Garlock Sealing Technologies: Asbestos Trust Fund and Lawsuits
Garlock Sealing Technologies, LLC is an asbestos company that produced asbestos products long after the company knew of the health risks of asbestos fibers. When Garlock became overwhelmed with its liabilities, it filed for bankruptcy. The Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization included the establishment of an asbestos trust fund to compensate victims diagnosed with asbestos-related illnesses.
- Content Reviewed by:
- Case A. Dam
- Page Last Updated:
- November 20, 2025
Navigate This Page
- Who Is Garlock Sealing Technologies, LLC?
- Asbestos Products Manufactured by Garlock Sealing Technologies
- Which Industries Used Garlock Products?
- Workers Exposed to Asbestos Through Garlock Sealing Technologies
- When Did Garlock Know About the Dangers of Asbestos?
- Lawsuits Against Garlock
- The Garlock Settlement Trust
- Can I File a Lawsuit Against Garlock Sealing Technologies?
- Why Should I Choose the Lanier Law Firm To Help With My Trust Fund Claim?
Olin J. Garlock developed a seal for piston engines in 1887 in Palmyra, New York, which was superior to existing seals at the time. This marked the beginning of Garlock Sealing Technologies. The company quickly grew into a nationwide industrial supplier of seals and gaskets. Unfortunately, they contained asbestos.
Who Is Garlock Sealing Technologies, LLC?
The company, now known as Garlock has undergone a series of mergers and changes in ownership throughout the years.
In 1987, Garlock acquired the Anchor Packing Company as a wholly-owned subsidiary. Anchor was a distributor of fluid-sealing products, including gaskets and packing. The company continued to operate until 1994. In 1996, Garlock transferred its ownership interest in Anchor to its legal defense company, Garrison.
Garlock Seal also acquired several other companies that sold similar products. These companies ultimately merged with Garlock Seal and included the following:
- Belmont Rubber & Packing
- Crandall Packing Company
- Dealers’ Steam Packing Company
- U.S. Gasket Company
Although all of these companies have manufactured, distributed, or sold asbestos products, Garlock has settled and paid most of the cases. Garlock, Anchor, and Garrison are collectively referred to as the Garlock debtors. Today, Garlock Seal is a wholly owned subsidiary of EnPro Industries.
Coltec Industries Inc.
Until 2016, Coltec Industries, Inc., whose parent company was Goodrich, was the parent company of Garlock. In 2002, Goodrich spun off EnPro Industries Inc. from its engineered industrial products division. Coltec was Penn-Texas Corporation until 1959, when it began a series of name changes, including Fairbanks Whitney Corporation and Colt Industries.
On July 12, 1999, Coltec merged with Runway Acquisition Corporation, a subsidiary of Goodrich Corporation, and became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Goodrich until the 2002 EnPro spinoff.
Coltec has owned multiple companies that have sold and distributed such asbestos products as the following:
- Gaskets for engines, destroyers, and landing ships for the U.S. Navy, power
plants, and locomotives - Pump products
- Gaskets for compressors
- Transformers
- Gas turbine products
- Power generators
Companies owned by Coltec include the following:
- Fairbanks Morse Engine
- Fairbanks Morse Pump/Fairbanks Morse Pump Corporation
- Quincy Compressor
- Central Moloney
- France Compressor
- Delavan
- Farnam
In 2016, Coltec restructured and merged with EnPro and became OldCo, LLC, a new wholly-owned indirect subsidy of EnPro, which wholly owns Garrison. Garlock is separately owned by EnPro.
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Asbestos Products Manufactured by Garlock Sealing Technologies
The flexibility and insulating qualities of asbestos make it useful for a variety of fluid-sealing products such as gaskets. Products sold by Garlock Sealing Technologies before 2001 and by Anchor before 1988 contained asbestos. These asbestos-containing products included the following:
- Gaskets, especially compressed asbestos sheet gaskets
- Compression packing in piping and valve assemblies
Which Industries Used Garlock Products?
Garlock’s products have long been used by nearly every major industry, according to Manufacturing Today. This means workers in the following sectors may have been exposed to asbestos through Garlock products:
- Chemical processing
- Construction applications
- Energy companies
- Food and beverage companies
- Maritime industries
- Mining
- Nuclear energy companies
- Oil and gas industry
- Pharmaceutical companies
- Pulp and paper manufacturers
Garlock’s gaskets and packing were used in applications where steam, hot liquids, or acid was moved through pipes, including compressors, engines, pumps, and transformers.
Workers Exposed to Asbestos Through Garlock Sealing Technologies
Workers potentially exposed to asbestos through the manufacture or use of Garlock asbestos-containing products include the following:
- Aviation and aerospace workers
- Electricians
- Factory workers
- Food manufacturing workers
- Locomotive workers
- Maintenance workers
- Mechanics and engineers
- Oil and gas workers
- Paper and pulp mills
- Pharmaceutical manufacturing workers
Power plant workers
When Did Garlock Know About the Dangers of Asbestos?
Asbestos companies have engaged in a longstanding pattern of concealing the dangers of asbestos from the public, and Garlock is no exception. The Commonwealth of Kentucky’s Court of Appeals found that Garlock knew about the dangers of asbestos as early as the 1940s but failed to warn consumers until 1977.
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Lawsuits Against Garlock
The first lawsuit against Garlock for asbestos exposure was filed in 1975. By 2010, the company faced approximately 900,000 lawsuits. Most of these lawsuits have settled rather than going to court, but Garlock has never admitted liability for any claims.
The Garlock Settlement Trust
The massive number of lawsuits against Garlock prompted it to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization on June 5, 2010. This would shield the company from further lawsuits while necessitating the establishment of an asbestos trust fund.
During these hearings, the official committee of unsecured creditors and the future claimants’ representative determined that Garlock’s liabilities were $1 billion to $1.3 billion. This was based on the company’s litigation history.
Garlock argued that the figures were unreasonably inflated by attorney’s fees and insisted that the court should instead rely on Garlock’s calculation method, which considered the contribution of other asbestos exposures. The court sided with Garlock and approved Garlock’s proposed amount of $125 million.
This was appealed, and ultimately, Garlock agreed to provide $480 million to establish the fund, according to Reuters. The bankruptcy was confirmed on July 12, 2017. The fund is jointly held by Garlock and OldCo and is currently accepting claims.
Claim Requirements
Before your claim is accepted, you must prove that you have a compensable disease, defined as any of the following:
- Malignant mesothelioma
- Lung cancer
- Colorectal cancer
- Laryngeal cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Pharyngeal cancer
- Stomach cancer
- Asbestosis
You must also present credible evidence showing you were exposed to asbestos fibers from the Coltec or Garlock family of products.
How Is Compensation Calculated?
The trust uses a formula to calculate the value of your claim and takes into account the following:
- Occupation
- Industry
- Your Individuals characteristics
- The nature of your disease
- Life status
- Age
- Dependents
- Economic loss
- Duration of exposure to asbestos through Coltec or Garlock
Will I Receive My Full Claim Value?
The trust pays a percentage of the maximum payment ratio based on the disease category, as follows:
- Category A: Mesothelioma claims – 85 percent
- Category B: Lung cancer claims – 10 percent
- Category C: All other asbestos-related cancers and asbestosis – 5 percent
What Is the Time Limit To File a Claim?
The filing deadline is equal to the statute of limitations for filing an asbestos lawsuit in the jurisdiction where your trust fund claim is filed.
Can I File a Lawsuit Against Garlock Sealing Technologies?
You cannot file a lawsuit against Garlock Sealing Technologies, Coltec Industries, or EnPro because the Chapter 11 bankruptcy code protects bankrupt companies from liability. However, many cases of asbestos exposure resulting in illness stem from multiple sources of exposure.
You may be entitled to file a civil lawsuit if any of your sources of exposure are solvent companies. You can also file separate trust fund claims against multiple bankrupt companies that exposed you to asbestos. The Lanier Law Firm can help you maximize your trust fund claims and identify other liable parties.
Why Should I Choose the Lanier Law Firm To Help With My Trust Fund Claim?
When you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related illness, you need serious representation from a law firm that specializes in mesothelioma and is willing to go to whatever lengths are necessary to recover compensation from all sources that contributed to your diagnosis.
The Lanier Law Firm has been holding asbestos companies accountable for more than 30 years, and we have won nearly $20 billion in verdicts and settlements for our clients. We have seen firsthand how devastating asbestos-related illnesses are, and our attorneys are passionate about getting justice.
In addition to filing your asbestos trust fund claim, we will ensure the Garlock Settlement Trust treats your claim with the seriousness it deserves so that you receive the maximum compensation for which you are eligible.
The Garlock Settlement Trust Fund works on a first-come, first-served basis, and you are also faced with filing deadlines based on where you live. If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, contact the Lanier Law Firm regarding the Garlock Settlement Trust as soon as possible.
Case A. Dam is dedicated to asbestos exposure, representing clients with mesothelioma, asbestosis, and related cancers. He has served veterans, automotive mechanics, and workers in various industries. Recognized in the 2024 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers, among others.
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