ALCO Valve Company, headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, manufactured specialty marine valves, cryogenic valves, and flow control equipment for industrial process and naval vessel applications throughout the mid-twentieth century. ALCO Valve products included gate valves, globe valves, and specialty flow control valves designed for demanding service conditions including cryogenic service and marine propulsion plant applications. ALCO Valve products were installed in United States Navy vessel piping systems serving a range of service applications including fuel gas systems, specialty fluid systems, and auxiliary piping systems aboard Navy vessels. According to asbestos litigation records, ALCO Valve assemblies incorporated asbestos-containing stem packing at valve stem gland seals and asbestos-containing gasket materials at valve body connection faces, creating asbestos exposure for engineering ratings who maintained ALCO Valve installations in naval vessel piping systems.

ALCO Valve Asbestos

ALCO Valve assemblies incorporated asbestos in valve sealing:

  • Valve stem packing — ALCO Valve gate valves and globe valves installed in Navy vessel piping systems incorporated asbestos-containing stem packing material at the valve stem gland seal. Engineering ratings performing valve repacking operations on ALCO Valve assemblies removed and replaced asbestos-containing stem packing during valve maintenance operations
  • Valve body gaskets — ALCO Valve body connections and bonnet connections incorporated asbestos-containing gasket materials at the body joint faces. Engineering ratings disassembling ALCO Valve assemblies for internal maintenance encountered asbestos-containing body gasket materials during valve teardown
  • Connection gaskets — ALCO Valve assemblies with flanged piping connections incorporated asbestos-containing gasket materials at the valve inlet and outlet flange faces. Engineering ratings removing ALCO Valve assemblies from the piping system encountered asbestos-containing gasket materials at the piping connections

VA Claims for Veterans Exposed to ALCO Valve Products

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from Navy vessel valve maintenance. Engineering ratings who maintained ALCO Valve installations in naval vessel piping systems and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.