A fire, of undetermined origin, broke out around 6:00 pm on Friday, June 28 at Flock Fibers, Inc., a North Walpole, New Hampshire
flock manufacturer. There were no injuries reported among the three workers in the plant at the time the fire. “As far as I know,
it started in the middle precision cutting room,” said company president Donald Rogers, as reported in the Manchester Union Leader.
The building and much of the equipment suffered extensive damage. American Flock Association chairman Tom Witham has spoken with
officials at Flock Fibers and has conveyed the Association’s offer to help in any way possible.
Fourteen people work at Flock Fibers, which has been an employee owned company since April. Donald Rogers is expected
to meet with other employee-owners later today to decide the future the company.
Flock Fibers was founded in 1963 by Dick Bourdon,
Bill Clarke, and Wes Gaddes. Following the deaths of his partners, Dick Bourdon assumed the leadership of the
company. Mr. Bourdon died on June 13. Bourdon was a leader in the flock industry and friend and supporter of many
flockers and suppliers. The American Flock Association is establishing a fund for flock education
in Dick Bourdon’s name.
The fund will support flock research and training at UMass Dartmouth.