Carley Foundry, Inc.

Frank Carley was a man who developed such an intense interest in the steel industry that he started his own company in the basement of his home. Carley Foundry, Inc. was established in 1955 in Minnesota. By 1963 Frank had become successful enough to purchase an existing mill called Cheney Foundry in Minneapolis. Within 4 years his business had grown again and moved in New Brighton. The company continued to grow, and soon built a new plant in Blaine.

As the success of the Carley Foundry, Inc. increased, so did the number of employees that were required to keep the mill running. The people who were hired on to produce their steel based products spent a large amount of their time working with large machines that had to be kept cool with insulation. At that time the most common ingredient in all insulating products was asbestos, a strong mineral that can withstand tremendous heat and is a natural fire retardant. These positive traits were well known, but one important fact about asbestos was not as manifest. Asbestos is toxic.

While workers at Carley Foundry operated the plant's equipment, small amounts of asbestos dust would break off of the insulation and get into the air. Workers would breathe the dust in, and it would cling to their respiratory systems. Because the dust remained internally, the poison would slowly seep into the victim's body and do a great deal of damage. Those who ingested the hazardous material would often develop serious breathing disorders or various types of asbestos cancer. Many ended up with asbestosis or mesothelioma, two conditions that are incurable and typically fatal. The results of asbestos poisoning often take decades to develop, so even people who spent time working around the mineral many years ago may still be at risk now.

By 1994 the New Brighton mills was closed down, and the Blaine plant was expanded. This site continues to develop and expand even today. After the dangers of asbestos like mesothelioma cancer were discovered and exposed, locations like Carley Foundry were forced to have all contaminated materials professionally cleaned up and disposed of, so people who work at the company currently no longer face the same danger their predecessors dealt with.