Sherwood Davis & Geck

Founded in 1909 as the result of a partnership between Charles T. Davis and Fred A. Geck, and first based in New York, the Davis & Geck company soon gained a reputation as a top suture manufacturer. At the time the company was founded, many medical facilities sterilized their sutures because they presented a high risk of infection. Davis & Geck grew in time to offer over 2,000 different products. Unfortunately, despite these medical innovations, Davis & Geck would go on to produce materials that contained asbestos.

The Davis & Geck company during the 1920s began manufacturing Atraumatic needles, which involved needles with sutures attached. At the end of the 1920s, the company began producing surgical films to document new procedures and help medical staff. Then in the 1930s, the company was acquired by American Cyanamid. Consequently, Davis & Geck moved its headquarters and manufacturing facilities to Connecticut.

During World War II, Davis & Geck held a substantial majority of nylon sutures in the United States. In the 1950s, Davis & Geck acquired a Connecticut factory, which remained the company’s central production facility until the 1990s. The company went on to produce countless surgical products, including some containing asbestos.

In the 1950s, Cyanamid renamed the company to the Surgical Products Division of American Cyanamid. The company also retained the Davis & Geck name. For some time in the 1990s, the company was titled Sherwood, Davis & Geck. In 1998, Kendall acquired Sherwood-Davis & Geck. The company then became part of Covidien Limited and was later acquired by Medtronic PLC.

Davis & Geck became part of American Cyanamid, which produced two notable products containing asbestos. These include Cymel 592, which is a molding compound designed for industrial use, and Melmac 405 laminating resin, which is a type of resin or glass cloth. Some of the companies that received products manufactured by the company include Celotex, Owens Corning Fiberglass, and Raybestos. As a result, countless workers at these and many other facilities were exposed to asbestos.

Various lawsuits involving asbestos exposure have been initiated against American Cyanamid as well as Davis & Geck and several other related companies. Because a Davis & Geck asbestos trust does not exist, the only option that victims often have in pursuing compensation is to pursue damages in a court of law. One notable case involving American Cyanamid occurred in 2005; a Louisiana circuit court heard the case of a deceased man who had been diagnosed with mesothelioma following exposure to asbestos found in American Cyanamid products.

It is difficult to decide how to best respond to a mesothelioma diagnosis. If you or a loved one is diagnosed with a deadly medical condition due to exposure to a product that was manufactured by Davis & Geck, you should not hesitate to speak with an experienced attorney. Contact the Throneberry Law Group today for assistance by calling (866) 356 - 5297.