Allen-Bradley Company (now Rockwell Automation) was one of the United States’ largest manufacturers of industrial controls, motor drives, sensors, and programmable controllers. The company manufactured asbestos-containing phenolic molding compounds under its Rostone brand and used these compounds in the production of electrical control enclosures, relay housings, motor starter components, and other electrical equipment at its Milwaukee, Wisconsin operations.

Rostone — Allen-Bradley’s proprietary phenolic compound

Asbestos litigation records specifically identify Rostone as an Allen-Bradley phenolic molding compound product. A 2018 Trialsmith plaintiffs’ listserv discussion thread is titled “Rostone (Allen Bradley) Phenolic Molding Compounds” — documenting active litigation involving this product line among plaintiffs’ asbestos attorneys.

Rostone is named alongside other major compound manufacturers in Reichhold Chemicals interrogatory responses identifying electrical industry customers for asbestos-containing phenolic compounds, along with Cutler Hammer, Federal Pacific, Allis Chalmers, Ward Leonard, GE, Square D, and Westinghouse.

Union Carbide deposition testimony identifies Allen-Bradley as a company that Union Carbide “tried to get business from” for Bakelite phenolic molding compound — confirming Allen-Bradley’s role as a significant phenolic compound consumer in the electrical controls industry.

Facility

  • Milwaukee, Wisconsin — Allen-Bradley’s primary manufacturing campus and headquarters
  • Allen-Bradley operated the largest clock faces in the Western Hemisphere at its Milwaukee facility, a landmark of the city’s industrial history

Products manufactured with phenolic compound

  • Industrial motor starters and contactors
  • Relay housings and enclosures
  • Pushbutton operator stations
  • Limit switches and safety controls
  • Programmable controller enclosures
  • Industrial sensor housings

Worker exposure pathways

Workers at Allen-Bradley’s Milwaukee facility who handled Rostone or other phenolic molding compound in production operations — including compound loading, press operation, deflashing, and machining — were exposed to asbestos-containing compound dust.

Successor liability

Allen-Bradley was acquired by Rockwell International in 1985 and is now part of Rockwell Automation. Successor entities carry liability for Allen-Bradley’s asbestos-era manufacturing operations.

If you worked at Allen-Bradley in Milwaukee

Workers in molding, trimming, or machining at Allen-Bradley’s Milwaukee facility during the asbestos era may have been exposed to asbestos from phenolic molding compound.

Free, confidential case evaluation: Speak with O’Brien Law Firm — (314) 936-2956

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References to manufacturers, products, and litigation history reflect what has been alleged or documented in publicly filed asbestos litigation, federal regulatory records, and industry archives. This information does not constitute a finding of fact or liability.