C.H. Briggs Company, Reading, Pa., an independently owned distributor of interior specialty building materials, has decided to close its doors.
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The company’s decision to close was made after exhaustive efforts to restructure its relationship with its primary supplier were unsuccessful.
“This is a sad day for the distribution industry,” said Ian Heller, Co-Founder of Distribution Strategy Group. “C.H. Briggs has been a leading company for decades, and CEO Julia Klein is a gifted and visionary leader. It’s a shame that ongoing supply chain issues have caused such a great firm to shut down. I’m sure Julia and her team will find new opportunities to do great things, and we look forward to helping them in any way we can.”
The closure impacts 130 C.H. Briggs employees across five locations. All employees will receive a severance and benefits package. A small team of employees will remain in place through March 31, 2023, to finalize operational details of the closure.
“To say we are sad and disappointed would be an understatement,” said Julia Klein, Chairwoman, C.H. Briggs Company. “Changes in the supply chains we depended on mean we can no longer provide the quality of products and customer service that was the hallmark of our business. We made every attempt to avoid this outcome.
“Our efforts were exhaustive, but we were left with no other option but to wind down our operations. We recognize how painful this decision is for our co-workers, which is why we worked so hard to avoid it. We have a talented team, and we are doing all we can to help them be successful in the next phase of their careers. We have built a strong culture over three generations, and we are deeply grateful to our co-workers, customers and suppliers for more than a half-century of empowering, elevating and enriching the lives of the communities we serve.
“C.H. Briggs is more than just a distributor of specialty building materials. Our work has always been about people and community – creating exceptional spaces where we can all live, work, learn, play, and heal. Our hope is that those spaces, and the people who design and build them, will be our legacy.”
