Malleable Iron Range Company / Monarch Range
Founded in 1896, Malleable Iron Range Company manufactured a variety of home appliances, including stoves, heaters, refrigerators and furnaces. The Wisconsin-based company experienced decades of commercial success through the production and sale of its first and most-notable product, the Monarch Malleable Coal-Wood Range.
The enduring popularity of the Monarch trademark gave way to a complete line of coal-wood, gas, electric and combination ranges that were mass produced until Malleable Iron Range Co. filed for bankruptcy in 1985. During the company's 89 years of production, asbestos-containing materials were used in Monarch ranges before the toxic mineral's health risks were widely known.
There is a chance employees at Malleable Iron Range Co. were exposed to dangerous levels of airborne asbestos fibers, placing them at risk for fatal asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma cancer. If you were a former Malleable Iron Range Co. employee and believe you may have been exposed to asbestos at the workplace, contact your doctor immediately. If you have questions regarding your diagnosis, treatment options or legal rights, call the Patient Advocates at the Mesothelioma Center at (800) 615-2270 or e-mail them at this address.
Asbestos in Monarch Ranges
From 1896 until the company filed for bankruptcy in 1985, Malleable Iron Range. Co. included asbestos materials in the inner lining of their Monarch ranges. Monarch marketed its asbestos use for decades. Asbestos in the ranges posed little danger to consumers. Unless the stoves were disassembled, toxic asbestos fibers remained safely contained inside the stove assembly.
Previous Malleable Iron Range Co. workers, however, may have experienced an increased risk of asbestos exposure. Employees at the Beaver Dam factory, including those working in foundries, machine shops, enameling rooms, production lines and warehouses, likely came in contact with asbestos throughout the course of their careers. Microscopic fibers can break away from asbestos materials during handling and cause permanent lung damage if inhaled.
History of Malleable Iron Range Co.
In 1896, Silas McClure and A.C. Terrell established a stove factory in St. Louis, Missouri. Three years later, they incorporated the company as the Malleable Iron Range Co. and created a trademark for Monarch, their line of coal or wood burning stoves manufactured for use in homes, hotels, restaurants, hospitals and schools. Soon after, the operation relocated to a 13-acre factory just north of downtown Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.
Although these stoves cost nearly double that of most competitors, their popularity grew among homemakers, who praised the quality and economy of the stoves' construction. Before long, Monarch became a household name. Monarch's popularity grew throughout the 1950s when the factory's employee count peaked at nearly 1,200.
Malleable Iron Range's success waned in the late 1970s, because of increased regulation of wood burning stoves. By early 1985, fewer than 260 workers remained when the company filed for bankruptcy protection with assets of $7 million and debts of $5.8 million.
Site Contamination, Cleanup and Redevelopment
After Malleable Iron Range Co. filed for bankruptcy, its former production plant was left in disrepair. A hazardous waste investigation conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources found asbestos insulation in pipes throughout the site, a considerable health risk for anyone who cut the pipes or made repairs.
Most of the hazardous waste was still on site in 1987 when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was called in to help with cleanup efforts of asbestos and other contaminants. The EPA allocated $369,000 from their Superfund program to cover the cost of removing the remaining waste. The site today is home to a grocery store, a video store, a small strip mall and a pharmacy.
To learn more about occupational exposure to asbestos, ask for a free copy of the Mesothelioma Center's informational packet. Fill out this form to get a customized packet sent to you overnight.
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© 2012 The Mesothelioma Center |
Last Modified Thursday, February 9th, 2012 | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy |
The information provided by The Mesothelioma Center is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
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