Thompson Pump and Manufacturing Company, a leading maker of heavy-duty bypass and dewatering pumps, celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2020.

“Reaching this milestone of 50 years is very gratifying for me, the entire Thompson family and the folks who stood side-by-side with us serving our customers and building our company,” says Bill Thompson, chairman of the company. “I wish my father, my brother and many of the fine individuals who played significant roles with us on this journey could be here to experience and celebrate this achievement with us, but I’m honored to share this with my two sons, Chris and Bobby, who are helping lead the company into the future.”

The country was founded in Port Orange, Florida, in 1970 by George A. Thompson and his sons Bill and George M. At the time of its inception, elder Thompson had worked as an operating engineer in NASA’s Apollo program; his son Bill had just finished college; and his younger son George M. had recently completed high school.

Bill Thompson recalls that, at the time, the Southeast construction market boomed and there was tremendous need for infrastructure. The company began as a dewatering contractor, but over time shifted focus to making and selling the pumps they had used as a dewatering subcontractor. It grew from three employees into a company serving the pumping and dewatering needs of more than 6,000 national and international clients.

Thompson says his company’s lasting effects can be seen in a great many places.

“Seldom can I go far, especially in the Southeast, without recognizing a project of some sort — a bridge, a highway, a high-rise building, a hospital, a school, a housing development, a mine, a refinery, a wastewater treatment plant or an electric power generating plant — for which we supplied pumps, expertise and operational support,” Thompson said.

Thompson attributes the company’s success to the family and the company’s long-time employees.

“In our Logistics Center, we have a wall dedicated to displaying the photos of team members who have been with us for at least 25 years, some over 40 years. I refer to it as our Wall of Honor,” Thompson says. “This longevity symbolizes the high value our family places on the fine people who have supported our company in many different capacities for a very long time. Their contributions to our success cannot be overstated.”

Thompson — family owned since 1970 — manufactures a variety of pumps ranging in size from two to 18 inches and with capacities up to 14,000 gpm. The Florida-based company sells and rents its entire line to customers in sectors including public works, construction, agriculture and mining. The company operates 21 branches throughout the United States and has a worldwide network of distributors. It also has achieved ISO 9001 quality certification for their Port Orange, Fla., manufacturing facility. For more information, call 800-767-7310 or visit www.thompsonpump.com.