City firm wins $29M government contract

WOONSOCKET – The U.S. Defense Department has awarded The Brickle Group a $29.3 million contract to produce berets for American military personnel, the largest contract the homegrown textile manufacturer has won in years.

Max Brickle, president of the company, says the contract means it will need to double the workforce of the beret division, which currently accounts for about 15 percent of Brickle’s total workforce of 130.

“We’re very excited,” Brickle said. “It’s good for the company and all our employees.”

In an odd but welcome coincidence, one of the first people outside the Brickle family to learn the news was Congressman David Cicilline (D-R.I.), who has gone to bat for American manufacturers by spearheading an amendment to the Defense Authorization Act called – you guessed it – the Brickle Amendment.

The Brickle Amendment, which was adopted by House of Representatives on May 14, is named for Max’s father, Sam Brickle, chairman of The Brickle Group. Cicilline credits the elder Brickle with calling to his attention the need to reform defense procurement regulations that favor foreign competition over domestic operations.

Full story appears on page A1 of Friday's Call.