Anchor Packing Company, headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was a manufacturer of asbestos compression packing, braided rope packing, and mechanical sealing products for industrial and marine applications — including packing products used in US Navy valve and pump maintenance throughout the surface ship and submarine fleet. Anchor Packing asbestos braided packing appeared in Navy steam system valve stuffing boxes, pump gland packing applications, and mechanical shaft seals throughout the WWII and Cold War era Navy fleet.

Asbestos in Anchor Packing Products

Anchor Packing’s sealing products used asbestos as the primary fiber component:

  • Braided asbestos rope packing — Anchor Packing’s braided asbestos rope packing was used in Navy steam system valve stuffing boxes to seal valve stems against steam pressure. Machinist’s Mates and Hull Technicians repacking steam valves removed old asbestos packing from the stuffing box using a packing pick tool and installed new rings cut from Anchor Packing braid stock — with both the removal of old hardened asbestos packing and the cutting of new replacement rings generating asbestos fiber
  • Compressed asbestos packing rings — pre-formed compressed asbestos packing rings in standard Navy valve sizes provided by Anchor Packing were used in routine valve repacking maintenance, with ring handling and installation releasing fiber from the compressed asbestos face and edges
  • Graphite-impregnated asbestos packing — Anchor Packing grades incorporating graphite as a lubricant with asbestos fiber as the base material were used in high-temperature steam service valve applications throughout Navy engineering plants

Anchor Packing products were used in all types of Navy steam plant sealing applications:

  • Main steam valve repacking — the main steam stop valves, bypass valves, and distribution valves in Navy propulsion plant steam systems were repacked at scheduled maintenance intervals using asbestos packing products from Anchor Packing and other suppliers
  • Feed pump and auxiliary pump glands — the centrifugal pump stuffing box glands on boiler feed pumps, condensate pumps, and auxiliary pumps were packed with asbestos compression packing in routine pump maintenance operations
  • Heat exchanger and pressure vessel manholes — the access openings and manhole covers on Navy steam and condensate heat exchangers used asbestos rope packing in the groove seating used for these large-diameter sealing applications

VA Claims for Veterans Exposed to Anchor Packing Products

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from packing maintenance in Navy steam plant engineering spaces. Engineering ratings who removed, installed, and cut Anchor Packing and other asbestos packing products in Navy steam plant valve and pump maintenance and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.