Reynolds Metals Company — Plants in Virginia

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

Premises Description

Reynolds Metals Company (founded 1928, headquartered Richmond Virginia; acquired by Alcoa in 2000) was through the 20th century the second-largest U.S. aluminum producer behind Alcoa and the inventor of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil. Reynolds operated through the asbestos era a comprehensive vertically-integrated U.S. aluminum network including bauxite mining, alumina refining, primary aluminum smelting, rolling mills, and downstream fabrication. Major Reynolds asbestos-era U.S. sites included:

  • Listerhill AL (Sheffield) — flagship Tennessee Valley smelter
  • Longview WA — Pacific Northwest hydroelectric-powered smelter
  • Troutdale OR — Pacific Northwest smelter
  • Massena NY — St. Lawrence Seaway smelter (adjacent to Alcoa Massena)
  • McCook IL — Chicago-area rolling mill
  • Richmond VA — corporate headquarters and specialty operations
  • Bauxite AR and Hurricane Creek AR — alumina refining
  • Corpus Christi TX — alumina refining and smelting

Aluminum smelting via the Hall-Héroult process was specified across the industry with extensive asbestos refractory and electrical insulation through the documented era (see also: Alcoa premises page). Reynolds reduction cells, anode-baking furnaces, and downstream rolling-mill furnaces all carried this asbestos profile.

Plaintiffs alleged in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation that Reynolds Metals — as premises owner — exposed its aluminum-worker workforce (USW Local representation) and contractor pipefitters, insulators, boilermakers, electricians, and trade workers to extensive asbestos.

Reynolds Metals Company 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 Listerhill, Longview, Troutdale, Massena, McCook, Bauxite, Hurricane Creek, Corpus Christi
  • Refinery and mill pipefitters and millwrights
  • Insulators (HFIAW Local members) on Reynolds construction and turnaround crews
  • Boilermakers (IBB Local members) building Reynolds smelter and refinery equipment
  • Electricians (IBEW Local members) working Reynolds potline electrical systems
  • Construction-trade workforces on Reynolds EPC projects

If You Worked at a Reynolds Metals Smelter, Refinery, or Mill

If you worked at a Reynolds Metals Company aluminum smelter, alumina refinery, rolling mill, or foil plant during the asbestos era — as a Reynolds 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 Reynolds Metals plants in Virginia allegedly involved asbestos-containing materials during their principal operating eras. Documented plant footprint in Virginia:

  • Reynolds Metals Corporate Headquarters (Richmond VA) — Richmond VA, Reynolds Metals Company world headquarters and corporate research / specialty operations, principal asbestos-era operations approximately 1938-1980s (acquired by Alcoa 2000), site includes historic Reynolds Metals office campus
  • Reynolds Metals Bellwood Plant — Bellwood VA (Chesterfield County, south of Richmond), Reynolds aluminum reduction, extrusion, and specialty fabrication operations, principal asbestos-era operations approximately 1940s-1980s
  • Reynolds Metals Richmond Foil Plant — Richmond VA, Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil rolling and packaging operations, principal asbestos-era operations approximately 1940s-1980s

Plant-Era ACM Narrative

At Reynolds Metals’ Virginia operations, plaintiffs allegedly encountered the following plant-era asbestos exposure pathways during the U.S. asbestos era (approximately 1930s-1980):

  • Asbestos-block lagging on cast house holding furnaces and launder troughs at Bellwood aluminum fabrication
  • Asbestos-fabric ingot mold coating on cast house DC caster molds
  • Asbestos-fabric rolling mill drive belts and asbestos-packed roll bearing seals in the Richmond foil rolling mill and Bellwood extrusion
  • Asbestos-refractory homogenizing furnace and heat-treat furnace lining at Bellwood
  • Asbestos-refractory brick in industrial furnaces and heat-treat furnaces
  • Asbestos pipe covering on process piping, steam headers, and utility lines throughout the Richmond / Bellwood complexes
  • Asbestos sheet gaskets at heat exchanger and process-piping flanges
  • Asbestos sprayed fireproofing on structural steel throughout multi-story process and rolling-mill buildings
  • Asbestos-fabric electrical arc chute plates in plant switchgear and motor control centers

Trades and Local Union Coverage

Plaintiffs alleged that Virginia Reynolds Metals plant work was allegedly performed by tradesmen from the following unions and Locals during the asbestos era:

BAC Bricklayers Local 1 Virginia (Richmond) for furnace-setting and refractory work at Bellwood; HFIAW Insulators Local 89 (Richmond / Central Virginia) for pipe covering; UA Pipefitters Local 10 (Richmond) for flange work at Bellwood and Richmond foil plant; IBB Boilermakers Local 45 (Richmond) for process vessel work; IBEW Electricians Local 666 (Richmond) for switchgear and cast house electrical; and USW / United Steelworkers Local members at Bellwood and Richmond foil plant operating and maintenance crews.

Documented ACM Product Vectors Named in Litigation

Products from AP defendant manufacturers that plaintiffs allegedly identified as supplied to or specified at Virginia Reynolds Metals plants during the asbestos era: