Briggs Manufacturing Company

In 1953, it was bought by Chrysler Corporation without its former Beautyware plumbing division which is now owned by Cerámicas Industriales, South America (CISA).

As demand for the closed cars expanded more businesses were acquired including competitors supplying to Ford.

[1] During the 1920s Ford and General Motors began to make their own bodies and Briggs became the largest independent.

A fire at Harper Avenue caused Briggs to lease the Model T plant at Highland Park in which they made many bodies for Chrysler.

Briggs Detroit plants (supplying Ford) were the centers of strike action by United Auto Workers in 1933 and 1937 where UAW was successful.

[1][5][6][7] Other well-known brands that fitted Briggs' bodies were: Lincoln, Chrysler, Packard, Hudson, Pierce Arrow, Tucker, and Marmon[1] The Great Depression caused many customers to bring many more operations under their direct control.

Briggs had provided two-thirds of Ford's bought-in bodies in 1936 but the share had fallen to just over a quarter by 1939 and those went to Lincoln and Mercury.

Ford, Chrysler, Packard and Hudson set up their own in-house design departments and LeBaron lost importance for Briggs.

Dagenham and Trafford Park were sold to Ford Motor Company Limited and customer Jowett ended production and went out of business.