Western MacArthur
The Western MacArthur Company distributed and installed asbestos-containing insulation and pipe products. Growing asbestos litigation led the company to file for bankruptcy in 2002. The Western Asbestos Settlement Trust was established in 2004 to compensate eligible asbestos claimants.
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Western MacArthur History of Asbestos Use
Western MacArthur Company was established in 1967 after MacArthur Company took over the business of Western Asbestos Company. In the mid-1960s, the Western Asbestos Company experienced financial troubles and approached the MacArthur Company for financial assistance.
The companies initially explored a business arrangement before MacArthur Company took over Western Asbestos Company’s operations in 1967. Western Asbestos Company later dissolved in 1969. Western MacArthur Company continued distributing asbestos-containing construction materials.
- Distributed Johns-Manville asbestos products from 1930 to 1967
- Supplied products mainly to shipyards and shipbuilders
- Distributed Johns-Manville asbestos products from the early 1900s to 1967
- Manufactured asbestos products in the 1950s and 1960s
After its founding, the Western MacArthur Company acquired approximately $200,000 worth of Johns-Manville Corporation asbestos products from Western Asbestos Company. Western MacArthur Company then distributed these asbestos products, including insulation, pipes and cloth, throughout the country.
Records show Western MacArthur Company distributed products to various facilities, including high schools, hospitals, court buildings, chemical plants and recreational facilities. Western MacArthur and its predecessors also supplied asbestos products to shipbuilders and assisted in vessel repair.
Workers began filing asbestos exposure claims in the 1970s against Western MacArthur Company and Western Asbestos Company. MacArthur Company was also named in asbestos lawsuits involving companies distributing asbestos products.
Following regulatory changes, Western MacArthur Company ceased selling asbestos products by the late 1970s.
Western MacArthur Company later ceased operations. Its parent company, MacArthur Company, continues operating in the construction materials industry.
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Western Asbestos Settlement Trust Fund
Growing asbestos litigation led Western MacArthur Company and its affiliated companies to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in November 2002. The reorganization plan was confirmed in January 2004, and an asbestos trust fund was established in April 2004 to compensate current and future asbestos-related personal injury claims.
The Western Asbestos Settlement Trust handles eligible claims associated with Western MacArthur Company, Western Asbestos Company and MacArthur Company. The trust was initially funded with approximately $2.001 billion. It began accepting claims in August 2004 and continues to provide asbestos settlements to eligible individuals diagnosed with mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.
Most Recent Information From the Western Asbestos Settlement Trust
According to the trust’s year-end 2025 report, as of December 31, 2025:
- 416 Western Asbestos Settlement Trust claims were paid.
- The trust paid approximately $37.71 million in asbestos claims.
- The trust paid approximately $2.238 billion in asbestos claims since it was established.
- The trust has approximately $393.608 million in total assets.
Current Western Asbestos Settlement Trust Payment Percentage
The Western Asbestos Settlement Trust uses a Case Valuation Matrix to calculate claim values. The Matrix establishes base values for different asbestos-related diseases and allows adjustments based on factors specific to each claim.
The trust uses a payment percentage to help preserve funds for current and future claimants. The current payment percentage for the Western Asbestos Settlement Trust is 51.1%.
The trust applies this percentage to the final liquidated claim value to calculate the payout amount. Actual compensation for a mesothelioma claim may vary based on individual claim circumstances and applicable payment adjustments.
Western Asbestos Settlement Trust Claim Review Process
An experienced asbestos lawyer will evaluate the claimant’s case to determine the appropriate review option when filing a Western Asbestos Settlement Trust claim. The trust evaluates claims through Matrix Review or Individual Review (IR). Certain claims may qualify as Extraordinary Claims.
Claim values are determined by factors such as the claimant’s age, diagnosis, asbestos exposure history, economic losses and medical expenses.
- Matrix Review: Claims that meet the trust’s medical and exposure criteria are evaluated using the Case Valuation Matrix. The Matrix establishes base case values for different asbestos-related diseases and adjusts the value based on individual circumstances.
- Individual Review: Claims that do not meet the Matrix’s standard medical or exposure criteria may undergo Individual Review. The trust evaluates additional evidence to determine whether the claim qualifies for compensation. Approved claims are assigned an individual liquidated value, which may differ from the standard Matrix valuation.
- Extraordinary Claims: Claims may qualify as extraordinary if Western exposure accounts for more than 80% of the claimant’s total asbestos exposure or if the claimant has exceptionally large special damages, such as medical expenses, funeral expenses or lost wages. Qualifying claims may receive higher values than the standard Matrix limits.
The Western Asbestos Settlement Trust is currently accepting asbestos claims to compensate victims. If you or a loved one developed an asbestos-related disease after exposure associated with Western MacArthur Company and believe you are entitled to compensation, learn how a mesothelioma lawyer can help.
Western MacArthur Asbestos Products
Western MacArthur Company’s predecessors both distributed Johns-Manville asbestos products in various parts of the United States.
The companies supplied asbestos products to many industries, such as shipyards, construction facilities and industrial manufacturers. These products included asbestos cloth and insulation. Some of the company’s customers were other asbestos companies, such as Bechtel Corporation, Kaiser Aluminum and Owens Corning.
In the early 1900s, the MacArthur Company began distributing asbestos products around the Midwest from its headquarters in St. Paul, Minnesota. In addition to distribution, the MacArthur Company manufactured and sold asbestos insulation from the 1950s to the 1960s.
The Western Asbestos Company also distributed similar products, starting as early as 1930. This company served the West Coast, specifically working with shipyards in California.
Western MacArthur Company and its predecessors manufactured and distributed asbestos products including, but not limited to:
Did You Know?
Mesothelioma victims may be eligible for compensation from more than one asbestos trust fund.
Filing a claim with one trust does not impact your eligibility for compensation from another trust fund.
Western MacArthur and Occupational Exposure
Western MacArthur Company’s asbestos usage exposed many people to the mineral. Western MacArthur Company purchased asbestos products from other asbestos companies, such as Johns-Manville. These products were used in construction, industrial settings and shipbuilding.
Workers directly responsible for handling the asbestos products are most likely to have experienced occupational asbestos exposure. People who serviced insulation in boilers, ships or buildings may have come into contact with Western MacArthur Company’s products.
Asbestos insulation was among the most dangerous of the company’s products because it was used across a wide range of industries. Western MacArthur Company was also responsible for the asbestos insulation historically manufactured by its parent company, the MacArthur Company.
Those who did not work directly with Western MacArthur Company’s asbestos products may also have been exposed. For instance, shipyard workers reported the airborne asbestos dust from insulation was so thick during maintenance, other nearby workers may have inhaled the mineral.
Asbestos Litigation Against Western MacArthur
Western MacArthur Company faced asbestos lawsuits involving products distributed by the company and its predecessor, Western Asbestos Company. Workers who developed asbestos-related diseases filed claims seeking compensation for occupational asbestos exposure.
One example is the case of Jack Kaminski, who worked as a shipfitter’s helper in 1942. He worked at the Bethlehem Shipyard in San Francisco and the Moore Drydock Company in Alameda, California. Later that year, he enlisted in the Army Air Force.
In 1982, Kaminski was diagnosed with mesothelioma. He and his wife filed a lawsuit against multiple asbestos manufacturers and distributors, including the Western MacArthur Company. Kaminski alleged that his mesothelioma resulted from asbestos exposure while working in the shipbuilding industry.
At the Bethlehem Shipyard, Kaminski assisted with the installation of aluminum bars in destroyer ships. He was responsible for holding the bars while they were welded to the bulkhead.
Kaminski used asbestos blankets to protect himself from welding sparks. The cloth tore, releasing fibers into the air and onto his clothing and hair. He also worked in enclosed spaces where asbestos insulation work was performed.
According to court records, the Western Asbestos Company supplied nearly all the asbestos products used at the Bethlehem Shipyard. These products included cloth and pipe insulation manufactured by Johns-Manville.
In Kaminski v. Western MacArthur Co., the court found Western MacArthur Company liable as the corporate successor to Western Asbestos Company. Ultimately, the jury awarded the Kaminski family compensation for personal injuries and loss of consortium.
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Tara Strand specializes in writing content about mesothelioma and asbestos. She focuses on topics like mesothelioma awareness, research, treatment, asbestos trust funds and other advocacy efforts.
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Jennifer Lucarelli
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For more than two decades, Jennifer Lucarelli has served as Legal Advisor at Mesothelioma.com. She has advocated for more than 1,000 asbestos victims, securing millions in settlements and helping them access quality medical care.
