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National Grinding Wheel

Founded in 1904, National Grinding Wheel was a manufacturer of grinding wheels that were used in a variety of industrial and construction applications. The company’s main manufacturing facility was located on Walck Road in North Tonawanda, New York. National Grinding Wheel became a division of Federal-Mogul Corporation as a result of a merger in 1967 and, after being purchased by Radiac Abrasives in 1985, ceased its operations in 1988. The facility is currently operated by Buffalo Abrasives, Incorporated. Prior to the late 1970’s, workers at National Grinding Wheel were exposed to asbestos because it was used as a component material in grinding wheels. Additionally, equipment at National Grinding Wheel’s plant was covered in asbestos-containing pipe covering and block insulation. Exposure to asbestos can cause mesothelioma and lung cancer.

Asbestos was incorporated into grinding wheels manufactured by National Grinding Wheel because of its inherent strength and heat resistance. Bags of raw asbestos were emptied into drums for storage, emitting large amounts of asbestos dust and fibers into the air. The manufacturing process began in the mixing department, where the specific ingredients for the type of grinding wheel being produced, normally including raw asbestos, were mixed. The mixture was then taken to the molding department, where it would be pressed into the proper shape in a molding machine. Next, the grinding wheels were baked in an oven to harden them, for a period of time that varied depending on the type of wheel. After the grinding wheels were hardened, lathes were used to grind and level the wheels to ensure that the wheels were perfectly round and the proper diameter. This process also emitted asbestos fibers into the air, which workers subsequently inhaled.

Asbestos-containing materials were also used in the maintenance and upkeep of National Grinding Wheel’s plant. Asbestos could be found in gaskets and in insulation that covered steam lines and boilers. Due to normal wear and tear, these materials were removed and reapplied and, in the process, emitted dangerous levels of asbestos dust and fibers that contractors, maintenance personnel and workers inhaled.

Lipsitz & Ponterio, LLC represents former workers and retirees from National Grinding Wheel. In the process of representing these workers and their families, we have gathered a vast amount of information concerning the types of asbestos-containing materials to which our clients were exposed. If you or a loved one were once employed at National Grinding Wheel and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, we urge you to contact us regarding your legal rights.