International Harvester Company — Corporate Overview

International Harvester Company (IHC, “IH”, “International”) was a U.S. diversified equipment manufacturer formed in 1902 by the merger of the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company and the Deering Harvester Company (with a J.P. Morgan-brokered combination that also absorbed Plano, Warder Bushnell & Glessner, and Milwaukee Harvester). Headquartered in Chicago IL for its full operating life, IHC was through the asbestos era one of the largest industrial employers in the United States, operating major manufacturing complexes in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Pennsylvania, and Ontario.

IHC’s four principal divisions through the asbestos era were the Farm Equipment Division (Farmall M / H / Cub / 400 / 560 / 806 / 1206 tractors, McCormick-Deering implements, cotton pickers, combines — assembled at Rock Island IL Farmall Works, Chicago IL McCormick Works, East Moline IL, Louisville KY, and Memphis TN); the Motor Truck Division (Loadstar, Fleetstar, Transtar, Cargostar, Paystar, S-series conventional trucks — assembled at Fort Wayne IN, Springfield OH, Chatham ON, and Wagoner OK, plus Indianapolis IN diesel engines); the Industrial and Construction Equipment Division (TD-15 / TD-20 / TD-25 crawler tractors, payhaulers, payloaders, wheel loaders — assembled at Melrose Park IL and Libertyville IL); and the Solar Turbines and Cub Cadet peripheral units. In 1985 IHC sold the farm-equipment division to Tenneco (Case IH) and reorganized the truck and engine business as Navistar International Corporation, which continues today as Navistar / Traton.

Documented ACM Footprint

Plaintiffs alleged in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation that International Harvester — and its Navistar successor — exposed the workforce to asbestos through the following documented pathways:

  • Assembly plant asbestos pipe covering: allegedly asbestos pipe covering on Rock Island IL Farmall Works, Chicago IL McCormick Works, Louisville KY Louisville Works, Fort Wayne IN Truck Works, Springfield OH Truck Works, Indianapolis IN Diesel Engine Works, Melrose Park IL, and Memphis TN plant steam mains, process-hot-water lines, and paint-booth oven feeds
  • Heat-treat and stamping furnace lagging: allegedly asbestos-block lagging on heat-treat, forging, and stamping furnaces used in tractor and truck component manufacture
  • Body-shop welding cabinet arc chutes: allegedly asbestos-fabric arc chute plates in body-shop welding cabinet switchgear and paint-line control cabinets
  • Foundry ladle mud and mold coating: allegedly asbestos foundry ladle mud, mold coating, and refractory materials at IHC gray-iron and steel foundries in Louisville KY, Waukesha WI (Solar), and Indianapolis IN
  • Powerhouse boiler lagging: allegedly asbestos-block powerhouse boiler lagging on IHC plant steam plants at Rock Island IL, Chicago IL, Fort Wayne IN, Louisville KY, and Springfield OH
  • Structural fireproofing: allegedly asbestos sprayed fireproofing on multi-story assembly halls at Rock Island IL Farmall Works, Chicago IL McCormick Works, and Fort Wayne IN Truck Works
  • Brake and clutch assembly rooms: allegedly asbestos brake and clutch dust from IHC-installed Farmall tractor brake linings, TD-crawler brake bands, and truck-brake friction on Loadstar / Transtar / Paystar chassis

Workers Allegedly Exposed

Plaintiffs allegedly worked at International Harvester and Navistar plants — Rock Island IL Farmall Works, Chicago IL McCormick Works, East Moline IL, Fort Wayne IN Truck Works, Springfield OH Truck Works, Indianapolis IN Diesel Engine Works, Louisville KY Louisville Works, Memphis TN Memphis Works, Melrose Park IL, Libertyville IL, and other IHC-legacy sites — in trades including:

  • Tractor and truck assemblers, welders, and body-shop workers
  • Insulators (HFIAW) applying and removing asbestos pipe covering and block on plant steam and heat-treat systems
  • Pipefitters (UA) breaking asbestos-gasketed flanges on assembly-plant process piping
  • Boilermakers servicing asbestos-refractory-lined powerhouse boilers
  • Foundry workers, molders, coremakers, and pattern makers exposed to asbestos foundry ladle mud and mold coating
  • Electricians (IBEW) working on asbestos arc chutes in plant switchgear and body-shop welding cabinets
  • Millwrights rebuilding stamping presses, forge hammers, and assembly-line conveyors with asbestos-lagged drive components
  • Brake and clutch shop mechanics servicing Farmall tractor and IH truck friction linings

If You Worked at International Harvester or Navistar

If you or a family member worked at an International Harvester or Navistar tractor, truck, engine, or foundry plant — Rock Island IL Farmall Works, Chicago IL McCormick Works, Fort Wayne IN, Springfield OH, Indianapolis IN, Louisville KY, Memphis TN, or any other IHC-legacy facility — during the asbestos era and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, or another asbestos-related disease, you may have a legal claim.

Free, confidential case evaluation: Speak with O’Brien Law Firm — (314) 936-2956

Plants by State

International Harvester operated tractor, truck, engine, and foundry plants across multiple U.S. states. Detailed premises information is available on the following state jobsite pages: