ABEX Foundry in Medina, NY

The Abex Corporation first appeared in 1928 serving primarily as a metals foundry. Over the course of the Corporation’s life, it opened a manufacturing facility located at 3928 Bates Road, Medina, New York, as a manufacturer of brakes and wheels. As time passed, the Abex Corporation continued to manufacture brakes until it was purchased by the Illinois Central Industries, and later became the Pneumo-Abex Corporation. The corporation closed the Medina Facility in February, 1985. During their operation, the Abex Corporation manufactured brakes and brake liners with asbestos.

The Abex Manufacturing plant in Medina has manufactured brake materials and other friction products for a wide variety of automobiles and trains. A majority of Abex Corporation employees were metalworkers who frequently came in contact with asbestos. Many of the Abex Corporation’s products contained asbestos as the material worked as an insulating agent to help prevent its products from sparking and catching fire.

Anyone who has used or worked around Abex Corp’s products in other industries have been put at risk of asbestos exposure and mesothelioma. This includes railroad workers who made, maintained, repaired, and operated railroad cars and trains. This also includes automobile and aerospace employees who used the hydraulic and power fluid systems, as well as brake components the Abex Corporation made with asbestos.

Our clients understand the importance of securing legal representation as soon as possible after a diagnosis of mesothelioma or lung cancer. If you or a loved one were once employed at the Abex Corporation in Medina, New York, and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or lung cancer, please contact us regarding your legal rights.

FACTS

  • The ABEX Corporation was established in 1928 as American Brake and Shoe Foundry, a Virginia-based company that produced brakes and wheels for railroad cars.
  • In 1968, Illinois Central Industries Inc. purchased ABEX, and 10 years later, merged it with the Pneumo Corporation, creating the  Pneumo ABEX Corporation. After the merger, the company added more products to its manufacturing line, including industrial and aerospace fluid products.
  • The Abex Medina site was located at 3959 Bates Road, Medina, New York. 
  • In addition to manufacturing asbestos brakes, the company produced wheels for railroad cars and hydraulic systems for vessels and planes
  • According to the Fulton article: The Medina plant produced iron tire molds, pump castings, gas turbine housings and a variety of other specialized parts requiring close dimensional controls and high integrity casting.
  • According to the Fulton article: “This ABEX plant is one of 56 plants in the corporation, which in turn is a subsidiary of I.C. Industries, a highly diversified international company marketing a broad range of products and services.“
  • ABEX customers included: U.S. Steel, B.F. Goodrich, Carrier Corporation, Ingersoll-Rand, General Electric, Republic Steel, Firestone, Foster-Wheeler Energy Corporation, Bethlehem Steel, Armstrong Rubber Company, Curtiss Wright, Corning Glass, Ford, and General Motors.