On November 10 1988 Ramon Class, an employee of Haydon Corp., was injured while operating a poke press. The press was manufactured in 1954 from American Roller Die Corp. (Ardcor).
Ardcor was on the outside of business by the time of Class's accident, in such a manner Class filed his produce liability lawsuit against three firms: lee-side Wilson Engineering Co. Inc., which bought the assets of Ardcor in 1963 and manufactured its proceeds line until 1968; P & F Industries Inc., which bought the Ardcor division from Wilson in 1968 yet did not manufacture the Ardcor work line; and American Roll
