Allegheny-Ludlum Steel was initially established as the Atlas Crucible Steel Company in 1907. Located on Brigham Road in Dunkirk, New York, the steel plant manufactured wires, rods and bars from billets of stainless steel and other steel alloys. Atlas was acquired in 1929, by the Ludlum Steel and Spring Company. Beginning in the 1930s, Allegheny-Ludlum Steel of Dunkirk, New York, went through a series of mergers and acquisitions, which ultimately led to the plant’s foreclosure by Empire State Development, a state agency that held its mortgage. In 2002, Universal Stainless and Alloy Products purchased the land and buildings, and operations resumed under the name Dunkirk Specialty Steel.

The Allegheny-Ludlum Steel plant covered nearly eighty acres. Up until the late 1970s, dozens of asbestos-containing materials, such as packing material, gaskets, pipe covering, insulating cement and block insulation were installed and removed at the Allegheny-Ludlum plant. Inhaling dust and particles from the application and removal of asbestos-containing materials placed workers at risk for developing asbestos-related diseases, such as mesothelioma or lung cancer.

Asbestos-containing gaskets and packing material were utilized inside pumps and valves at Allegheny-Ludlum. Steam pipes were covered with asbestos-containing pipe covering and insulating cement. Asbestos block insulation insulated steam boilers. Asbestos-containing insulation was commonly removed and reapplied because of maintenance or repairs. When workers removed and reapplied asbestos insulation, asbestos-containing dust became airborne. Most workers were unaware of the dangers of exposure to asbestos and performed their work without protective masks.

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 Allegheny-Ludlum in Dunkirk, New York, and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or lung cancer, we urge you to contact us regarding your legal rights.