More than 150 years after the family firm was founded, John Jempson and Son is to cease trading at the end of June and will transfer most of its 80-plus staff to XPO Logistics.
The liquidation marks the end of an era. The company was founded as a horse-drawn timber business in 1866 by Joshua Jempson. The current chairman is Jon Jempson.
The “difficult” decision to close the Rye-based firm is largely driven by the retirement of MD Mark Chamberlain, the company said in a statement.
Jempsons will go into liquidation on 30 June and the majority of its staff will be transferred to XPO Logistics. They will continue to work on distributing plaster, plasterboard and dry lining materials for building products manufacturer British Gypsum, which has been Jempsons’ principal client for many years.
Since 2019, the company has worked for British Gypsum as an XPO Logistics subcontractor, following the manufacturer’s decision to award XPO Logistics the contract to manage all its transport operations. Jempsons’ contract with XPO Logistics was set to expire at the end of June.
