New Quaker division sharpens price points

FALL RIVER, MA — Quaker Fabrics has formed Davol, a new division that will focus on opening price points to moderate-priced fabrics.

"As we have been evolving both the Quaker and Whitaker brands upscale, we found our original core of Quaker was getting left behind," said Larry Liebenow, chairman and ceo of the country's fourth largest decorative fabrics mill.

In establishing the Davol division within the Quaker family, he explained, "It doesn't represent any change in focus on the mid and upper end of the business. But we also will maintain our lower market price segment, and this is a way of packaging our business into segmented portions."

Davol, Liebenow emphasized, "is not a move downward in product quality or price. We've always been there. But now we're focusing via packaging of product."

"This is a line by itself, not a lower-priced Quaker. And as it develops it will be a leader in design with focus, focus, focus," Liebenow explained.

For Showtime next month, the Davol division will launch 170 patterns in price points from $3.25 to $6 per yard. This compares with Quaker's price points of $5 to $10 per yard and Whitaker's range of $7 to $30 per yard.

The looks will be focused more on "everyday living," said Tom Muzekari, vp, sales and marketing. "It will be more casual, more contemporary, but there will be traditional. And we will continue to grow the scope of the product."

Liebenow explained that the Davol name "comes from an early Fall River textile family. They built the building where our offices are."