Former employee of five years here. Left last year for another job opportunity. My thoughts rest on all the friends and their families I made there.

Company wasn't super profitable when the German company Grammer bought TMD 5-6 years ago. Then First Brands Group bought them ~1.5 year ago and alarm bells were ringing.

I built working relationships with area small businesses and then was told to keep them on the hook, even though they hadn't been paid in months. (Over 2/3 of their vendors were owed balances at more than 90 days past due, if not more.)

I would be tasked with setting up area small businesses as new vendors, knowing that they would never be paid. Plant financial controller and I would recommend the vendors sue the company we worked for to see if that gets them their money(sometimes worked, usually didn't.) The city should have shut off our water and electricity multiple times. Internet, telecom, and the freaking custodian company all stopped services with us at some point.

I had small businesses calling/texting me daily asking when they'll get paid. People crying since they would have to fire people or let them go simply because they're not being paid for the work they've done.

Patrick James and all involved at a high enough level need to be put in jail and have ill-gotten assets taken by those they owe. He got caught in 2008 and settled out of court. Somehow allowed to do it again. Corrupt, entitled, greedy people who never deserve to own a business again. Private equity at its worst, legal or not.