Founded in 1895, Albany Felt Company opened its doors along Broadway in Menands, NY. The Albany Felt Company prospered in the decades that followed, ultimately expanding its facilities over 14.45 acres employing hundreds of Albany area residents at its peak. In 1969, through the acquisition of Appleton Wire out of Wisconsin and Sweden’s Nordiska Maskinfilt, Albany Felt Company became Albany International, and would expand their product-line beyond industrial felt production and continue operations in Menands, NY until it closed its doors in 2011.
Albany Felt Company produced industrial felt for the regions paper industry. Since these felts were used in the oven and dryer sections of paper process machines, they often contained asbestos due to its ability to withstand high-heat applications. The production of this felt involved weaving large spools of asbestos yarn and other fibers together using industrial-sized looms, along with cutting the felts to size. As a result of this production process, most notably on the second floor where the looms were located, weavers/loom operators and anyone else in the general area were exposed to high concentrations of asbestos-laden atmospheric dust. It is also important to note that any paper company that purchased and used asbestos-containing industrial felt produced by Albany Felt Company also exposed their own employees to the very same asbestos through the degradation of the felt over time.
The steam lines and much of the machinery such as pumps, valves, boilers and furnaces were covered in asbestos-containing insulating cement, pipe covering and block. In addition, much of the machinery also utilized asbestos-containing components such as gaskets and packing. Through the natural course of operations, repairs to the steam lines and machinery became necessary, requiring the manipulation, abrading, removal and installation of the asbestos-containing insulation and components; processes that further increased employee exposure to elevated and concentrated levels of asbestos in the air.
Throughout the years Albany Felt Company incorporated asbestos into its products and utilized asbestos-containing insulation and components, employees of Albany Felt Company and those of the paper companies who purchased their felt products inhaled and ingested dangerous levels of asbestos resulting in an increased risk of developing mesothelioma or lung cancer.
It is important to securing legal representation as soon as possible after a diagnosis of mesothelioma or lung cancer. If you or a loved one worked at Albany Felt Company/Albany International in Menands, NY, and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or lung cancer, we urge you to contact us regarding your legal rights.
We hope that you will never be diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, or suffer a catastrophic injury, but if you are, contact us at Lipsitz, Ponterio & Comerford so we can begin the fight.
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