Reynolds Metals Company — Plants in Tennessee

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 Tennessee. This page documents the Tennessee 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 Reynolds Metals Company’s Tennessee Valley principal aluminum operation was the Listerhill / Sheffield AL primary smelter across the state line, which drew heavily on Tennessee Valley Authority hydroelectric power and pulled Tennessee-side workers, contractors, and downstream fabrication. Reynolds Metals Tennessee footprint allegedly included:

  • Reynolds Metals Listerhill Smelter (Sheffield AL, Tennessee Valley) — Sheffield AL, primary aluminum smelter and rolling mill served by TVA hydroelectric power, principal asbestos-era operations approximately 1941-1980s, drew workforce from adjacent Tennessee counties
  • Reynolds Metals Chattanooga Operations — Chattanooga TN, downstream aluminum fabrication and specialty operations, principal asbestos-era operations approximately 1940s-1980s
  • Reynolds Metals Tennessee Service Centers and Fabrication Operations — various Tennessee downstream sites for aluminum coil, plate, and extrusion fabrication serving Tennessee industrial customers during the asbestos era

Plant-Era ACM Narrative

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

  • Asbestos-fabric potline hood cladding and asbestos-block busbar insulation on reduction cells at the Listerhill smelter side (Tennessee Valley)
  • Asbestos-refractory cathode collector bar insulation during pot rebuilds
  • Asbestos-block lagging on cast house holding furnaces and launder troughs
  • Asbestos-fabric ingot mold coating on cast house DC caster molds
  • Asbestos-fabric rolling mill drive belts and asbestos-packed roll bearing seals in downstream Tennessee fabrication
  • Asbestos-refractory homogenizing furnace and heat-treat furnace lining in Chattanooga-area fabrication
  • Asbestos pipe covering on process piping, steam headers, and utility lines throughout the complex
  • Asbestos sheet gaskets at heat exchanger and process-piping flanges

Trades and Local Union Coverage

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

BAC Bricklayers Local 5 Tennessee for pot rebuild refractory and furnace-setting work; HFIAW Insulators Local 90 (Memphis) and Local 86 (Nashville) and the Chattanooga-area Local for pipe covering; UA Pipefitters Local 43 (Chattanooga) and Local 572 (Nashville) for flange work; IBEW Electricians Local 175 (Chattanooga) for potline bus bar and cast house work; and USW / United Steelworkers Local members at Listerhill and downstream Tennessee fabrication.

Documented ACM Product Vectors Named in Litigation

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