Company History

Jered Industries was an American marine-engineering and heavy-machinery firm historically based in Michigan, with operations associated with Brighton, Michigan. Founded in 1946, Jered began as a general engineering and design organization and increasingly concentrated on marine work, particularly for the U.S. Navy. In 1964 the company acquired the marine deck-machinery lines of the American Engineering Company and the C.H. Wheeler Company, longstanding builders of steering gear, deck cranes, and deck machinery for the Navy, deepening Jered’s role as a supplier of shipboard deck equipment. The Jered marine business has continued under later corporate ownership and remains active in naval deck machinery.

During the mid-twentieth century, when much of this equipment was designed and built, asbestos was a standard material in mechanical-sealing, friction, and thermal-insulation applications throughout marine machinery. Manufacturers of deck machinery and steering gear routinely incorporated asbestos-containing gaskets, packing, and friction components that were considered safe and industry-standard at the time.

According to U.S. Navy machinery records, Jered anchor windlasses and steering gear were documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels including the aircraft carriers USS Nimitz (CVN-68) and USS Forrestal (CVA-59) as documented naval original-equipment-manufacturer (OEM) machinery.

Asbestos-Containing Products

Jered did not manufacture asbestos as a raw material. However, according to asbestos litigation records, deck machinery, windlasses, and steering gear of this era were commonly built and serviced with asbestos-containing components — including gaskets, packing, and, in braking and clutching mechanisms, friction materials — that were considered industry-standard at the time.

Gaskets and packing sealed the housings, hydraulic power units, and fittings associated with windlasses and steering gear. Plaintiffs have alleged that compressed asbestos fiber gaskets and asbestos packing were used in equipment of this vintage and that replacement materials specified for such machinery were similarly composed of asbestos-containing materials.

Friction components such as brake bands and clutch facings were used in windlasses and other deck machinery to control the hoisting and paying-out of ground tackle. Plaintiffs have alleged that friction materials of this period contained asbestos, which was valued for its heat resistance under the mechanical loads generated during braking.

According to court filings, the hazard associated with these components was not limited to initial installation. Because gaskets, packing, and friction materials wear and degrade in service, they required periodic replacement, and cutting, grinding, scraping, or blowing out worn asbestos-containing material allegedly generated airborne fibers. Individuals seeking to confirm whether specific Jered equipment is associated with asbestos-containing components are encouraged to consult asbestos litigation records, period product documentation, or an attorney with access to product-identification databases.

Occupational Exposure

According to asbestos litigation records, exposure to asbestos-containing components associated with deck machinery of this type occurred across a range of naval and shipyard occupations. The following worker categories appear with regularity in asbestos claims involving marine machinery:

Boatswain’s Mates and Deck Personnel — Navy personnel who operated and maintained anchor windlasses and deck machinery aboard ship allegedly worked around asbestos-containing gaskets, packing, and friction components during routine maintenance.

Machinist’s Mates and Shipboard Engineers — Personnel responsible for the hydraulic and mechanical systems driving steering gear and windlasses allegedly worked in direct contact with sealing and friction materials during overhaul.

Shipyard Workers — Personnel who installed, overhauled, or repaired deck machinery and steering gear during construction, refit, or drydock periods may have encountered asbestos-containing components associated with this machinery.

Machinists and Mechanics — Workers who rebuilt windlasses and steering-gear assemblies disassembled housings, replaced packing and gaskets, and serviced brake and clutch components, tasks that plaintiffs allege could disturb asbestos-containing materials.

Bystander and Secondary Exposure — Asbestos litigation records also reflect claims by workers who did not perform the maintenance themselves but worked in proximity to those who did, as well as family members who may have experienced take-home exposure from fibers carried on work clothing.

The latency period for asbestos-related diseases — including mesothelioma, asbestosis, and asbestos-related lung cancer — is typically 20 to 50 years following initial exposure, so workers exposed during the peak decades of asbestos use may only recently be receiving diagnoses.

Trust Fund / Legal Status

Jered Industries is classified as a Tier 2 manufacturer for purposes of this reference site. This designation means the company and its corporate successors have been associated with asbestos-related personal injury litigation, but no dedicated Jered asbestos bankruptcy trust fund has been established. Accordingly, claims involving this equipment are not resolved through a trust fund claims process in the same manner as claims against companies that reorganized under Chapter 11 specifically due to asbestos liability.

Because Jered acquired earlier marine-machinery lines and has operated under changing corporate ownership over its history, individuals pursuing legal claims may need to account for corporate succession when identifying appropriate defendants. An experienced asbestos attorney can assist in tracing these corporate histories.

For individuals who worked with Jered deck machinery and were also exposed to asbestos-containing products from other manufacturers — a common circumstance in shipboard environments — separate trust fund claims may be available through those manufacturers’ established asbestos trusts.

If you or a family member worked with or around Jered anchor windlasses, steering gear, or deck machinery and has since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer, legal options may be available.

Key points to understand:

  • Jered Industries has been associated with asbestos litigation but does not operate a dedicated asbestos bankruptcy trust fund. Claims would be pursued through direct civil litigation rather than a trust claims process.
  • Corporate succession involving Jered’s acquired machinery lines and later ownership may be relevant to identifying proper defendants.
  • Workers exposed to multiple asbestos-containing products — as was common aboard Navy ships — may be eligible to file claims against multiple responsible parties, including manufacturers with established trust funds.
  • The long latency period for asbestos-related disease means that exposure from decades ago can give rise to claims today.
  • An attorney specializing in asbestos litigation can review your work history, identify relevant products and manufacturers, and advise on available legal remedies.

Documentation of your work history — including employers, job sites, job titles, ship assignments, and any product names or model numbers you can recall — is valuable when consulting with an attorney and should be preserved.