What Bulmer & Lumb does

Bulmer & Lumb Group Ltd is a UK-based, privately-held textile dyeing and colour-matching firm operating from Bradford, West Yorkshire, where it has run dyehouse operations since the 1950s. The firm provides commission dyeing and processing services for natural and synthetic fibres across wool, nylon 66, polyester, bamboo, tencel, silk, alpaca, cashmere, and multi-fibre blends. Core service lines include top dyeing (high-pressure loose-stock dyeing), package dyeing (speciality yarn dyeing), combing and gilling, secondary scouring, fibres processing, and dedicated colour matching and laboratory services. The company's technology stack centres on high-pressure dye vessels, Thies eco-bloc and Quattro dyeing machinery, the Data-colour Smart-match spectrophotometer, Mathis infrared laboratory dyeing machines, OFDA 4000 fibre measurement instrumentation, and a central plant explorer control system that monitors batch traceability and dye cycle repeatability. These capabilities are operated by staff including Chartered Colourists and SDC-qualified technicians, and supported by formal R&D collaborations with the Huddersfield Textile Centre of Excellence and Leeds University.

The firm serves two principal customer categories: large-scale enterprise buyers (military and emergency-services uniform suppliers, Savile Row and high-street fashion houses, aviation interior textile manufacturers) and small-batch customers (craft producers, handknitting yarn buyers, local designers) at lot sizes from 20kg up to 10,000kg. Revenue is generated on a commission basis (customers' fibres are dyed to specification) as well as through the firm's own production of tops and yarn from its raw material sourcing. The business is sales-led, selling both domestically and exporting to markets including Australia, South Africa, and Brazil via a Sales Director-led team, and is fully compliant with the UK Environment Agency's Industrial Emissions Directive. The company maintains a long-tenured workforce with documented apprenticeship and SDC Textile Colouration Certificate pipelines, and counts the Society of Dyers and Colourists and the Campaign for Wool among its industry partners.

Name

Bulmer & Lumb

Legal name

Bulmer & Lumb Group Ltd

Website

https://bulmerandlumb.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Bulmer & Lumb is a Bradford-based textile dyeing company providing commission top dyeing, package dyeing, combing and gilling, colour matching, and laboratory services for natural and synthetic fibres, serving defence, premium fashion, aviation, and craft customers worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commission Textile Dyeing and Fibre Processing

NAICS

Fiber, Yarn, and Thread Mills (3131), Fiber, Yarn, and Thread Mills (313110)

SIC

Textile Mill Products (2200)

akta.pro primary industry

Dyeing Operations (Piece/Yarn/Fiber/Garment) (IMAOACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Finishing & Dyeing Contract Services (Job Work/Toll Processing) (IMAOACAL), Testing, Color Management & Quality Control Services (Lab Dips/Fastness/Standards) (IMAOACAJ), Apparel Dyeing, Printing, Finishing & Laundries (CRAAAAAM)

Keywords

• Commission textile dyeing
• Package yarn dyeing
• Worsted top dyeing
• Fibre colour matching
• Textile processing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Bradford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Commission Dyeing Services: Commission-based processing of natural and synthetic fibres where customers provide materials for Bulmer & Lumb to dye and process according to specifications. Customers include those requiring both small batches (from 20kg) and large production runs (up to 10,000kg).
2. Own Product Manufacturing: Bulmer & Lumb creates products from their own raw material sources, manufacturing tops and yarn for sale to customers across various textile applications.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Bulmer & Lumb provides commission textile dyeing and fibre processing services for natural and synthetic fibres, including top dyeing, package dyeing of yarn, combing and gilling, secondary scouring, and colour matching with laboratory testing. The Bradford dyehouse uses high pressure dye vessels and Thies eco-bloc/Quattro equipment, supported by a Colour Science Laboratory with Mathis infrared and Data-colour spectrophotometer systems, and a Technical Services laboratory with OFDA 4000 fibre measurement. Production runs are accepted from 20 kg for craft customers up to 10,000 kg for large uniform and corporate tenders, serving defence, fashion, aviation and technical textile markets worldwide.

Product overview

Bulmer & Lumb is a textile dyeing and processing company offering a suite of integrated manufacturing services for natural and synthetic fibres. The core portfolio centres on Top Dyeing (dyeing loose stock wool and synthetic fibre tops using high pressure vessels), Package Dyeing (speciality yarn dyeing using Thies technology), and Fibres processing. These are supported by Combing & Gilling (colour blending and matching from 20kgs to 10,000kgs), Colour Matching & Lab Services (equipped with Data-colour spectrophotometer and OFDA 4000 testing), Secondary Scouring (specialty processing of technical fibres), and Research & Consultancy services. The company serves markets from fine worsteds to military uniforms and technical textiles, positioning itself as a flexible dyehouse capable of both small craft lots and large commercial orders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Top Dyeing High pressure dye vessel service for dyeing wool tops (loose stock form) and synthetic fibres, with strict quality control during and after production to ensure only the highest quality material proceeds to further processing into yarn.
• Package Dyeing Speciality dyeing of spun and filament yarn packages including wool, cotton, nylon, polyester, acrylic, silk, cashmere, mohair, rayon and blends, using Thies eco-bloc and Quattro technology to deliver variable packing, flow speeds and fill levels with minimum yarn disruption.
• Fibres Processing Processing of natural and synthetic fibres including wool (17.5-33.5 microns), nylon 66, polyester, bamboo, tencel, silk, alpaca, cashmere and multi-fibre blends, supplied as tops or yarn for craft, upholstery, knitwear or worsted fabric applications.
• Combing and Gilling Combing removes noils, nep and slubs or gill blending for wool and wool/synthetic blends, producing lots from 20 kg to 10,000 kg for weaving and knitwear, delivering internationally recognised colour blending and matching.
• Colour Matching and Lab Services Colour matching laboratory with Mathis and Ahiba laboratory dyeing machines and Data-colour Smart-match spectrophotometer system for rapid shade reproduction, plus a Technical Services laboratory with OFDA 4000 for fibre micron and length measurement and fastness testing including washing, rubbing, light, water and perspiration.
• Secondary Scouring Speciality processing of blended technical fibres using computer controlled scouring in loose stock form, including blending, carding and secondary scouring to provide technically advanced finished fibre for various end uses.
• Research and Consultancy World class textile research facility pursuing innovation in preparation and dyeing of natural and technical fibres, offering dye and chemical formulations meeting environmental standards, inventory testing, advanced chemical application and fastness testing procedures in cooperation with partners including the Society of Dyers and Colourists, Leeds University and Huddersfield Textile Centre of Excellence.

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Society of Dyers and Colourists (SDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBulmer & Lumb works closely with the SDC in developing and establishing the Textile Colouration Certificate qualification. The company supports the SDC's technical qualification which is considered essential in training the next generation of textile technicians. Technical Director Paul Hamilton serves on the SDC Board of Trustees. The company also supplies archive materials for SDC educational exhibitions.
• Leeds UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative research partner in textile colouration and technical fibre development. Bulmer & Lumb Group utilises world class research facilities and pursues innovation and development in close cooperation with university partners.
• Huddersfield Textile Centre of ExcellencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative research partner providing opportunities for projects worldwide including dye and chemical formulations, inventory testing, advanced chemical application, and developing optimum processing conditions for technical textiles. Bulmer & Lumb Group has partnerships with both SDC and Huddersfield Textile Centre of Excellence.
• Fibre & HideminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAward-winning local designer Geri Copsey creates designer handbags combining Italian leather with locally sourced Yorkshire yarn dyed by Bulmer & Lumb. Technical Director Paul Hamilton provided facility tour and support to help the designer understand the dyeing process. The companies are discussing a range of colours for future designs.
• Campaign for WoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association promoting wool products. Bulmer & Lumb Group is listed as a supporter/partner of the Campaign for Wool on their website.
• Worshipful Company of DyersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLivery company supporting Ed Naylor through the Livery Companies Apprenticeship Scheme. The scheme helped support his training leading to the Textile Colouration Certificate qualification presented at Plaisterer's Hall.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Haworth Scouring Company: UK wool scouring and fibre processing specialist operating complementary fibre preparation services. Comparable fibre/yarn preprocessing capability and similar position in the UK wool processing supply chain serving textile manufacturers.
• Laxtons (Yorkshire) Ltd: Yorkshire-based yarn manufacturer and processor specialising in worsted spinning and yarn preparation. Comparable as a UK-based fibre/yarn processor with shared supply chain dynamics and customer overlap in premium wool markets.
• Whaleys (Bradford) Ltd: West Yorkshire-based commission fabric finisher and dyer serving heritage apparel, furnishing, and technical textile customers. Directly comparable as a UK commission dyeing/finishing house with overlapping customer base in Savile Row and craft markets.
• Curtis Wool Direct: UK wool and fibre supplier offering tops, dyed fibres and yarns to textile manufacturers and craft customers. Comparable fibre processing, dyeing, and direct supply to handcraft and apparel customer base.
• Heathcoat Fabrics Ltd: UK technical textile manufacturer with in-house dyeing and finishing capabilities serving industrial and apparel markets. Comparable commission dyeing plus yarn/fabric production model with similar technical textile customer base.
• Pendle Holdings (formerly Pendle Textiles): UK textile group with yarn processing, dyeing and finishing operations. Comparable UK-based commission yarn dyeing and finishing service model serving apparel manufacturers.
• Standard Wool (UK): UK wool tops and fibre processor supplying weavers, knitters and craft customers. Comparable wool fibre processing and supply to similar worsted, knitwear and craft customer segments.

Broad incumbents

• Dormeuil: Established French luxury cloth merchant with proprietary dyeing and finishing for premium worsteds. Comparable in serving Savile Row tailors and demanding luxury apparel customers with specialist colour requirements.
• Holland & Sherry: Premium Savile Row fabric supplier with own dyeing and finishing operations for fine worsteds. Comparable in serving the same Savile Row and luxury tailors customer base requiring specialist colour matching.
• Dawson International plc: Long-established UK cashmere and wool textile group with fibre processing and yarn manufacturing heritage. Comparable through shared wool/cashmere fibre processing expertise and historical positioning in the UK textile supply chain.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bulmerandlumb

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bulmer & Lumb