The History of Fletcher Industries

Fletcher Industries is a modern, international textile company 164 years in the making. Fletcher Industries began as a large textile factory in Philadelphia called Schaum & Uhlinger during the city’s industrial boom. From roughly 1880 through the 1920s, Philadelphia’s industrial districts supported an array of mills and plants whose diversity has scarcely been matched anywhere in the history of manufacturing. No city had a wider range of textile products than Philadelphia, and Schaum & Uhlinger was part of that important time in history.
Schaum & Uhlinger’s operation consisted of a machine shop and iron foundry and was recognized as a major producer of textile machinery. The factory built fabric looms (including battens and shuttles), rayon throwing machines (including twisters, reels, and winders) and centrifugal extractors (used for textiles, chemicals, sugar, laundry, and dry cleaning). Around 1920, Schaum & Uhlinger was renamed Fletcher Works for Otto Schaum’s son, Fletcher, who managed the company along with his father.
historic image of Fletcher Industries

Fletcher Works continued to produce market-leading weaving, twisting, and winding machinery as well as weaving equipment before being sold by the family in 1955. In 1959, the company moved to Southern Pines, North Carolina and then opened additional facilities in Statesville in 1960. Fletcher International was founded in 1968 to import weaving machinery and later braiding machines and knitting equipment.

Today Fletcher Industries manufactures looms and accessories for technical textiles and Fletcher International imports and services the best braiding and weaving equipment available. Fletcher Industries and Fletcher International are integrated service companies supporting textile applications for home, medical, aerospace and industrial applications. Fletcher Industries’ products are shipped worldwide, and Fletcher International’s clients are supported with technical expertise and precision engineering to provide customers with OEM level service and machinery support. Fletcher adapts to markets by providing the machinery the customer desires, designed for their application. Fletcher services their customers with comprehensive spare parts support, factory trained technical service personnel, and project engineering to assure success.

Ask how Fletcher Industries can improve your weaving processes with engineered bobbin holding, yarn tension, slough control, and shuttle design. Contact us by calling 910-692-7133, emailing quality@fletcherindustries.com, or by visiting our website for more information.

Please contact us using this form or call us at 910-692-7133.

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