Plastics Engineering Company (Plenco) & Asbestos Exposure

Asbestos Exposure at Plastics Engineering Company

Plastics Engineering Company (Plenco) is currently located in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. For more than 80 years, it has made plastic compounds used across industries. Like other similar companies, Plenco added asbestos to plastics for several decades.

A brief timeline of Plenco’s asbestos use:

• 1934: Plenco was founded and started making molding compounds and resins. Within a decade, it was making phenolic resin. This is a hard plastic often used in high-heat systems.
• By the 1950s: Plenco was making asbestos plastics. Factory workers added raw asbestos to resins, which other companies then used in their goods.
• In the 1980s: Plenco phased out asbestos in new plastic materials. Old Plenco plastics may still contain the mineral.

Many workers were exposed to asbestos through Plenco’s operations. Employees at companies that used Plenco plastics also faced exposure risks.

Plenco Quick Facts

• The company was originally named American Molded Products Company. It was founded in Chicago, Illinois, by Frank G. Brotz and his five sons.
• The company grew during the plastic industry boom after World War II. Demand was high for durable, affordable materials in cars, appliances and electronics.
• During this boom, many plastics companies added asbestos to resins and compounds. Primary asbestos resins were phenolic, vinyl and epoxy.
• Plenco added asbestos to its phenolic resins. The resins delivered higher heat resistance, strength and electrical insulation. But they also posed health risks to workers and consumers.

High-Risk Occupations at Plenco

Plenco workers who mixed, molded or otherwise helped produce these compounds may have inhaled asbestos fibers. This put them at risk for asbestos-related diseases, like mesothelioma.

Companies in many different industries used plastics. Workers at these companies may have assembled or repaired asbestos products containing Plenco resin. Their work activities may have led to exposure, too.

Workers at risk of asbestos exposure from Plenco plastics include:

• Assemblers
• CNC workers
• Compounding specialists
• Electricians
• Fabricators
• Industrial workers
• Machine operators
• Manufacturing workers
• Moldmakers
• Plant workers
• Plastics engineers
• Plastic fabricators
• Plastic molders
• Welders

Family members of asbestos workers also faced asbestos risks. They could experience secondary exposure when workers unknowingly brought home asbestos dust on themselves or their belongings.

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Asbestos Products Manufactured at Plastics Engineering Company

Plenco made asbestos-containing plastics at its factory. Workers mixed raw asbestos into the resins and compounds before molding them. Plenco’s asbestos-containing plastics were often used in electrical systems, brakes and engines.

Products that may have contained Plenco asbestos resins include:

• Appliance housings and handles
• Automotive parts like brake pads, clutches and engine components
• Electrical switches, outlets and circuit breakers
• Heat-resistant panels and insulation boards
• Industrial machine parts, like gaskets and valve casings

Many other products may have been made with Plenco asbestos plastics. Experienced mesothelioma lawyers have product databases with this type of information. They can help with these details, so you don’t have to know how your exposure occurred.

Have a Question About Asbestos Exposure and Plastics Engineering Company? Ask experienced mesothelioma advocate Jennifer Lucarelli Ask a Question

Compensation for Plastics Engineering Company Workers With Mesothelioma

Workers at Plenco, diagnosed with mesothelioma, may qualify for compensation. Those who handled other products made with asbestos-containing Plenco plastic materials may also be eligible. Common sources for compensation include mesothelioma lawsuits and asbestos trust fund claims.

Lawyers at mesothelioma law firms can explain your options. They can determine which might be a good fit for your case.

Asbestos Trust Fund Claims

Plenco’s facility in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, is listed as a known asbestos exposure site by bankrupt asbestos companies that established trust funds.