WAUKESHA, Wis. — TJ Hale, a manufacturer that abruptly shut its doors nearly a month ago, is now facing lawsuits from two suppliers who say the company never paid for products it ordered and received.
Previous Coverage| Menomonee Falls manufacturer abruptly closes, leaving dozens of workers without jobs
According to court filings in Waukesha County, Timber Creek Resource LLC is claiming $164,387 and Boyce Highlands Inc. is claiming $30,984 — a nearly $200,000 combined total owed after the sudden shutdown.
Previous Coverage| State investigation launched as former TJ Hale workers seek answers
Both lawsuits allege that TJ Hale placed purchase orders for materials, accepted delivery of the goods, but never issued payment.
Timber Creek — a Brookfield-based supplier of industrial packaging — is suing for breach of contract, unjust enrichment and quantum meruit, arguing it fully performed its obligations but was left unpaid.
Boyce Highlands, a New Hampshire-based supplier, is suing for breach of contract and “account stated,” claiming its unpaid invoices became a final agreed-upon balance because TJ Hale never disputed them. An attorney representing the supplier declined to comment at this time.
Watch: $200K in supplier suits after TJ Hale closure; Workers ‘left out in the cold’
If TJ Hale does not respond within 20 days of being served, the court could issue default judgments for the amounts claimed, plus interest and attorney fees.
The company cited a “sudden loss of work and cash flow” as the reason for its closure, which left 64 workers with little warning.
Twenty days after the closure, a mass layoff notice appeared on the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development website — with an asterisk noting the company had tried to submit a notice the day it closed but used an invalid email address.
Former TJ Hale employee Tom Knight said the past 27 days have been “a rollercoaster,” recalling sleepless nights and uncertainty about his future.
“You can’t sleep because of the uncertainty of what’s going on,” Knight said.He called the company’s explanation for the late layoff notice “a horrible excuse” and “a very bad excuse.”
Knight found a new job but said he still wants answers and justice for his former co-workers.
“It’s a sad day, but I hope the employees get taken care of first, and then all the suppliers who were left out in the cold can be taken care of also,” Knight said.
“The way we got let go wasn’t fair. We all worked very hard, gave everything we had, and then the door slammed in our face. Hopefully something comes out of it in the end,” he said.
The Department of Workforce Development said investigators will determine if the company’s actions complied with state and federal notice requirements as the investigation continues. As of Tuesday, there is no record in federal court of a bankruptcy filing by TJ Hale.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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