THUNDER BAY — A longstanding food service wholesaler and distributor in Northwestern Ontario is shutting down, putting 36 people out of work.
Loudon Bros., which operates out of a warehouse on Athabasca Street in the east end, will close its doors as of Sept. 15.
Its area clients, mostly restaurants but also convenience stores and other customers, will now have to look for an alternate supplier.
Loudon Bros. has been in business for 60 years, and was locally-owned until it was acquired in 2012 by the Calgary-based distribution and logistics firm Wallace & Carey.
The parent company filed for bankruptcy protection earlier this year under the Companies' Creditors Arrangements Act.
Management cites "challenging financial circumstances and insolvency," and says declining sales have also impacted the ability to sustain operations in Thunder Bay, among other regions.
Wallace & Carey senior vice-president Jackie Bellerose told TBnewswatch the company has sent a letter to Mayor Ken Boshcoff announcing the closure, and promising to provide comprehensive outplacement services for its local workers hoping to find jobs somewhere else.
Several employees have been with Loudon Bros. for over 20 years.
The 23,000-square-foot warehouse is being put up for sale.
"We understand the significance of this property to the community and will work closely with the relevant parties to ensure that its future is determined in a way that benefits the Thunder Bay community," Bellerose stated.
