Product Description

Reed-Prentice was a leading American manufacturer of plastic injection molding machinery from the 1930s through the late 1970s. The brand was operated as the Reed-Prentice Division of Package Machinery Company, headquartered in Worcester, Massachusetts. Reed-Prentice presses were sold in capacity ranges from 4-ounce, 6-ounce, and 8-ounce small-shot models up to 32-ounce and 60-ounce large-tonnage machines, and the brand supplied a wide cross-section of American plastics manufacturers — including injection and extrusion molders producing dispenser pumps, electrical components, household products, and packaging.

According to publicly filed asbestos litigation records, Reed-Prentice injection molding machines were standard equipment in West Coast and Midwest molding plants from the immediate postwar era through the late 1970s. The Reed-Prentice 8-oz injection machine in particular was widely deployed; aftermarket suppliers such as Injection Molders Supply Co. (IMS) of Cleveland, Ohio published replacement cylinder and heater assemblies dimensioned specifically for the popular Reed-Prentice 8-oz frame.

Reed-Prentice was named as a corporate defendant in numerous asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death actions, including the New York Court of Appeals decisions in Robinson v. Reed-Prentice Division of Package Machinery Co., 49 N.Y.2d 471 (1980), and in the consolidated New York City Asbestos Litigation matters reported at Matter of New York City Asbestos Litig., 27 N.Y.3d 765 (2016).

Asbestos Content

Plaintiffs alleged in publicly filed U.S. asbestos litigation that Reed-Prentice injection molding machines incorporated asbestos in one or more of the structural roles common to plastic injection presses of the era:

Heating cylinder insulation — The heated injection cylinder (the long horizontal barrel through which molten plastic was pushed by the reciprocating screw or plunger) operated at process temperatures of 350°F to 600°F and above, depending on the plastic being molded. Plaintiffs alleged that the cylinder was wrapped in asbestos-containing thermal insulation to retain process heat, protect operators, and stabilize melt temperature.

Band heater insulation and gaskets — The electric band heaters clamped around the injection cylinder were alleged to be insulated and gasketed with asbestos-bearing material. When band heaters failed (a routine maintenance event) operators or maintenance personnel removed the failed band, disturbed the surrounding insulation, and installed a replacement — releasing asbestos fiber during the work.

Nozzle insulation — The heated nozzle that connected the cylinder to the mold sprue bushing was alleged to be wrapped or gasketed with asbestos-containing material.

Hot platen insulation — Some Reed-Prentice press configurations included heated mold platens; plaintiffs alleged that platen insulation contained asbestos.

Aftermarket asbestos-insulated cylinders — Aftermarket suppliers including Injection Molders Supply Co. (IMS), 3514 Lee Rd., Cleveland 20, Ohio marketed replacement cylinders and heaters specifically for the Reed-Prentice 8-oz frame; those replacement assemblies are alleged in litigation records to have been supplied with asbestos-containing insulation through at least the early 1970s.

How Workers Were Exposed

Workers across plastic molding operations were exposed to asbestos from Reed-Prentice machines during multiple routine and maintenance tasks:

  • Band heater replacement — A routine maintenance event. Removing a failed band required disturbing the surrounding cylinder insulation, generating airborne asbestos fiber in the operator’s immediate breathing zone.
  • Cylinder rewrap and re-insulation — During major press overhauls and cylinder rebuilds, the entire cylinder insulation jacket was stripped and replaced. Workers cut, tore, scraped, and reinstalled asbestos-containing insulation by hand.
  • Mold changes — Each mold change required workers to lean over hot platens and access heated areas where asbestos insulation was disturbed.
  • Nozzle changes and purging — Cleaning purges and nozzle changes required workers to work in proximity to asbestos-insulated nozzle assemblies.
  • Heater wiring and electrical maintenance — Plant electricians replacing thermocouples, heater leads, and contactors at press control panels worked within asbestos-insulated cylinder areas.
  • Machine rebuilding and refurbishment — Used-equipment dealers and rebuild shops servicing Reed-Prentice presses for resale handled and stripped asbestos-containing insulation as part of refurbishment.

Plaintiffs alleged that plastic molding operators, machine setup workers, mold-change crews, plant maintenance mechanics, millwrights, plant electricians, and bystander workers were exposed to airborne asbestos fiber during these routine activities — often without warnings, respiratory protection, or knowledge of the asbestos content of the cylinder insulation they were disturbing.

Plants Where Reed-Prentice Presses Were Installed

Reed-Prentice machines were deployed across the U.S. plastics industry — including at injection and extrusion molders producing dispenser pumps, trigger sprayers, plastic closures, electrical components, packaging, and consumer products. Publicly filed asbestos litigation records and contemporaneous trade-press archives associate Reed-Prentice equipment with West Coast molders headquartered in Los Angeles and South Gate, California during the 1940s-1960s era — including molders that supplied the personal-care, packaging, and electrical-component industries.

This information reflects facility history, exposure pathways, and product documentation drawn from publicly filed asbestos litigation, federal regulatory records, and industry archives. It does not constitute a finding of fact or liability with respect to any specific manufacturer, supplier, or facility operator.

Documented End-User Plants and Worker Populations

Reed-Prentice injection molding machines were installed across virtually every category of U.S. plastic-molding operation during the asbestos era. Reed-Prentice-related worker exposure occurred at:

Plastic Dispenser, Sprayer, and Packaging Molders

  • Trigger-sprayer, finger-pump, and dispenser-pump molders — including Calmar Co. Los Angeles (6800 McKinley Ave; 1950s-60s era), Realex Corp / Calmar Lee’s Summit Missouri (1985-2004), Saint-Gobain Calmar / MeadWestvaco Calmar Grandview Missouri (2004-present), AFA Dispensing, Seaquist Perfect, Continental, and other U.S. personal-care and packaging-pump molders
  • Plastic-bottle, plastic-jar, and plastic-closure molders — supplying the food-and-beverage, personal-care, pharmaceutical, and household-chemical industries
  • Plastic-packaging and rigid-container molders — supplying commodity packaging across U.S. consumer-goods industries

Electrical-Component Plastic Molders

  • Phenolic switchgear, breaker, panelboard, and terminal-block molders — including Square D Company plants at Cedar Rapids Iowa, Peru Indiana, Columbia Missouri, Lincoln Nebraska, Middletown Ohio, and other Square D facilities; Westinghouse Electric Corporation electrical-component plants; General Electric electrical-component plants; and independent electrical-component molders
  • Plastic-handle, plastic-knob, and plastic-component molders for consumer and industrial electrical products

Consumer Appliance and Industrial Molders

  • Small-appliance plastic-component molders — supplying toaster, broiler, oven, food-warmer, humidifier, and other small-appliance manufacturers
  • Automotive plastic-component molders — supplying instrument-panel, interior-trim, and under-hood molded components to U.S. automotive OEMs
  • Industrial plastic-component molders — supplying machined and molded plastic parts to U.S. industrial OEMs

Worker Populations Across All End-User Plants

Plastic molding operators, machine setup workers, mold-change crews, plant maintenance mechanics, millwrights, plant electricians, machinist-rebuild crews, and bystander workers at all of these end-user plants were exposed to airborne asbestos fiber from Reed-Prentice cylinder insulation, band-heater insulation, and nozzle gasket and packing materials during routine press operation, band-heater replacement, cylinder rewrap, and machine rebuild work throughout the asbestos era.

All The Ways Someone May Have Been Exposed to Reed-Prentice Asbestos-Bearing Components

Reed-Prentice machines were installed across thousands of U.S. plastic-molding operations during the 1930s-1970s era, making the exposure-pathway catalog broad across the U.S. plastics industry:

Plastic-Molding Plant Direct Worker Exposure

  • Plastic-molding press operators — press-bay operators running Reed-Prentice machines at small-shot (4-oz, 6-oz, 8-oz) and large-shot (32-oz, 60-oz) capacity
  • Machine setup workers — setting up and tuning Reed-Prentice presses for production runs
  • Mold-change crews and mold setters — installing and changing molds during production changeovers
  • Mold designers and tool-and-die makers — designing and fabricating injection-molding tooling for Reed-Prentice presses
  • Phenolic-compound and plastic-pellet hopper-loaders — transferring compound and pellets to press hoppers
  • Cure-cycle and barrel-purge operators — running purge cycles between color and material changes
  • Cylinder-rewrap and band-heater replacement workers — performing routine maintenance that disturbed asbestos-bearing cylinder insulation
  • Press-bay maintenance mechanics, millwrights, and pipefitters — servicing presses, hydraulics, and steam-and-cooling lines
  • Plant electricians — servicing band heaters, thermocouples, contactors, and control panels
  • Used-equipment dealers and machine rebuilders — refurbishing used Reed-Prentice presses for resale
  • Receiving, stockroom, and shipping workers — handling press hoppers, replacement cylinders, band heaters, and finished components

Plastic Dispenser, Sprayer, Pump, and Packaging Industries

  • Trigger-sprayer, finger-pump, and dispenser-pump molders — including Calmar Co. Los Angeles (6800 McKinley Ave., 1950s-60s), Realex Corp Lee’s Summit Missouri (pre-1985), Calmar Inc. Lee’s Summit Missouri (1985-2004 at 1001 S State Route 291, 1204 SW Jefferson St., and a third Lee’s Summit facility), Saint-Gobain Calmar / MeadWestvaco Calmar Grandview Missouri (2004-present at 11901 Grandview Road), AFA Dispensing, Seaquist Perfect, Continental, and other U.S. personal-care and packaging-pump molders
  • Plastic-bottle, plastic-jar, and plastic-closure molders — supplying food-and-beverage, personal-care, pharmaceutical, and household-chemical industries
  • Plastic packaging-component molders — caps, lids, liners, and accessories

Electrical-Component Plastic Molders

  • Phenolic switchgear molders — Square D plants (Cedar Rapids IA, Peru IN, Columbia MO, Lincoln NE, Middletown OH, Lexington KY, Asheboro NC), Westinghouse plants, General Electric plants, Federal Pacific plants
  • Phenolic-component subcontract molders — independent molders supplying electrical OEMs
  • Plastic-handle, plastic-knob, and plastic-component molders for consumer and industrial electrical products

Consumer Appliance, Automotive, and Industrial Molders

  • Small-appliance plastic-component molders — supplying McGraw-Edison Toastmaster (Boonville MO, Macon MO), Sunbeam, Hamilton Beach, GE Small Appliance, Westinghouse Small Appliance, and other consumer-appliance manufacturers
  • Automotive plastic-component molders — supplying instrument panel, interior-trim, and under-hood components to Big Three U.S. automakers and tier-one suppliers
  • Industrial plastic-component molders — supplying plastic components to industrial OEMs across construction, agriculture, marine, mining, and other industries

IMS Aftermarket Cylinder Service Exposure

The Reed-Prentice 8-oz frame in particular was widely deployed and was the target of substantial aftermarket replacement-cylinder business by Injection Molders Supply Co. (IMS, 3514 Lee Road, Cleveland 20, Ohio). See the IMS aftermarket cylinders and band heaters product page for the IMS-supplied replacement-cylinder worker exposure pathway.

Plant Maintenance, Service, and Auxiliary Worker Exposure

  • Plant maintenance electricians — servicing press control panels and electrical distribution
  • Plant pipefitters and steam-system technicians — servicing steam, cooling, and chilled-water lines feeding the press-bay
  • Plant compressed-air-system technicians — servicing pneumatic systems
  • Plant janitorial and housekeeping crews — cleaning compound dust from press bays
  • Plant cafeteria, security, and front-office personnel — bystander exposure to indoor airborne compound dust circulated by plant HVAC

Used-Equipment Service, Auction, and Plant-Closure Exposure

  • Plant-closure auction workers — removing Reed-Prentice presses during plant-closure auctions and equipment liquidations (including the post-2004 Calmar Lee’s Summit Missouri plant closure)
  • Used-equipment dealers and rebuild shops — disassembling, stripping, refurbishing, and rebuilding used Reed-Prentice presses for resale
  • Equipment-relocation riggers — disassembling, transporting, and reassembling Reed-Prentice presses during plant relocations (including the alleged 1985 Calmar/Realex consolidation from Los Angeles to Lee’s Summit, Missouri)

Worker Family, Take-Home, and Bystander Exposure

  • Spouses laundering work clothes of plastic-molding plant workers and downstream service technicians
  • Children of plastic-molding plant workers — playing with or near work clothes, sitting in workers’ laps after shifts
  • Other family members and household help
  • Carpool partners of plastic-molding workers

Community and Environmental Exposure

  • Plastic-molding-plant community residents — community ambient-air exposure near historical plastic-molding-plant locations (Los Angeles CA, Lee’s Summit MO, Boonville MO, Macon MO, and other historic plastics-industry centers)
  • Industrial-park co-tenants — companies sharing industrial parks with historical plastic-molding-plant locations

Regulatory, Research, and Litigation-Support Contact

  • OSHA inspectors and industrial hygienists — federal and contract personnel inspecting plastic-molding plants
  • EPA personnel and Superfund contractors — federal personnel investigating contaminated former plastic-molding-plant sites
  • NIOSH researchers — federal researchers studying plastics-industry occupational health
  • Plastics-industry trade-association industrial hygienists — Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) and Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) industrial-hygiene programs