Norwood Gains $200,000 Plant As Briggs Bows To Turnpike Extension-This Day In Norwood History-September 7, 1962

ARCHITECT’S SKETCH of building now being erected on Endicott Street for C A Briggs Company The firm has been in the candy business for 60 years and man u factures the well-known product H-B “Hospital Brand” Cough Drops Korslund, Le Normand and Quann are the architects. The John E. Bamber Co. is the general contractor.

Charles E. Briggs, president of the C. A. Briggs Company of Boston, has announced that the 60-year-old firm is presently constructing a new 12,400 square-foot office and factory building at 25 Endicott Street in Norwood to replace their present building in Brighton which is to be torn down to make way for the extension of the Massachusetts Turnpike into Boston.

The 60-year-old firm was founded by Charles A. Briggs, a long-time resident of Norwood, as a bakery located on Day Street, sometime in the 1890’s In 1902 the candy business was added to the bakery line and the company moved to a new seven-story building in Kendall Square. Cambridge, where the bakery business was dissolved For the next 50 years the company manufactured all different types of confections with an employment force of 500 people. During these years the firm manufactured Boston Wafers, the forerunner to Necco wafers, and in the late 30’s introduced Rum & Butter flavor to the United States from France.

In 1952 the firm moved to Brighton and specialized in the manufacturing of H B “Hospital Brand Cough Drops, and Briggs’ Yankee Barley Candies a multi-flavored assortment of tasty hard candies.

The firm expects to move into its new $200,000 home sometime in October This new building which will employ about 20 people, will have about 1400 square feet of office area 6500 square feet of manufacturing area, and 1,500 square feet of storage area Of this approximately 7500 square feet will be air-conditioned and humidity controlled a factory very important in the making of hard candies. Included in the building will be two large tanks holding 80.000 pounds of corn syrup and 10,000 pounds of sugar the firm’s two largest ingredients This plant will be one of the most modern and automated candy, operations in the United States.

Mr. Briggs said that many stated “It must present candidates in the best tradition of the Republican party who also appeal to the independent and Democratic voters aroused to the necessity of restoring integrity in our state government.

The questions and discussion following the talk revealed concern for the state of Massachusetts politics, enthusiasm for Mr. Quinlan’s aim and a growing recognition of the potential influence of women for better government.

Among those to hold coffee hours for Mr. Quinlan in the near future are Mrs. Philip Gahm of Fisher Street, Mrs. Halvar Tolander of East Cross Street and Miss Grace Kcndri-gan and Mrs. Mart Kendrigan of Bird Road.

Other locations were looked into before choosing Norwood. However its accessibility to Boston the favorable tax water and electric rate-along with the availability of personnel, were the determining factors. We look lorwaid to long and prosperous establishment in the town of Norwood.

Architect lot the building is Korslund LeNormand & Quann of Norwood. The General Contractor is the John E Bamber Company also of
Norwood.