Kentile Floors Asbestos Exposure: Floor Tile, Metex Trust Claims & Compensation

Kentile Floors, Inc. was a major Brooklyn flooring manufacturer whose historical resilient flooring included asbestos-containing products. Court and bankruptcy records connect Kentile to asbestos personal-injury claims, while the later Metex Manufacturing Corporation reorganization created the Metex Asbestos PI Trust to resolve qualifying present and future claims. Because flooring formulations varied, this page does not assume that every Kentile floor product contained asbestos.

Kentile filed Chapter 11 on November 20, 1992 and reorganized in 1998. Metex Manufacturing Corporation, formerly Kentile Floors, later filed Chapter 11 on November 9, 2012. The Metex Asbestos PI Trust was created in 2014 under the confirmed plan and began accepting claims on March 9, 2015. The official Trust currently publishes a 7.25% Payment Percentage. Its TDP lists a $135,000 Scheduled Value for mesothelioma, making $9,787.50 the simple 7.25% mathematical illustration before any other applicable Trust provisions.

🏢 Kentile Floors & Metex History

Kentile Floors was historically based in Brooklyn, New York and manufactured resilient flooring. A Congressional Research Service/RAND trust history records Kentile’s November 20, 1992 bankruptcy and December 10, 1998 reorganization. Metex Manufacturing Corporation was formerly known as Kentile Floors, Inc.; its later 2012 Chapter 11 case produced the current §524(g) Metex Asbestos PI Trust.

Kentile / Metex Facts

Topic	Confirmed information
Historical company	Kentile Floors, Inc.
Business	Resilient flooring / floor tile manufacturing.
First Chapter 11	November 20, 1992.
Kentile reorganization	December 10, 1998.
Successor name	Metex Manufacturing Corporation, formerly Kentile Floors, Inc.
Metex Chapter 11	November 9, 2012, S.D.N.Y., Case No. 12-14554.
Trust created	2014 under Metex Chapter 11 Plan.
Claims accepted beginning	March 9, 2015.
Current Payment Percentage	7.25%.

Bankruptcy / Trust Timeline

Date	Development
November 20, 1992	Kentile Floors filed bankruptcy.
December 10, 1998	Kentile reorganization confirmed.
November 9, 2012	Metex Mfg. Corp. (f/k/a Kentile Floors) filed Chapter 11.
2014	Metex Asbestos PI Trust created following plan confirmation.
March 9, 2015	Trust began accepting claims.
September 9, 2015	Initial Claim Filing Date under Trust procedures.
June 9, 2020	Trust adjusted Payment Percentage from 8.3% to 7.25%.
Current official website	Continues to state 7.25% Payment Percentage.

See Construction Materials Companies & Asbestos Exposure.

🧱 Kentile Asbestos Flooring Products

Kentile became known for resilient floor tiles used in residential, commercial and institutional buildings. Historical asbestos claims concern asbestos-containing Kentile flooring, particularly resilient tile formulations. Product identification should rely on packaging, records, product specifications or other evidence rather than appearance alone.

Historical Flooring Categories

Product / category	Careful treatment
Kentile asphalt floor tile	Historical Kentile flooring category associated with asbestos claims.
Kentile vinyl asbestos tile	Historical asbestos-containing resilient flooring category.
KenFlex	Kentile trade name associated with historical resilient flooring; formulation/date should be verified.
Other Kentile tile/flooring	Do not assume asbestos content without product-specific evidence.
Adhesives / mastics	Separate product identification and manufacturer evidence are needed.
Modern flooring	Historical Kentile evidence should not be generalized to unrelated current products.

Product Identification Rules

Statement	Accurate treatment
Kentile made asbestos-containing flooring	Confirmed by asbestos bankruptcy/trust history.
Every Kentile tile contained asbestos	Not established.
Old 9-inch tile automatically proves Kentile/asbestos	No.
Brand, model and installation period help	Yes.
Laboratory testing may identify asbestos in existing material	Yes, when performed by qualified professionals.
Homeowners should sand/break suspected tile to inspect it	No; avoid disturbing suspected asbestos material.

👷 Workers, Homes & Jobsites

Potential historical exposure involved people who manufactured, cut, installed, maintained or removed qualifying asbestos-containing Kentile flooring. Renovation and demolition can be particularly important because cutting, grinding, sanding or breaking old flooring may create dust.

Workers & People to Investigate

Worker / person	Potential historical activity
Flooring installers / layers	Cutting and fitting floor tile.
Tile grinders	Grinding or finishing flooring.
Kentile manufacturing workers	Mixing, forming, cutting and packaging flooring materials.
Carpenters / remodelers	Removing or working around old flooring.
Maintenance workers	Repairing or replacing floor systems.
Demolition workers	Breaking/removing old tile.
Homeowners / DIY renovators	Removing or altering historical flooring.
Nearby workers	Potential dust exposure during flooring disturbance.

Potential Jobsites

Setting	Evidence to investigate
Homes	Original flooring, renovation records, photographs and packaging.
Schools	Maintenance/specification and purchasing records.
Hospitals	Facility renovation and flooring records.
Offices / commercial buildings	Construction specifications and invoices.
Industrial facilities	Purchasing, contractor and maintenance records.
Kentile manufacturing facilities	Employment and coworker evidence.

Need help now? Call 800.291.0963
Live chat is available 24/7, 365 days a year.
Submit Your Case

🌫️ How Kentile Asbestos Exposure Occurred

Intact resilient floor tile generally presents a different disturbance scenario than flooring that is aggressively sanded, ground, broken or removed. A Trust claim nevertheless depends on credible Debtor Exposure to an asbestos-containing product for which Metex/Kentile has legal responsibility, along with the applicable medical criteria.

Potential Exposure Activities

Activity	Potential pathway
Manufacturing	Dust during raw-material handling and tile production.
Cutting / fitting tile	Dust or debris during installation.
Grinding / sanding	More aggressive disturbance of historical flooring.
Removal	Breaking, scraping or mechanical disturbance.
Demolition	Disturbing old flooring systems.
Cleanup	Handling/sweeping dust and broken flooring debris.

Exposure Questions

Question	Why it matters
Was it a Kentile/Metex-responsibility product?	TDP requires Debtor Exposure.
Did the product contain asbestos?	Product-specific evidence matters.
When did exposure occur?	Several TDP Disease Levels require Debtor Exposure before Dec. 31, 1982.
What task disturbed the flooring?	Supports exposure pathway.
Was Significant Occupational Exposure required?	Required for several disease levels.
Can records or witnesses corroborate exposure?	Strengthens claim evidence.

⚖️ Metex Asbestos PI Trust & Claims

The Metex Asbestos PI Trust is the current §524(g) mechanism for qualifying Kentile/Metex asbestos personal-injury claims. Its official website states that the current Payment Percentage is 7.25%. The official June 9, 2020 notice reduced the percentage from 8.3% to 7.25%, and the Trust website continues to publish 7.25% as current.

Current Trust Facts

Trust fact	Confirmed information
Trust	Metex Asbestos PI Trust.
Created	2014.
Claims began	March 9, 2015.
Current Payment Percentage	7.25%.
Previous percentage	8.3% before June 9, 2020 adjustment.
Framework	§524(g) Trust Distribution Procedures.
Review paths	Expedited Review and Individual Review.
FIFO processing	TDP establishes FIFO processing/payment procedures.
Level I treatment	$100 Cash Discount Payment is not subject to Payment Percentage under TDP.

Official Disease Values

Disease Level	Scheduled / Average / Maximum
Level VIII — Mesothelioma	$135,000 / $175,000 / $330,000.
Level VII — Lung Cancer 1	$65,000 / $78,000 / $100,000.
Level VI — Lung Cancer 2	No Scheduled Value / $15,000 / $25,000.
Level V — Other Cancer	$17,500 / $20,000 / $25,000.
Level IV — Severe Asbestosis	$65,000 / $78,000 / $100,000.
Level III — Asbestosis/Pleural Disease	$5,500 / none / none.
Level II — Asbestosis/Pleural Disease	$2,500 / none / none.
Level I — Other Asbestos Disease	$100 Cash Discount Payment.

7.25% Expedited-Review Examples

Scheduled Value	Mathematical illustration
$135,000 Mesothelioma	$9,787.50.
$65,000 Lung Cancer 1	$4,712.50.
$17,500 Other Cancer	$1,268.75.
$65,000 Severe Asbestosis	$4,712.50.
$5,500 Level III	$398.75.
$2,500 Level II	$181.25.
$100 Level I	TDP says Level I Cash Discount Payment is not subject to Payment Percentage.

These are mathematical illustrations, not guaranteed payments. The TDP states that qualifying Expedited Review claims are generally paid at Scheduled Value multiplied by the applicable Payment Percentage, subject to Trust provisions. Individual Review values can differ.

📊 Documented Kentile Asbestos Cases

Bankruptcy records establish the Metex/Kentile asbestos-liability framework, while the official Trust TDP controls current claim processing. Historical court records also show Kentile’s longstanding flooring business and asbestos litigation context. Individual liability or Trust eligibility still requires claimant-specific proof.

Selected Records

Record	Significance
Metex Chapter 11 notice, S.D.N.Y. Case 12-14554	Identifies Metex Mfg. Corp. as formerly Kentile Floors, Inc. and describes asbestos-containing products/claims.
Metex Trust TDP	Establishes disease levels, exposure criteria, values and claim-processing rules.
Official 2020 Payment Percentage notice	Confirms reduction from 8.3% to 7.25% effective June 9, 2020.
Current official Trust website	Continues to publish 7.25% as current Payment Percentage.
CRS/RAND asbestos trust history	Records Kentile’s Nov. 20, 1992 bankruptcy and Dec. 10, 1998 reorganization.
Kentile Floors v. Winham, 9th Cir. (1971)	Historical federal record confirms Kentile’s floor-covering commercial activity.

Evidence Limits

Finding	Correct interpretation
Kentile asbestos claims led into Metex Trust structure	Confirmed.
Metex Trust is active	Official website continues accepting/administering claims.
Every Kentile floor product contained asbestos	Not established.
$135,000 mesothelioma Scheduled Value equals cash payment	No.
7.25% is guaranteed forever	No; TDP permits adjustment.
Any old floor tile proves Kentile exposure	No.

📋 Claim Evidence & Trust Requirements

The TDP requires medical documentation and Debtor Exposure. For several Disease Levels it also requires six months of Debtor Exposure before December 31, 1982 and Significant Occupational Exposure. Claimants should use the Trust’s current claim form, instructions and amendments.

Evidence That May Help

Medical and pathology documentation for the claimed Disease Level.
Employment, union and Social Security records.
Kentile packaging, product labels, photographs or invoices.
Building specifications, flooring schedules and purchase records.
Installer, coworker or other witness statements.
Records describing cutting, grinding, sanding or removal.
Evidence establishing required pre-December 31, 1982 Debtor Exposure where applicable.
Current Metex Trust claim form and supporting materials.

Claim Checklist

Step	Question
1	Is a qualifying asbestos disease documented?
2	Can a Kentile/Metex asbestos-containing product be identified?
3	Are exposure dates and locations documented?
4	Does the claim meet the TDP’s Debtor Exposure criteria?
5	Is Significant Occupational Exposure required and supported?
6	Is Expedited or Individual Review appropriate?
7	Has the current 7.25% Payment Percentage been verified?
8	Have current TDP amendments and filing instructions been checked?

Numbers We Do Not Invent

Item	Treatment
Future Payment Percentage	Can change.
Guaranteed mesothelioma payment	None.
Average claimant recovery	Not inferred from Scheduled Values.
Current total Trust assets	Not stated here without a directly verified current official annual report.
Current total claims paid	Not stated here without directly verified current official reporting.
Guaranteed compensation	None.

Compensation is not guaranteed.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Did Kentile Floors manufacture asbestos-containing flooring?

Yes. Kentile’s historical asbestos liabilities are addressed through the Metex Asbestos PI Trust. Product-specific evidence is still important because not every Kentile flooring product should automatically be assumed to contain asbestos.

What types of Kentile flooring may be involved in asbestos claims?

Historical resilient flooring, including asbestos-containing vinyl and asphalt floor tile, is associated with Kentile claims. Product name, formulation and installation/manufacturing period should be verified.

When did Kentile Floors file bankruptcy?

Kentile Floors filed bankruptcy on November 20, 1992 and reorganized in 1998. Metex Manufacturing Corporation, formerly Kentile Floors, later filed Chapter 11 on November 9, 2012.

Does Kentile have an asbestos trust?

Yes. Qualifying Kentile-related claims are processed by the Metex Asbestos PI Trust, created in 2014 following Metex’s Chapter 11 reorganization.

What is the current Metex Trust Payment Percentage?

The official Trust website states that the current Payment Percentage is 7.25%. The official June 9, 2020 notice reduced it from 8.3% to 7.25%.

What is the mesothelioma Scheduled Value?

The official TDP lists $135,000 for Level VIII mesothelioma. At 7.25%, that produces a $9,787.50 mathematical Expedited Review illustration, not a guaranteed payment.

What exposure requirements apply?

The TDP requires Debtor Exposure, and several Disease Levels require six months of Debtor Exposure before December 31, 1982 plus additional occupational and medical criteria.

What evidence may support a Kentile Trust claim?

Medical records, employment history, Kentile product identification, invoices, building specifications, photographs and witness statements may help establish the required medical and exposure criteria.

🧾 Kentile Floors Asbestos Summary

Detail	Confirmed / carefully qualified information
Historical company	Kentile Floors, Inc.
Later debtor	Metex Manufacturing Corporation (f/k/a Kentile Floors, Inc.).
Kentile bankruptcy	November 20, 1992.
Metex Chapter 11	November 9, 2012.
Trust	Metex Asbestos PI Trust.
Trust created	2014.
Claims accepted	Beginning March 9, 2015.
Current Payment Percentage	7.25%.
Mesothelioma Scheduled Value	$135,000.
Mesothelioma 7.25% illustration	$9,787.50, not guaranteed.
Lung Cancer 1 Scheduled Value	$65,000.
Other Cancer Scheduled Value	$17,500.
Guaranteed compensation	No.

📚 Confirmed Primary & Court Sources

Submit Your Case

Call 800.291.0963
Live chat is available 24/7, 365 days a year.
Submit Your Case

Working around old flooring does not automatically establish a compensable Kentile asbestos claim. Product identity, asbestos content, exposure dates, work activity, medical evidence and current Metex Trust Distribution Procedures must be evaluated individually. Payment percentages can change. Compensation is not guaranteed.

⚕️ Legal & Medical Information Disclaimer
This page provides general educational information and is not legal or medical advice. Do not disturb suspected asbestos flooring merely to identify it. Consult qualified asbestos, healthcare and legal professionals for individual guidance.