Brand-Rex- Willimantic, CT
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History of Brand-Rex (Akzona)
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Founded in 1970, Akzona Inc. was created through a merger of several companies from diverse industry backgrounds, including those from both inside and outside the U.S., looking to expand their reach and increase their collective financial stability.
American Enka was the American offshoot of a Dutch company that manufactured textile products such as rayon and nylon, as well as byproducts for detergent and paper manufacturing. International Salt Company was a holding company of several smaller entities, which sold and distributed salt, and operated the rock salt mines and evaporated salt plants which facilitated production. Organon Inc. began as a company in the Netherlands, specializing in the development and manufacturing of products and medications in the field of women’s health. Brand-Rex focused on producing wire and cable in two separate plants in the Northeast. These mergers greatly diversified the company’s portfolio of industries, allowing it to amass over $200 million in revenue across its textile, salt, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and wire and cable products.
Formed through the marriage of two smaller companies, the William Brand Company and the Rex Corporation, the Brand-Rex company moved into (at the time) new facilities in Willimantic, Connecticut and began unified production of high-quality wire and cable products there in the late 1950s. Over the next two decades, the company established long-term customer and supplier relationships with British Aerospace and IBM, respectively, providing Brand-Rex with financial stability and a chance to innovate using cutting-edge wiring technology.
Asbestos Use at Brand-Rex (Akzona) in Willimantic, CT
The construction of residential and commercial buildings throughout the U.S. commonly used building products made with asbestos, including cement, electrical wire, plumbing pipes, tile flooring, and both interior and exterior insulation. The plants and factories used by Brand-Rex were no exception. However, at facilities such as those used by the company, the risk is multiplied, considering the products which were being manufactured also contained this hazardous material.
Electrical wiring is produced with a thin layer of insulation in order to protect against electrical fires spreading through a structure. Prior to 1980, asbestos was a common ingredient in the cloth used as electrical wire insulation. It was used so widely due to its durability, resistance to water, heat, and fire (important factors considering its purpose), and its availability in mines nationwide, which decreased both costs and concerns about scarcity.
The combination of asbestos being used rampantly as an ingredient in the products being manufactured at the Brand-Rex facility, as well as within materials used for the construction of the facility itself, presents a potentially large pool of asbestos exposure victims. As products containing asbestos degrade, the potential for exposure grows. Even after asbestos was banned as an ingredient in production, the electrical wiring with insulation containing asbestos had been installed in municipal, commercial, and residential buildings across the country. Today, homeowners, electricians, and other contractors all face the possible danger of asbestos exposure when attempting to replace this old wiring since it is incompatible with today’s updated electrical standards and materials.
Our Top-Rated Asbestos Attorneys Represent Brand-Rex (Akzona) Workers
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, or another asbestos-related illness due to asbestos exposure at Brand-Rex (Akzona) in Connecticut, you need to speak with an experienced asbestos lawyer as soon as possible.
At Belluck & Fox, our nationally recognized mesothelioma attorneys have extensive experience fighting for families and workers exposed to asbestos. We are proud to have secured more than $1 billion in compensation for asbestos victims and their families.
We are ready to help you. Contact us today to set up a free consultation. A partner at our law firm will personally call you to talk about the details of your case and explain your legal options. Our law firm does not charge (any legal fees upfront and we do not get paid unless and until we secure compensation for you.
