SPX Cooling Technologies & History of Asbestos Usage

Founded in 1911 as the Piston Ring Company, the business initially focused on producing automobile piston rings. Over time, acquisitions and product diversification led to a name change in 1931, becoming Sealed Power Corporation. 

In 1988, as the company expanded globally, it rebranded to SPX Corporation and later evolved into SPX Technologies, the parent company of SPX Cooling Technologies.

SPX may be known by several other brand names, including:

• Marley Cooling Technologies
• Marley
• SPX Technologies/SPX Corporation
• SGS
• Recold
• Balcke
• Ceramic

For decades, SPX Cooling Technologies and its subsidiaries have been leading manufacturers of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment.

Like many HVAC manufacturers of its time, the company historically used asbestos in its products for its heat-resistant properties. Unfortunately, asbestos exposure can lead to serious diseases such as mesothelioma.

Fill out the form below to see if you may be eligible for financial compensation from SPX Cooling Technologies.

Dangers of Asbestos-Related Diseases

Asbestos refers to a group of six minerals with similar qualities and structures. These minerals naturally separate into thin, durable strands, which made them ideal for manufacturing products that required fire, chemical, and heat resistance.

Although asbestos was once widely used across various industries, it is now recognized as a dangerous carcinogen. When asbestos is mined, handled, or damaged, particles can become airborne.

If inhaled or swallowed, these particles can lodge in body tissues, causing irritation, inflammation, scarring, and DNA changes that may lead to serious illness.

Asbestos-related diseases include:

• Mesothelioma
• Lung cancer
• Asbestosis 
• Other cancer
• Pleural effusions
• Pleural plaques
• Pleural thickening

SPX Cooling Technologies & Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that affects the mesothelium, the thin lining surrounding various organs. The most common types of mesothelioma occur in the lungs or abdomen, although rarer types can also occur in the heart or testes.

The only known cause of mesothelioma is asbestos exposure. Companies like SPX continued using asbestos as an insulator long after they knew it was unsafe, putting profits over employee and consumer safety and exposing thousands to increased risk of mesothelioma.

Financial Compensation From SPX Cooling Technologies 

SPX Cooling Technologies has never gone bankrupt and does not operate an asbestos trust fund.

Victims who have been injured by asbestos exposure stemming from SPX products may be eligible to seek compensation through one of two main types of lawsuits:

• Personal injury lawsuits: Personal injury lawsuits allow living victims of asbestos exposure to seek compensation for their losses.
• Wrongful death lawsuits:Wrongful death suits allow the family members of deceased asbestos exposure victims to recover damages for the loss of their loved one

Many victims worked in industries where they were exposed to a wide variety of asbestos-contaminated products.

Your lawyer can help you determine if additional companies may also bear some responsibility for your asbestos exposure. Holding all relevant companies responsible not only prevents future wrongdoing but also helps to maximize your potential compensation.

Victims may also be eligible for other forms of compensation like benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) or workers’ compensation.

SPX is a major global conglomerate that generates billions in revenues every year. It has the budget and legal support to fight claims in court, frequently seeking summary judgments to dismiss cases and appealing verdicts that are not in its favor. 

Working with an experienced mesothelioma attorney can help you counter these tactics and give your case the best possible chance of success.

Asbestos Lawsuits Against SPX Cooling Technologies

Carl E. Gay

The family of Carl Gay filed a wrongful death lawsuit against SPX Cooling Technologies after he passed away from mesothelioma.

Mr. Gay served in the United States Navy from 1946 to 1958, where he was exposed to SPX Cooling Technologies’ products during his service. The case was dismissed after SPX sought a summary judgment.

Ronald Viale

The family of Ronald Viale filed a wrongful death lawsuit against SPX Cooling Technologies after his death from mesothelioma in 2018. Mr. Viale was exposed to asbestos-containing cooling towers manufactured by one of the company’s subsidiaries. SPX sought a summary judgment, and the lawsuit was dismissed.

John Sam Ricks

Mr. Ricks and his wife filed a personal injury lawsuit against SPX and seven other asbestos product manufacturers seeking damages for his mesothelioma.

Their causes of action include negligence, breach of implied warranty, willful and wanton conduct, false representation/fraud, failure to warn, and loss of consortium.

Daniel Ochoa

Mr. Ochoa worked as a pipefitter and HVAC technician. During the course of his labor, he was exposed to asbestos-containing cooling towers manufactured by SPX Cooling Technologies. Following his death from mesothelioma, Mr. Ochoa’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit. 

SPX sought a summary judgment, and the lawsuit was dismissed. The family is seeking an appeal.

Robert McGhee

Mr. McGee filed suit against SPX and several other companies, seeking compensation for mesothelioma-related damages. SPX once again sought to dismiss the case through a summary judgment.

They failed, and the case has been allowed to proceed.

Asbestos Products Made By SPX Cooling Technologies

SPX Cooling Technologies is known for several product and equipment lines that service the HVAC, process cooling, industrial, and refrigeration markets.

These product lines include:

• Marley Crossflow Cooling Towers (e.g., NC Everest Cooling Tower)
• Recold Fluid Coolers and Evaporative Condensers
• Marley Components
• Marley ClearSky Plume Abatement System 
• Marley Counterflow Cooling Towers (e.g., MD Everest Cooling Tower)
• Marley Field-Erected Cooling Towers

SPX used asbestos as an insulator in many of its products during the 20th century. Other products manufactured by the company’s previous incarnations — like the Piston Ring Company and Sealed Power Corporation — may also include asbestos.

Asbestos products manufactured by SPX predecessors include:

• Cylinder sleeves
• Engine parts
• Piston rings

Occupations at Risk From SPX Products

The high heat resistance, strength, and durability of asbestos made it an ideal material for construction projects, especially in HVAC systems. Historically, HVAC technicians were at risk of asbestos exposure due to these construction practices, and even today, workers may still face danger. 

If an HVAC technician works in a building constructed before 1980, asbestos fibers may have settled in the environment. Performing repairs or installing new equipment in such buildings can disturb these fibers and expose the technician to asbestos.

Other at-risk occupations include:

• Carpenters
• Construction workers
• Demolition workers
• Electricians
• Engineers
• Factory workers
• Insulators
• Maintenance

HVAC Technicians

HVAC technicians and related occupations are considered medium-risk for asbestos exposure. They have historically worked with and around a wide variety of asbestos products, such as asbestos insulation, creating frequent opportunities for close exposure.

Even today, the risk level for HVAC technicians depends on the projects they work on.

Factors that influence potential dangers include:

• The age of the worksite
• The location of the site
• The type of building

A 2017 article studied asbestosis deaths from 1970 to 2014 in the United States. The data showed that HVAC technicians were over four times more likely to die of asbestosis than the general population. Asbestosis is a progressive respiratory disease caused by exposure to asbestos.

Dangers of Secondhand Exposure

Secondhand asbestos exposure poses a considerable risk to the families and loved ones of asbestos workers. Many workers would bring asbestos particles home on their clothes and body, not knowing how dangerous it was.

Asbestos particles easily become airborne, where they can be inhaled or swallowed. When contaminated garments were handled during ordinary household chores like laundry, the family members involved were put at risk. 

Get Help Today 

Companies like SPX Cooling Technologies rely on their massive annual revenue and expert legal teams to protect them from responsibility to the people they have injured. These companies knew about the dangers of asbestos and continued to use it as a convenient, cheap solution to industrial problems.

If you or someone you love has been injured by exposure to SPX asbestos products, you don’t have to fight alone. The asbestos attorneys at Meirowitz & Wasserberg have decades of combined experience fighting against major corporations to get justice and compensation for their clients.

Our team can provide free resources to help you understand all of your compensation options.

Reach out today for a free consultation.