upheld the multimillion-dollar verdict, holding NARCO liable for failing to warn about known asbestos hazards.
• 2002: NARCO filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to address hundreds of thousands of asbestos claims.
• 2007-2008: The bankruptcy court approved and later upheld NARCO’s reorganization plan, establishing a trust and a channeling injunction to handle present and future asbestos claims outside of the court system.
• 2013: The North American Refractories Company Asbestos Personal Injury Settlement Trust became effective and began accepting asbestos claims.
• 2022-2023: Honeywell paid approximately $1.3 billion to the NARCO Asbestos Trust to resolve its ongoing funding obligation and asbestos-related liabilities.

NARCO Asbestos Products

As a leading refractory product manufacturer, North American Refractories Company specialized in producing lightweight castables and refractory cement materials used in high-temperature industrial environments such as steel mills, aluminum plants, power stations, and glass manufacturing facilities. Many of these products incorporated asbestos fibers to improve heat resistance, durability, and performance under extreme operating conditions.

NARCO manufactured and sold the following asbestos products:

• Castable refractory: A cement-like material that was mixed and poured to form heat-resistant linings in furnaces, boilers, and other industrial equipment.
• Gun mix: A refractory mixture applied using a high-pressure nozzle to repair and rebuild worn linings without dismantling equipment.
• Patching refractory: A repair material applied with a trowel or by packing to fill, coat, and rebuild damaged refractory surfaces in industrial equipment.
• Refractory cement: A heat-resistant material applied to bond, coat, repair, or seal linings and components in high-temperature equipment such as furnaces and boilers.

The following NARCO products contained asbestos during certain periods of manufacture:

Who Was Most At-Risk for Asbestos Exposure?

Individuals who worked directly with NARCO refractory products were at risk of asbestos exposure. Additionally, family members who had contact with these workers may have been at risk of secondary asbestos exposure. Exposure to these asbestos-containing products can cause different types of mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases.

Occupational Exposure

NARCO employees who installed asbestos-containing refractory materials, as well as other tradesmen who worked with or around these materials in poorly ventilated industrial environments may have experienced exposure to asbestos.

Despite increasing evidence of health risks associated with asbestos exposure, tradesmen were not warned or provided proper protective equipment when handling NARCO asbestos products.

Occupations at greater risk of NARCO asbestos exposure include:

Secondary Asbestos Exposure

Tradesmen who worked directly with asbestos-containing refractory products, including those manufactured by NARCO, may have unknowingly put their family members at risk of secondary asbestos exposure when carrying asbestos fibers home on their clothing, shoes, and hair. This exposure occurred through direct contact with the occupationally exposure person (OEP) covered in asbestos particles or from laundering asbestos-contaminated clothing.

If you believe your mesothelioma diagnosis is related to secondary exposure, you may be eligible to file a NARCO asbestos trust claim.

Understanding Your Legal Right to Compensation

Filing a NARCO mesothelioma claim with the North American Refractories Company Asbestos Personal Injury Settlement Trust requires specific documentation that complies with the Trust Distribution Procedures and filing deadlines.

An asbestos lawyer at ELSM will:

• Review your medical records to assess your NARCO asbestos claim eligibility.
• Collect your employment history to identify NARCO asbestos exposure.
• Connect your exposure to known NARCO jobsites or obtain written testimony confirming asbestos product exposure associated with NARCO.
• File your NARCO Asbestos Personal Injury Settlement Trust claim correctly with the required documentation.
• Monitor NARCO asbestos claim status and contact the Trust administrators to ensure timely progress.

With decades of experience handling asbestos trust claims, ELSM Law will guide victims throughout the NARCO claim filing process and is dedicated to helping clients secure the compensation they deserve. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I file a NARCO claim through the NARCO Asbestos Personal Injury Settlement Trust?

An ELSM Law asbestos lawyer will review your case and then prepare and file your mesothelioma claim with the NARCO Asbestos Personal Injury Settlement Trust.

Can a family member file a NARCO Asbestos Trust claim?

Yes, family members are able to file mesothelioma claims after death for a loved one who had exposure to NARCO asbestos products. Family members who have experienced secondary asbestos exposure and were diagnosed with mesothelioma or lung cancer may qualify to file a NARCO asbestos claim.

How much compensation can I receive through the NARCO Asbestos Trust?

An ELSM Law asbestos lawyer will determine the appropriate review process to file your NARCO asbestos claim. A mesothelioma claim could receive a standard scheduled value payment of $75,000. As of 2025, the NARCO Asbestos Trust’s overall average value for a mesothelioma claim is approximately $127,604.

How long do I have to file a claim with the NARCO Asbestos Trust?

The deadline to file a NARCO asbestos claim is determined by applicable state laws and the Trust Distribution Procedures. Generally, claims must be filed within one to three years of diagnosis or death. An ELSM Law asbestos attorney will review your case and determine the correct filing deadline to ensure your NARCO claim is submitted within the applicable statute of limitations.