THE EARLY YEARS ...building the foundation
Charles Harry Briggs was employed as an outside sales representative for a hardware distributor located in New York. His territory was eastern Pennsylvania. As part of Harry's way of doing business (providing the best service possible to his customers), he would inquire about what products they needed that he didn't offer. With his employer's permission, Harry began stocking many of these products himself in his garage in Reading, Pennsylvania and delivering them from his station wagon. This dedication to providing what his customers needed in a timely manner was the foundation upon which Briggs was built.
THE GROWTH YEARS ...a family affair
Over the next decade Harry continued increasing the range of products he was selling under his own name. In 1969, C.H. Briggs Hardware Co. was founded and Harry was able to provide a full range of products to his customers.
By this time Harry's daughter, Mary Ellen Klein, and her husband, Fritz Klein, were active in the company. Under their leadership, Briggs continued to look for new and better ways to serve customers. Fritz rapidly became known as one of the most innovative leaders in the industry. Under his direction, Briggs became one of the first distributors in the country to handle DuPont Corian®, a product thats uses were not yet apparent in the late 60s. In 1977, Briggs became one of the first hardware distributors in the country to adopt computerized inventory and financial controls.
In 1989, C.H. Briggs opened a branch location in Baltimore, MD. Julia Klein, Harry's granddaughter and Fritz and Mary Ellen's daughter was the general manager of this new location, marking the third generation of Briggs involvement. After five years in this capacity, Julia moved to the main offices in Reading, PA and is now Chair and CEO of Briggs.
TODAY ...proudly operating on our founding principles
Continuing the tradition of her parents and grandparents in ensuring the long-term growth of C.H. Briggs, Julia and the Briggs Team have grown C.H. Briggs into one of the largest independently owned building materials distributors in the industry. Representing more than 200 of the best-known vendors, Briggs has established itself as a supplier of high quality products and services. With over 170 employees, C.H. Briggs continues to grow. Expansion has included the construction of a new 18,000 sq. ft. office building; the addition of a branch and Surfaces Selection Center in Telford, PA; and the relocation to a larger facility near Baltimore, MD.
Committed to technology leadership, C.H. Briggs launched its website, www.chbriggs.com, to provide convenient online ordering, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Recognizing innovative use of networking and the Internet to enhance, simplify, and streamline internal operations and customer relationships, Briggs was twice named a national winner in the Inc./Cisco "Growing with Technology" Awards Program. In addition, Julia was invited to be a guest speaker during the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors' live satellite broadcast of Success on the Internet - Real World Strategies for Wholesalers-Distributors.
As an active member of various industry and community organizations, C.H. Briggs was also the recipient of the "Outstanding Industry or Community Service" award and the "Most Innovative Supplier Support Program" award presented by Kitchen & Bath Design News.
C.H. Briggs is dedicated to growing our business and servicing this industry and our valued customers in the most efficient and cost effective way with quality products and services. Product needs may vary greatly in different parts of the country, and suggestions and ideas from our customers are welcomed.
We value your input and we listen. We want to be your distributor of choice.
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