Northwestern Steel & Wire
In 1879 a company called the Northwestern Barbed Wire Company was established in Rock Falls, Illinois. By 1912 the company had grown, taken over a business called the Griswold Company and moved within the same state to the city of Sterling. As the company continued to experience growth, they added more equipment and started producing steel based products. In 1938 the name of the company was officially changed to Northwestern Steel & Wire.
The employees of Northwestern Steel & Wire labored hard every day to produce a high quality steel product. During World War II the goods they manufactured were in great demand, and the company expanded even more which called for the hire of hundreds of new people. Sadly, all of these laborers were subjected to a hazardous material that most would not be aware of until many years later. Some of the items they worked with and around contained the toxic mineral known as asbestos. It was found in nearly every type of insulation that was used in the mill, and also within other items such as fire bricks and the protective fire resistant clothing employees had to wear while on the job.
Even though people may have known they were spending time in close proximity to asbestos, they probably didn’t realize the mineral was hazardous. The general public was not aware of the fact until the later 1970's, and so millions of Americans were exposed to the hazardous substance on a regular basis. As people worked around goods that contain asbestos, they would regularly breathe in small dust particles that would break apart from the insulation or other items and become airborne. Once the asbestos dust was ingested, it would cling to the respiratory system and become a very damaging force. Those who breathed it in often developed breathing disorders and cancerous diseases. Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that has plagued workers in steel mills and any location that used products containing asbestos.
During the 1980's, more companies entered the steel market, and profits for Northwestern Steel & Wire began to decline. The company was forced to reduce their staff and find other ways to cut expenses. Despite the belt tightening, things continued to go downhill throughout the 1990's. By 2001 company executives decided to shut the plant down.
The effects of asbestos inhalation will typically take more two decades or more to develop, so even if you worked at Northwestern Steel & Wire many years ago, you could still be at risk and should contact your doctor to discuss your situation as soon as possible. Although the mesothelioma survival rate is known to be discouraging, early diagnosis and treatments such as mesothelioma radiation may help improve the prognosis for this disease.
