A.O. Smith Corporation — Asbestos Product Reference

Manufacturer: A.O. Smith Corporation Headquarters: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Founded: 1874 Asbestos Use Period: Approximately 1940s through 1985 Product Categories: Industrial boilers, water heaters, fiberglass-reinforced piping systems

Company History

A.O. Smith Corporation was founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1874 by Charles Jeremiah Smith as a small machine shop. Over the following century, the company grew into one of the most diversified industrial manufacturers in the United States, expanding from bicycle and automobile frame production in its early decades into large-scale industrial equipment and consumer goods by the mid-twentieth century.

By the post-World War II era, A.O. Smith had established itself as a significant manufacturer in the water heating and industrial boiler markets. The company’s glass-lined water heater technology became a widely recognized commercial and residential product line, while its industrial divisions supplied boilers, storage tanks, and fiberglass-reinforced piping systems to refineries, chemical plants, power generation facilities, shipyards, and large commercial construction projects across the country.

A.O. Smith’s industrial products were installed throughout American workplaces during the decades when asbestos use was widespread in manufacturing and construction. According to asbestos litigation records, the company’s equipment incorporated asbestos-containing components — including insulation materials and gaskets — as part of standard manufacturing practices during this period. The company reportedly ceased incorporating asbestos-containing materials into its products by approximately 1985, consistent with broader industry shifts following increased regulatory scrutiny and federal guidelines from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Today, A.O. Smith Corporation continues to operate as a publicly traded company, primarily focused on water heating and water treatment products. Its current business operations are entirely separate from the legacy asbestos litigation that has involved the company’s historical product lines.

Asbestos-Containing Products

According to asbestos litigation records, several A.O. Smith product lines manufactured and distributed between the 1940s and 1985 allegedly incorporated asbestos-containing materials either as primary components or as ancillary parts necessary for installation and operation.

Glass-Lined Water Heaters A.O. Smith’s glass-lined water heaters were among the company’s most commercially distributed products. Plaintiffs alleged that insulation materials applied to the exterior of glass-lined tank assemblies contained asbestos, and that gaskets used in connection fittings, pressure relief valves, and pipe flanges were manufactured with asbestos-containing compositions. Court filings document allegations that these components were present in both residential and commercial water heater units sold under the A.O. Smith brand through much of the company’s historical manufacturing period.

Industrial Boilers A.O. Smith manufactured industrial boilers intended for heavy commercial and industrial applications, including use in power plants, refineries, and large manufacturing facilities. According to asbestos litigation records, insulation applied to boiler shells, headers, and associated piping — as well as rope gaskets, blanket insulation, and packing materials used in boiler installations — allegedly contained asbestos. Plaintiffs alleged that both factory-applied insulation and replacement insulation products specified or supplied in connection with A.O. Smith boilers contributed to occupational asbestos exposure during installation, maintenance, and repair operations.

Fiberglass-Reinforced Piping Systems A.O. Smith produced fiberglass-reinforced piping systems used in chemical processing, oil and gas, and industrial fluid transport applications. Court filings document allegations that gaskets, joint compounds, and fitting materials associated with these piping systems contained asbestos through approximately 1985. Plaintiffs alleged that workers cutting, threading, and fitting these systems — as well as workers repairing or replacing associated gasket and packing materials — faced potential exposure to asbestos-containing dust generated during ordinary work activities.

It is important to note that asbestos-containing components in many of these product categories were sometimes supplied by third-party parts manufacturers rather than fabricated entirely by A.O. Smith. Litigation records reflect disputes over the extent to which the company bore responsibility for asbestos content in components sourced from outside suppliers, a factual and legal question that has been addressed on a case-by-case basis in individual litigation proceedings.

Occupational Exposure

Workers across numerous skilled trades and industries have been identified in asbestos litigation records as potentially exposed to asbestos-containing materials associated with A.O. Smith products. The nature and degree of alleged exposure varied based on job function, workplace environment, and the specific product involved.

Pipefitters and Plumbers who installed or maintained A.O. Smith water heaters and fiberglass piping systems may have encountered asbestos-containing gaskets, packing materials, and joint compounds during routine connection and repair work. Court filings document allegations that cutting, shaping, or disturbing these gasket materials could release respirable asbestos fibers into the breathing zone of workers performing such tasks.

Boilermakers and Stationary Engineers who worked on or around A.O. Smith industrial boilers were among the occupational groups most frequently identified in litigation. According to asbestos litigation records, these workers allegedly came into contact with asbestos insulation during boiler installation, annual maintenance shutdowns, and emergency repair operations — activities that often required removing and replacing insulation materials from boiler shells and associated steam piping.

Industrial Maintenance Workers employed at refineries, chemical plants, paper mills, food processing facilities, and power generation stations where A.O. Smith boilers and piping systems were installed may have encountered asbestos-containing materials during the course of ordinary maintenance operations — not only when working directly on A.O. Smith equipment, but also when working in proximity to other trades performing insulation removal or replacement.

Sheet Metal Workers and Insulators who applied or removed insulation from A.O. Smith boiler systems and associated equipment are documented in court filings as having alleged significant asbestos exposure, particularly given that insulation work frequently involved dry cutting, tearing, or abrading of asbestos-containing blanket and block insulation materials.

Commercial and Residential Plumbers who installed or serviced A.O. Smith glass-lined water heaters in apartment buildings, hotels, hospitals, and commercial facilities may have encountered asbestos-containing gasket and insulation materials, particularly during the replacement of fittings or pressure relief components.

Asbestos-related diseases — including mesothelioma, asbestosis, asbestos-related lung cancer, and pleural disease — typically carry latency periods of 20 to 50 years between initial exposure and clinical diagnosis. Workers exposed to A.O. Smith products during the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s may only now be receiving diagnoses of asbestos-related illness.

A.O. Smith Corporation has not established a dedicated asbestos bankruptcy trust fund. Unlike manufacturers that entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization specifically to address asbestos liabilities — and in doing so created structured trusts to compensate claimants — A.O. Smith has remained a solvent, operating company and has addressed asbestos-related claims through the civil tort system.

According to asbestos litigation records, A.O. Smith has been named as a defendant in asbestos personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits filed in state and federal courts across the United States. Plaintiffs in these cases have alleged that exposure to asbestos-containing materials in connection with A.O. Smith products contributed to their development of mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other asbestos-related diseases. These cases have proceeded through standard civil litigation channels, with outcomes varying by jurisdiction, individual claim characteristics, and evidentiary record.

Because no A.O. Smith asbestos trust fund exists, individuals seeking to pursue claims related to A.O. Smith product exposure must do so through traditional civil litigation against the company rather than through a trust fund claims process.

It is also worth noting that in many asbestos cases involving A.O. Smith equipment, additional defendants — including manufacturers of asbestos-containing insulation products, gasket manufacturers, and contractors — have also been named. An experienced asbestos attorney can evaluate all potential sources of recovery, including both active company defendants and established trust funds associated with other manufacturers whose products may have been used alongside or in connection with A.O. Smith equipment.

Individuals diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, or other asbestos-related diseases who have a documented work history involving A.O. Smith boilers, water heaters, or fiberglass piping systems may have the right to pursue legal claims.

Because A.O. Smith has no bankruptcy trust fund, claims against the company proceed through civil litigation. Workers and surviving family members should document their exposure history as specifically as possible — including job sites, employers, dates of work, and the specific A.O. Smith products or equipment they worked with or around.

Many asbestos cases involve multiple manufacturers and multiple sources of exposure. In addition to any claim against A.O. Smith, an attorney specializing in asbestos litigation can identify whether asbestos trust funds established by other manufacturers — including insulation companies, gasket manufacturers, and equipment suppliers — may also provide compensation based on the same work history.

Statutes of limitations apply to asbestos claims and vary by state. Individuals and families should consult with a qualified asbestos attorney promptly following diagnosis to preserve all available legal options.