Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa) — Plants in New York

Plaintiffs alleged in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation that they were exposed to asbestos while working at Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa) plants in New York. This page documents the New York portion of Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa)’s multi-state operations. For the full corporate summary and plants in other states, see the Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa) manufacturer page.

Premises Description

Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa — founded 1888 as Pittsburgh Reduction Company; today Alcoa Corporation) was through the 20th century the dominant U.S. and global aluminum producer. Alcoa operated through the asbestos era a comprehensive vertically-integrated U.S. aluminum production network including bauxite mining, alumina refining (the Bayer process), aluminum smelting (the Hall-Héroult process — invented at Alcoa), rolling mills, and downstream fabrication. Major Alcoa asbestos-era U.S. sites included:

  • Alcoa TN — the company’s namesake smelter and rolling mill complex (Blount County)
  • Massena NY — historic St. Lawrence Seaway hydroelectric-powered smelter
  • Rockdale TX — lignite-powered Texas smelter
  • Wenatchee WA and Vancouver WA — Pacific Northwest hydroelectric smelters
  • Badin NC — Yadkin River hydroelectric smelter
  • Davenport IA — sheet and plate rolling mill
  • Lafayette IN and Logan County WV — additional operations
  • Point Comfort TX, Mobile AL, St. Croix VI, Bauxite AR — alumina refining

Aluminum smelting is one of the most asbestos-intensive industrial processes documented in U.S. occupational asbestos litigation. The Hall-Héroult electrolytic reduction cells (potlines) operate continuously at temperatures around 950°C with high-current electrical service — every reduction cell was specified with extensive asbestos refractory, asbestos electrical insulation, and asbestos thermal protection through the documented era.

Plaintiffs alleged in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation that Alcoa — as premises owner of its U.S. smelter, mill, and refining operations — exposed its aluminum-worker workforce (United Steelworkers Local representation) and contractor pipefitters, insulators, boilermakers, and trade workers to extensive asbestos through:

  • Asbestos refractory and block insulation on Hall-Héroult reduction cells, anode-baking furnaces, holding furnaces, and reheat furnaces
  • Asbestos electrical insulation on potline bus bars, anode-bus connections, and rectifier-yard electrical systems
  • Asbestos pipe covering on plant steam, alumina, and process piping
  • Spray-applied asbestos fireproofing on smelter structural steel and crane runways
  • Asbestos gaskets and packing at process flanges, pumps, and valves

Aluminum Company of America has been named as a Premises Defendant in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation.

Workers Exposed

  • United Steelworkers Local members at Alcoa TN, Massena NY, Rockdale TX, Wenatchee WA, Badin NC, and Alcoa refineries
  • Refinery and mill pipefitters and millwrights working Alcoa capital projects
  • Insulators (HFIAW Local members) on Alcoa construction and turnaround crews
  • Boilermakers (IBB Local members) building Alcoa smelter and refinery pressure vessels
  • Electricians (IBEW Local members) working Alcoa potline and rectifier electrical systems
  • Construction-trade workforces on Alcoa EPC projects

If You Worked at an Alcoa Smelter, Refinery, or Mill

If you worked at an Alcoa aluminum smelter, alumina refinery, rolling mill, or fabrication plant during the asbestos era — as an Alcoa employee or as a dispatched contractor trade worker — and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, or another asbestos-related illness, you may have legal rights.

Free, confidential case evaluation: Speak with O’Brien Law Firm — (314) 936-2956

Named Plants and Operating Era

Plaintiffs alleged in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation that specific named Alcoa plants in New York allegedly involved asbestos-containing materials during their principal operating eras. Documented plant footprint in New York:

  • Massena Operations — East Plant (Massena Works) — in Massena NY (St. Lawrence County), primary aluminum reduction Soderberg potline complex allegedly operating from 1902/1903 through the modern era, powered by the St. Lawrence Seaway / Long Sault (Robert Moses) hydroelectric project. Historic anchor of the North Country aluminum industry.
  • Massena Operations — West Plant — in Massena NY, adjacent prebake potline reduction complex allegedly built in the 1950s expansion era, curtailed 2014 and permanently closed 2015.
  • Massena Cast House / Rod & Bar Mill — in Massena NY, downstream ingot casting and rod-mill fabrication co-located with the potlines during the same era.

Plant-Era ACM Narrative

At Alcoa’s New York operations, plaintiffs alleged the following plant-era asbestos exposure pathways during the principal U.S. asbestos era (approximately 1930s-1980):

  • Asbestos-fabric potline hood cladding and asbestos-block busbar insulation across the Soderberg (East Plant) and prebake (West Plant) Hall-Héroult reduction cells
  • Asbestos-refractory cathode collector bar insulation during pot rebuilds and reline campaigns across both Massena potrooms
  • Asbestos-block hot-side lagging on the Massena cast house launder troughs, holding furnaces, and rod-mill reheat furnaces
  • Asbestos-cement bulkhead panels, asbestos wire insulation, and asbestos millboard in the rectifier buildings and electrical rooms serving the St. Lawrence hydro-fed potlines
  • Asbestos pipe covering on plant steam, alumina, potroom bath, and process piping across the Massena complex

Trades and Local Union Coverage

Plaintiffs alleged that New York Alcoa plant work was performed by tradesmen from the following unions and Locals during the asbestos era:

  • HFIAW Insulators Local 30 — Syracuse / Central NY jurisdiction extending to the North Country — asbestos pipe covering and block insulation at Massena
  • UA Pipefitters Local 73 — St. Lawrence Valley / Watertown NY jurisdiction — flange bolt-up, gasket work, and process piping at Massena Works
  • IBEW Electricians Local 910 — Watertown / North Country NY jurisdiction — potline rectifier, switchgear, and motor-control center work at Massena
  • BAC Bricklayers Local 3 NY — regional jurisdiction — refractory relining of anode bake furnaces, holding furnaces, and cast house
  • United Steelworkers / Aluminum Workers Local — Alcoa Massena production and maintenance workforce during the asbestos era

Documented ACM Product Vectors Named in Litigation

Products from AP defendant manufacturers that plaintiffs alleged were supplied to or specified at New York Alcoa plants during the asbestos era: