Avondale Industries

Avondale Operations, a subsidiary of Northrup Gruman Corporation, is located on the banks of the Mississippi River, approximately 12 miles upriver from downtown New Orleans.  It has been in continuous operation since its humble beginnings in 1938 and is now Louisiana's largest manufacturing employer, boasting more than 6,000 employees.

Avondale began as a small barge repair facility.  It’s now a large industrial complex known as Avondale Operations, with the company producing a wide variety of naval and commercial shipbuilding programs.  Avondale covers 268 acres and includes not only outfitting docks but also a Modular Construction Division and a Steel Sales Division.

Though it was established at the end of the 1930s, Avondale didn’t actually begin building ocean-going vessels until the 1950s.  From 1959 to 1985, the shipyard operated as a subsidiary of Ogden Corporation and built both commercial and military vessels.  During this same time period, Avondale built 27 destroyer escorts for the US Navy.

According to records, since the mid-1970s, Avondale has delivered more than 40 new, major surface non-combatant ships into the Navy's fleet, along with several other commercial vessels, including paddlewheel gaming boats, tugs, and towboats.  Many other ships arrive at Avondale for "jumbo-ization," conversions, overhauls, or repair jobs.

Avondale is also on the cutting-edge of shipbuilding and repair, employing the latest technologies – such as robots - to produce and maintain today’s ships.

Prior to the asbestos warnings of the mid-1970s, shipyards like Avondale made use of many products which contained dangerous asbestos.  These products were used in new ships or were torn out and replaced in ships that arrived for repair or maintenance. When asbestos is damaged or otherwise manipulated, dangerous fibers can become airborne and be inhaled by those working directly with the material or even those in the vicinity of the asbestos.   Those who may have been exposed include pipe fitters, steamfitters, boiler technicians, construction mechanics, electrical technicians, enginemen, fire control technicians, and many others.

Did you develop mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases because of your work at Avondale Industries?  If so, it’s important to gather all the information you can about the disease, its treatment, and your legal recourse as an individual exposed to asbestos on-the-job.  Order our Free Mesothelioma Resource Kit for more details.