Thompson, Bump launch fabric company
By Susan M. Andrews -- Furniture Today, June 27, 2005
High Point — Longtime colleagues and textile industry veterans Lawry Bump and Pete Thompson have formed Thompson/Bump Fabrics to supply sourced product for the American furniture industry.
Bump is handling sales, and Thompson will set up and run operations. Close friends since college, Bump and Thompson have been in the fabric business since 1975.
"We've worked together for many of those years," Bump said, "including the management of Phillips Mills. Our new company will concentrate solely on the customer, product and sales — with emphasis on the customer."
Thompson/Bump Fabrics will focus on plain fabrics priced from $3.50 to $4.95, with initial offerings of suede fabrics and upcoming additions of textural plains.
"We will not be fancy and we will not get into a lot of SKUs that we can't service," Thompson said. "We still see a place in the industry for a supplier of good, solid, basic product."
Bump previously was vice president of sales and marketing for Culp Decorative Fabrics. Prior to that, he held the same position with Phillips Mills.
Thompson is president and owner of K-T Fabrics, which buys first-quality closeouts from mills and manufacturers and sells them primarily to fabric retailers. Earlier, he led international sales for Mastercraft Fabrics and was vice president of operations for Phillips Mills.
In addition to helping form the new company, Bump will handle five states for K-T Fabrics. He also will carry Portfolio Textiles in Mississippi, and certain accounts in other areas, including Tennessee and Alabama.
"Lawry will be a great addition to our sales staff," said Burt Kaplan, Portfolio president. "He has excellent customer relationships and knowledge of our industry."
