The Factory Next Door

Cars are made by robots – often articulated robots that resemble giant human arms… except, there’s a tiny percentage of cars that are still made using real human arms. On this week’s The Factory Next Door we head to the Malvern Hills to meet the team still using their hands to craft cars.Number 25 on our list of the greatest things we make in Britain is The Coachbuilt Car by the Morgan Car Company.Chief designer Jonathan Wells chats about the challenges of evolving a car without changing its silhouette, revels in the joy of mixing metal, wood, and leather, and reveals the 115-year-old company still knows where 90% of the cars it’s built are in the world. After tuning in, please consider buying me a coffee to keep this show on the roadhttps://buymeacoffee.com/thefactorynextdoor(you don’t need to register or create an account!) And say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor

More than three billion pairs of denim jeans are made every year. But not all jeans are made the same. Just 10% are produced using selvedge denim - a denim that takes more time to weave and is significantly longer lasting. The UK may account for only a tiny percentage of global jean production, but we have some of the finest makers. Number 24 on our list of the greatest things we make in Britain is The Selvedge Jeans. On this week’s The Factory Next Door we visit one of our finest jeans makers - Blackhorse Lane Ateliers in east London. Founder Han Ates tells us why jeans are the new craft beer, the importance of connections, and gives thanks to those who dig old clothes out of disused mines. We also chat about families, our planet’s future, and what it takes to change your direction of travel when you’re not happy with the path you have followed. Hit the play button and let’s hang out. Afterwards, say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor

Since 1824, if you’ve got into difficulties on the British coastline, volunteers from the RNLI will race to your aid. They’ll arrive in a distinctive bright orange boat. A boat built in Britain. Number 23 on our list of the greatest things we make in Britain is The Inflatable Lifeboat. In this week’s episode of The Factory Next Door, we head to Cowes on the Isle of Wight to meet Glyn Ellis, Business Operations Manager at the RNLI’s Inshore Lifeboat Centre. We learn about the craft that goes into making boats built to rescue people. Last year alone, the RNLI saved 269 lives and came to the aid of more than 10,000 individuals. Also on the show, we celebrate the CNC machine, talk kids’ paintings, and fall in love with a boat name. Hit the play button and let’s hang out. Afterwards, say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor

In a leafy science park in Surrey, there’s a team of engineers making something that’s not intended for our world – it’s designed to live in space. Number 22 on our list of the greatest things we make in Britain is The Space Satellite. In this week’s episode of The Factory Next Door, we head to Surrey Satellite Technologies to meet with systems engineer Lily Forward and head of marketing Andrew Greenhalgh. We chat about the magic of working in the space industry, launch day nerves, and the dangers of lunchtime snacks. We also talk Elon Musk and offer sympathy to finance directors. Hit the play button and let’s hang out. Afterwards, say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor

A thread runs across the shoulders of King Charles, Stormzy, and David Gandy, and leads to the city of Gloucester. There, in a beautiful 18th century house, you can find Emma Willis and her skilled team making shirts for royalty, celebrities and anyone wishing to look sharp. Number 21 on our list of the greatest products we make in Britain is The Cotton Shirt. In this week’s episode of The Factory Next Door we head to Bearland House, just a short distance away from Gloucester Cathedral. Here, Emma chats to us about starting her business, why she felt her career was a ‘fail’ for so many years, and the importance of celebrating the skill to sell. We also talk love in the workplace and dying at your sewing machine. Hit the play button and let’s hang out. Afterwards, say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor

For this special episode of the show, we sit down for a chat with journalist and broadcaster Evan Davis. Before becoming presenter of Radio 4’s PM programme, Evan was the BBC’s Economics Editor. In 2011, he presented a documentary series, and wrote a book, called Made in Britain. Since 2006, Evan’s presented the business show The Bottom Line. He’s also the presenter of BBC Two’s Dragons’ Den. We sit down in a disused car park to discuss how Britain pays its way in the world, why entrepreneurs look to China to help kickstart their businesses, and the joy of quality over quantity. We also discuss the efficiencies of resilience, and consider why the manufacturing resurgence he predicted a decade ago hasn’t happened – yet. Hit the play button and let’s hang out. Afterwards, say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor

The world’s biggest exporter of horse saddles and harnesses? China. Today it accounts for almost half the entire global market. But British-made saddles are still celebrated for their craftsmanship, and they are still in demand - particularly from riders in places such as America and Australia.Number 20 on our list of the greatest products we make in Britain is The Horse Saddle.In this week’s episode of The Factory Next Door we head to Walsall, to meet Jane, co-owner of Ryder Saddles. She tells us why a young workforce matters, the joy of blinged up saddles, the pain of posting to Europe, and why the industry is built on cold wet January days.Hit the play button and let’s hang out. Afterwards, say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor

This year we’re on course to spend a billion-pounds on stuffed toys and dolls in the UK. The vast majority will arrive in shipping containers, but a small, select group of stuffed toys will be born on our island.Number 19 on our list of the greatest products we make is The Teddy Bear.In this week’s episode of The Factory Next Door we chat to Kerstin, managing director of Canterbury Bears to discuss the importance of being fair in business, turning away big orders, believing in work with a social purpose, and popping round to Uri Geller’s house. Also on the show, we learn how teddy bears got their name, reminisce about our childhood teddies, and give praise to Michael Buble’s jeans.Hit the play button, let’s hang out. Afterwards, say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor

In East London, at a former Burberry factory, jackets and shirts are being manufactured with a unique twist – every element of them, from the buttons to the labels, the thread to the cloth, has been produced within the British Isles.In this week’s episode of The Factory Next Door, we meet husband-and-wife team Paul and Debbie, co-founders of clothing brand MISSING. They explain why they set out to source everything from the Isles, despair about fake ‘Made in Britain’ labels, and reveal how to resolve a Mexican stand-off.Also on the show, we chat to factory manager Alex from Apparel Tasker. She tells us where her love of manufacturing came from, shows off possibly Britain’s best factory canteen, and introduces Peanut the dog.Hit the play button, let’s hang out. Afterwards, say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor

There are 181 companies making footwear in the UK. In this week’s show we visit one of the oldest, Norfolk’s Bowhill & Elliott, to celebrate its Albert Slipper. These slippers, traditionally made from velvet and often featuring intricate embroidered motifs, are still crafted by hand in a workshop behind the company’s shop on Norwich’s high street. They've been based there since 1874. Marc, Bowhill & Elliott’s Managing Director, tells us about rolling the dice of good fortune, the origins of the slipper, the power of fresh starts, and his backup plan if it all goes wrong. Hit the play button, let’s hang out. Afterwards, say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor

As the summer sun finally arrives, it’s time to celebrate an item we commonly hear in our villages and towns during the warmer months – the morris bell. Morris dancers wear dozens of these bells strapped to their legs, giving their routines a distinctive sound. On today’s show, we head to Birmingham Stopper – one of the last factories in Britain still manufacturing the bells (it also produces a host of other much more sophisticated componentry such as car engine parts). Chairman Roger Varley tells us what it’s been like leading a British manufacturer for the past four decades, shares the single-most important decision he’s made in his career, and gives thanks to his wife. We also learn about power presses, remember the Vauxhall Viva, and chat about spirits with a morris dancer. Hit the play button, let’s hang out. Afterwards, say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor

We celebrate a watch on today’s show – one made using 3D printing technologies (or additive manufacturing as the technique is referred to in the industry). Apiar are new-comers to the horology world, but their use of additive manufacturing, and focus on British-sourced parts, makes them particularly interesting. We travel to Ebbw Vale in South Wales to visit the factory making Apiar’s intricate watch cases. There, we chat to engineer Youssef about his journey from the steel works of Egypt to the green, green, grass he now calls home. Youssef reveals how to be beat the Far East on price, reminds us why British manufacturing is legendary, and explains why he’s so proud of his machines. We also speak to Apiar founders Matt and Sam about launching a new brand, the power of lattice structures, and why sending out your first products is like waving your child off to university.   Say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor or email steve@thefactorynextdoor.com

It’s time to add a piece of footwear to our list of great British-made products. This week we head to Northamptonshire, the traditional home of our shoe-making industry, to tour Joseph Cheaney & Sons’ factory. Our guide Martin celebrates The Derby Boot, shows us what makes a Goodyear welted shoe special, explains why clippers are more skilled than cutters, and reveals he wants to be buried in a shoe box. We also speak to owners Jonathan and William Church about being the guardians of a 140-year-old brand, how they’re growing the business, and why Japanese customers love British craft. Say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor or email steve@thefactorynextdoor.com

For number 13 on our list we head to 13 Savile Row, W1. There we meet Ruby, founder and creative director of Banshee, to learn how she makes her exquisite bespoke velvet jackets.As we tour Banshee’s workshop, we discuss bespoke clothing for women, the joy of British fabrics, the importance of marrying business and creativity, and the unpredictability of imposter syndrome.We also appreciate Savile Row from above and chat with Charles, a tailor who’s worked on this famous street for decades and knows the inside leg measurements of quite a few movie stars.Say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor or email steve@thefactorynextdoor.com

Fire irons. We’ve been forging them for centuries – literally. Blacksmiths have been making them since, well, the Iron Age. They sit at number 12 on our list of the greatest products we make in Britain. In this episode of The Factory Next Door, we visit ironwork company Nigel Tyas to see how they blend old techniques with modern tools and handcraft fire irons, as well as wrought iron lighting and curtain poles.   Brothers Gareth and Dan show us around their South Yorkshire factory. We learn how to test the skill of a blacksmith, chat about the joy – and effort – of hammering at an anvil, give praise to bi-fold doors, and wonder why the siblings don’t argue more often. Say hello on Instagram, search the ‘The Factory Next Door’ or email steve@thefactorynextdoor.comLet’s make more makers!

Number 11 on our list of the greatest products we make in Britain is The Carry-On Case – and this piece will force you to rethink what you know about the humble piece of paper. Luggage company Globe-Trotter, loved by royalty, celebrities, and plenty of lifelong fans, takes paper – adds a dose of magic – and creates a material that is extraordinarily durable and light. In this episode of The Factory Next Door, business development director James Fisher shows us around the luggage and leather company’s Hertfordshire factory. We discuss collaborating with Gucci, the joy of having a lovely case in a rubbish airport, and why Tyler, The Creator is a lovely bloke to have around for a visit.Say hello on Instagram, search the ‘The Factory Next Door’ or email steve@thefactorynextdoor.comLet’s make more makers!

We’ve reached number 10 on our list of the greatest products we make in Britain. And it’s a true icon. The Spitfire. In this episode of The Factory Next Door, we visit two factories both making their own versions of this legendary plane. In Margate, we pop into model maker Airfix to chat with researcher Luke about their 1:24 scale Spitfire replica. And in a hanger in Oxfordshire, we meet Paul who – along with a group of volunteers – are building a squadron of Spitfires that will tour the country (appropriately called the Ace Squadron). We learn what makes this plane special, the beauty of pop rivet patterns, take a flight in a Spitfire simulator, look around an empty factory, and so, so much more.Say hello on Instagram, search the ‘The Factory Next Door’ or email steve@thefactorynextdoor.comLet’s make more makers!

Ever wondered why, in this digital age, scientific institutions still employ artists to paint flora and fauna? In this episode of The Factory Next Door, we head to Kew Gardens to meet Lucy Smith, one of the world’s leading botanical illustrators. Lucy shows us around Kew’s art workshop and explains why the botanical illustration remains as relevant today as it did during the voyages of Darwin or Cook. She also talks about the need for makers to keep believing in themselves, and why counting bricks can be life-changing.   Say hello on Instagram, search the ‘The Factory Next Door’ or email steve@thefactorynextdoor.comLet’s make more makers!

Ever wondered what a bomb disposal expert does when it’s time to change career? Well, in the case of Alex Simpson, they return to the Midlands and open a leather factory.In this episode of The Factory Next Door, we tour Beorma’s factory and learn how its plaited leather belts are made. We chat to Managing Director Alex about the challenges of keeping alive Walsall’s historic leather industry, the stress of leaving the armed forces, and why he’s resigned to sleepless nights.Say hello on Instagram, search the ‘The Factory Next Door’ or email steve@thefactorynextdoor.comLet’s make more makers!

Ever wondered what makes one stripy mug a design icon, and the other is, well just a stripy mug? In this episode, we travel to the home of Cornishware in Somerset to learn how its distinctive (and world famous) three striped mug is produced. We chat about the challenges of bringing production back from the Far East, ask whether imitation is flattery, and solve the puzzle of why it’s called Cornishware, but is made miles from Cornwall. Say hello on Instagram, search ‘The Factory Next Door’, or email steve@thefactorynextdoor.com Let’s make more makers!

Ever wondered what’s the perfect piece of utilitarian clothing? We think it might be the fisherman’s smock. Originally designed for seafarers, it was then adopted by artists, and is now popular on catwalks. In this week’s episode of The Factory Next Door we head to Yarmouth Oilskins on the Norfolk coast. It’s a company that knows how to make a fisherman’s smock - they’ve been doing it for more than a century.Creative designer Sophie talks us through the characteristics of a smock, why it’s vital that we attract a new generation into manufacturing, and sings Pauline Fowler’s praises.Also on the show, retired fisherman Keith explains why clothes matter at sea, the joy of a brightly coloured suit, and how to avoid fisherman’s boils.

Ever thought about how you can get a lifetime of free beer? Actually, let’s rephrase that question. Ever thought about launching your own brewery specialising in British cask ale? On this episode of The Factory Next Door we head to West Sussex to meet Liam, the owner of Aleworks Brewing Co. Sales of cask ales have been falling for years as drinkers switch to American or European-inspired lagers. Liam tells us how he plans to save the traditional British pint, the trauma of cold call sales, and why he is only a little bit mad. We also head to London to attend a celebration of British beer and get clear on the difference between cask ale and craft lager.

Ever wondered who builds the best choppers this side of the Atlantic? Turns out they are lovingly crafted in an old tractor repair workshop in North Yorkshire. On this episode of The Factory Next Door we meet Vic and Lin, the couple behind the multi-award winning Destiny Cycles. We discuss the enduring appeal of choppers, the joy of reusing vintage parts, and finding love at a car boot sale. Also on the show, I find out about my family’s motorbike history, and why some dreams don’t come true.

Ever wondered what it takes to make a bike that's loved by princesses, Mary Poppins, and Paddington Bear? We did, so we headed through the factory doors of one of Britain’s last remaining manufacturers of bicycles to find out.On this episode of The Factory Next Door we are in Stratford-Upon-Avon to chat with Adrian Williams, chairman of Pashley Bicycles. We discuss the beauty of brazing, sacrificing economics for social gains, and the power of love.Also in the show, we go on a cycling tour of London to appreciate the usefulness of a Pashley wicker basket and the joys of Victorian tweed.

Ever wondered what it takes to make your own backpack from scratch? We did, so we tracked down one of Britain’s most progressive apparel companies for a chat. It turns out it requires a lot of blood, sweat, and staples. On this episode of The Factory Next Door, we head to the Cornish cliffs to meet Mark, founder of The Level Collective, to discuss the importance of making products that last, being brave in business, and the pain of picking the right thread. We also head to the outskirts of Birmingham to meet a leather worker with four decades of experience and who knows how to skive.

Ever wondered who designs the distinctive fabrics found on the London Underground? So did we, and it turns out the designers don’t just create iconic seat patterns known to millions of commuters, they make the most exquisite gifts you’ll find in the gift shops of our most famous art galleries and museums. In this episode of The Factory Next Door, we go through the doors of celebrated design studio Wallace Sewell to discuss staying creative for three decades, arguing politely, and why no colour should be feared. We also head to the Lancashire / Yorkshire border and visit the mill transforming their designs into beautiful British-made products.

From the mills hidden in plain sight, to the manufacturers sitting at the heart of our communities, we go through the factory gates to meet the people whose stories are welded, woven, and boiled into some of our most iconic British-made products. The host, Steve, is an award-winning economics journalist who has reported from more than 60 countries during the past two decades. In this series, he visits some of the UK’s most creative and skilled makers, to tour their factories and ask what they’ve learnt crafting beautiful things, the power of optimism, and the lessons of failure.  Join us on our travels across the UK. A new episode is released every other Tuesday.