A.W. Chesterton began in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1884. The company began by
manufacturing supplies for steamboats and engineers. The company grew and became a supplier of mechanical packing and industrial factory parts, as well as specialty lubricants, cleaners, and thread sealants used by manufacturers.
Following the Second World War, A.W. Chesterton was able to expand its production
capacities by establishing a market presence in eastern Canada and Mexico. The company
marketed pumps and composites, such as glass, fiberglass, and fiber optics. Today, the company focuses on composites, mechanical packing, hydraulic seals, and mechanical seals.
A.W. Chesterton products are used in petrochemical factories, utility plants, shipyards, mines, and paper mills. In addition, the federal government contracted with A.W. Chesterton to supply
gaskets, valves, flanges, and pumps for naval vessels.
Unfortunately, A.W. Chesterton used asbestos liberally in its products. In particular, A.W.
Chesterton used asbestos in its industrial, fluid, sealing products. As such, the employees of
A.W. Chesterton and its customers were placed in grave danger.
As early as the 1920s, physicians recognized that exposure to asbestos caused severe
sickness when asbestosis was identified by British medical journals. Illnesses, such as,
asbestosis and the aggressive cancer, mesothelioma, are caused by exposure to asbestos. At the same time, insurance companies in the United States and Canada stopped selling life insurance to asbestos workers. Moreover, safer substitutes for most asbestos uses were known as early as the 1930s.
Nevertheless, A.W. Chesterton chose to protect its substantial profit margins rather than
discontinue use of the mineral.
Additionally, the asbestos fibers remain in a person's lungs for years and symptoms may
not develop for decades. Thus, A.W. Chesterton's victims might live for decades without
knowing of the deadly injury they sustained. This includes the men and women who served our
country in the Navy.
If you or a loved one has been injured by A.W. Chesterton, it is important
that you contact Gori Julian & Associates immediately for more information on your rights.
