John Crane

John Crane Inc. is a manufacturer of industrial sealing products, including mechanical seals, gaskets, and packing materials, historically used in pumps, valves, and rotating equipment across maritime, refining, power generation, and chemical processing industries. From roughly the 1950s through the mid-1980s, many of its packing and gasket products contained asbestos fibers, and the company has been a frequent and prominent defendant in asbestos personal injury and mesothelioma litigation in the United States.

Origin

The company traces its roots to a packing and gasket business founded by John Crane in Chicago in 1917. It later became part of the British industrial group Smiths Group plc, and the asbestos-containing era of its product line coincided with the mid-20th century industrial expansion in fluid sealing technology.

Significance in Asbestos Context

For patients with mesothelioma or other asbestos diseases, John Crane is significant because its asbestos-containing packing (often braided rope packing used to seal pump shafts) and sheet gaskets were widely installed and replaced in industrial settings, shipyards, Navy vessels, refineries, and powerhouses. Workers such as machinists, pipefitters, boiler tenders, Navy enginemen, millwrights, and maintenance mechanics were commonly exposed when cutting, installing, removing, or replacing these products, which released respirable fibers. John Crane has aggressively contested causation in litigation, particularly arguing that its encapsulated chrysotile products released few fibers, making expert testimony on fiber release and dose especially important in cases naming the company.

Related Terms

Chrysotile, Packing (Asbestos), Gasket, Bystander Exposure, Navy Exposure, Substantial Factor Test

Notes

• If you or a family member worked with pumps, valves, or rotating machinery, try to recall and document brand names of packing and gaskets. John Crane products were often labeled "Crane" or carried product codes like 'Style 187-I' that experts can identify.
• Preserve any old work records, union books, purchase orders, maintenance logs, or co-worker contacts that can confirm use of John Crane sealing products at specific worksites and time periods.
• Ask your attorney about John Crane's defense that chrysotile in its products did not release harmful fiber levels; cases typically require industrial hygiene or exposure-reconstruction experts to rebut this.
• Navy veterans should specifically note ship names, hull numbers, and engine room or auxiliary machinery assignments, since John Crane products were common in shipboard pump and valve packing.

Court cases

144 court decisions in our case-law library name John Crane as a defendant, newest first.

• Pelton v. John Crane, Inc. (2024)
• Pine v. John Crane, Inc. (2023)
• Pyle v. AH Bennett Co. (2023)
• Pritt v. John Crane, Inc. (2023)
• Hutchins v. Anco Insulations, Inc. (2023)
• Gemaehlich v. Air & Liquid Systems Corporation (2023)
• Deem v. Air & Liquid Systems Corporation (2023)
• Pyle v. AH Bennett Co. (2022)
• Mullinex v. John Crane, Inc. (2022)
• Pritt v. John Crane, Inc. (2022)
• Pritt v. John Crane, Inc. (2022)
• Webb v. 3M Company (2022)
• Mullinex v. John Crane, Inc. (2022)
• Deem v. William Powell Co. (2022)
• Israel v. John Crane, Inc. (2022)
• Sentilles v. Huntington Ingalls, Inc. (2022)
• Sanchez v. Anco Insulations, Inc. (2022)
• Ripple v. CBS Corporation (2022)
• Lindsey v. Dow Chemical Company (2021)
• McDaniel v. John Crane, Inc. (2021)
• McDaniel v. John Crane, Inc. (2021)
• Varney v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (2021)
• Barrett v. AW Chesterton Company (2021)
• Lopez v. McDERMOTT, Inc. (2020)
• Lopez v. McDERMOTT, Inc (2020)
• Andrews v. John Crane, Inc. (2020)
• Mullinex v. John Crane, Inc. (2020)
• Clevenger v. John Crane, Inc. (2020)
• Pizarro v. Astra Flooring Company (2020)
• Hicks v. Ford Motor Company (2020)
• Roverano v. John Crane, Inc. (2020)
• Daniels v. ArvinMeritor, Inc. (2019)
• Davis v. John Crane, Inc. (2019)
• Evans v. John Crane, Inc. (2019)
• Deem v. Air & Liquid Systems Corporation (2019)
• Coffman v. Armstrong International, Inc. (2019)
• Evans v. Imo Industries, Inc. (2019)
• Varney v. Air & Liquid Systems Corporation (2019)
• Deem v. Air & Liquid Systems Corporation (2019)
• Rodrigue v. Anco Insulations, Inc. (2019)
• Mestas v. Air & Liquid Systems Corporation (2019)
• Allen v. Air & Liquid Sys. Corp. (2019)
• Case v. Clark Indus. Insulation (2018)
• Estate of Schatz v. John Crane, Inc. (2018)
• Goodrich v. John Crane, Inc. (2018)
• Goodrich v. John Crane, Inc. (2018)
• Roverano v. John Crane, Inc. (2017)
• Donohue v. CBS Corporation (2017)
• MacCormack v. Air & Liquid Systems Corporation (2017)
• Evans v. John Crane (In re Asbestos Litigation, 2017)
• Carroll v. John Crane, Inc. (2017)
• Carroll v. John Crane, Inc. (2017)
• MacCormack v. the Adel Wiggins Group (2017)
• Carroll v. Abb, Inc. (2017)
• Charlevoix v. Caterpillar, Inc. (2017)
• Charlevoix v. John Crane (In re Asbestos Litigation, 2017)
• Perez v. Air and Liquid Systems Corporation (2016)
• Winhauer v. Air & Liquid Systems Corporation (2016)
• Voelker v. John Crane (Matter of Eighth Jud. Dist. Asbestos Litig., 2015)
• Quinlan v. Marine Transport Lines (Matter of New York City Asbestos Litig., 2015)
• Stallings v. Georgia-Pacific Corporation (2015)
• Hedden v. CBS Corporation (2015)
• Kochera v. General Electric Company (2015)
• Bell v. Abb Group, Inc. (2015)
• Bell v. Abb Group, Inc. (2015)
• Neureuther v. Atlas Copco Compressors, LLC (2015)
• Nuutinen v. CBS Corporation (2015)
• Willis v. Buffalo Pumps Inc. (2014)
• Hasenberg v. Air & Liquid Systems Corp. (2014)
• Crews v. Air & Liquid Systems Corporation (2014)
• Pfeifer v. John Crane, Inc. (2013)
• Morgan v. Bill Vann Company, Inc. (2013)
• Gillenwater v. Honeywell Intern., Inc. (2013)
• Morgan v. Bill Vann Company, Inc. (2013)
• Keeney v. AW Chesterton Company (2013)
• Jones v. John Crane, Inc. (2013)
• Joyner v. AC & R. Insulation Co. (2013)
• Landry v. Avondale Industries, Inc. (2013)
• John Crane, Inc. v. Admiral Insurance Company (2013)
• Brannan v. Wallace & Gale Asbestos Settlement Trust (2012)
• Shelhamer v. Crane (2012)
• John Crane, Inc. v. Hardick (2012)
• Leonard v. John Crane, Inc. (2012)
• Vanhooser v. Superior Court of Los Angeles County (2012)
• John Crane, Inc. v. Hardick (2012)
• Kelemen v. John Crane, Inc. (2011)
• Wingfield v. John Crane (In re Asbestos Products Liability Litigation (NO. VI), 2011)
• Kiser v. AW Chesterton Co. (2011)
• Kiser v. AW Chesterton Co. (2011)
• Reaser v. AW Chesterton Company (2010)
• Crane v. Linkus (2010)
• Abrams v. Pneumo Abex Corporation (2009)
• Newinski v. John Crane, Inc. (2009)
• Werts v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. (2009)
• Handley v. Superior Court of Los Angeles County (2009)
• Cardinal Industrial Insulation Co., Inc. v. Norris (2009)
• Williams v. American Optical Corporation (2008)
• Berry v. American Standard, Inc. (2008)
• Clemmer v. John Crane, Inc. (2008)
• Wille v. AC Product Liability Trust (2007)
• Abrams v. Pneumo Abex Corp. (2007)
• John Crane, Inc. v. Jones (2007)
• Cadlo v. Metalclad Insulation Corporation (2007)
• Weber v. John Crane, Inc. (2006)
• Barone v. Gatx Corp. (2006)
• Abrams v. Pneumo Abex Corporation (2006)
• John Crane, Inc. v. Puller (2006)
• Lindstrom v. AC Product Liability Trust (2005)
• Jurich v. John Crane, Inc. (2005)
• Wilson v. John Crane, Inc. (2005)
• Lustenring v. AC&S, Inc. (2004)
• John Crane, Inc. v. Highsmith (2004)
• John Crane, Inc. v. Jones (2004)
• Bartel v. John Crane, Inc. (2004)
• Smalls v. Pittsburgh-Corning Corp. (2004)
• Taylor v. John Crane, Inc. (2003)
• John Crane, Inc. v. Jones (2003)
• Jurich v. Garlock, Inc. (2003)
• Garlock v. Gallagher (2003)
• Crane, Inc. v. Scribner (2002)
• Hackett v. John Crane, Inc. (2002)
• Andaloro v. Armstrong World Industries, Inc. (2002)
• Jurich v. Garlock, Inc. (2001)
• Caruolo v. John Crane, Inc. (2000)
• Hamilton v. Garlock, Inc. (2000)
• Wilson v. John Crane, Inc. (2000)
• Lambert v. Babcock & Wilcox Co. (1999)
• Spoonamore v. Armstrong World Industries, Inc. (1999)
• Ronsini v. Worthington Corp. (Matter Of New York City Asbestos Litigation. Elaine Ronsini V. Garlock, Inc., 1998)
• Spoonamore v. Armstrong World Industries, Inc. (1998)
• Adams v. Owens-Illinois (1998)
• ACandS v. Abate (1998)
• Ciletti v. Raymark Indus. (In re Asbestos Litigation, 1997)
• John Crane, Inc. v. Wommack (1997)
• Potter v. Patterson (1997)
• Horton v. Harwick Chem. Corp. (1995)
• Harris v. AC & S, Inc. (1995)
• Busfield v. AC & S., Inc. (1994)
• Angelo v. Armstrong World Industries, Inc. (1993)
• Jackson v. Anchor Packing Co. (1993)
• Hogland v. Celotex Corp. (1993)
• Waller v. Pittsburgh Corning Corp. (1991)
• Bushless v. GAF Corp. (1990)
• Sholtis v. American Cyanamid Co. (1989)

In the Union Carbide documents

John Crane is named in 4 Union Carbide documents dated 1984 to 1987 (4 mentioned), from asbestos lawsuits over Union Carbide's Calidria asbestos. All are published in our collection.

• G. L. Dickson to J. T. Kelly Transmitting the 1983 Calidria Asbestos Sales Summary, with Attached Quarterly Sales Reports (1984) UC-2653 (mentioned)
• Piping Technology Minutes (R. W. Engle) and S. S. Murphree to C. C. Neely on Replacing Asbestos Gaskets and Packing with Grafoil (1987) UC-3130 (mentioned)
• S. S. Murphree to C. C. Neely on Purchase of Asbestos – Substitute Material for Gasket and Packing (1987) UC-2428 (mentioned)
• Union Carbide Procurement Plan: Gaskets and Packing Materials, with Exhibit A on Kanawha Valley Orders UC-2951 (mentioned)

Where this comes from

This page brings together every document in our library that names John Crane, across collections. Titles and affiliations are taken from the documents themselves, and units and subsidiaries are grouped under the company they belong to.