Presperse Corporation, a specialty raw materials distributor to cosmetics and personal care manufacturers with a portfolio exceeding 400 products and 300+ customers globally, filed for Chapter 11 protection on September 9, 2024 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey (Case No. 24-18921, Judge Michael B. Kaplan) driven by escalating talc personal injury litigation with 275+ pending cases. Founded in 1981 and wholly-owned by Sumitomo Corporation of Americas since 2010, Presperse discontinued talc product sales in summer 2023 despite talc representing only 4% of revenue, with litigation costs and settlements reaching $7.6 million in fiscal year 2023. The company filed a pre-negotiated Chapter 11 plan implementing a Section 524(g) talc trust and channeling injunction to resolve present and future talc personal injury claims while preserving the operating business. The plan was confirmed July 29, 2025 with unanimous support from voting talc claimants, became effective August 25, 2025, and the case was closed by final decree October 23, 2025.
