The Factory Next Door

There are somethings you can’t know about a company until you’ve bought it and had a riffle through the filing cabinets. In the case of clothing maker Buffalo Systems, it was numerous letters of appreciation from special forces, the military, and mountain rescue teams.

Number 42 on our list of the greatest products we make here is The Mountain Shirt by Buffalo.

Broadcaster and adventurer Ben Fogle and Savile Row tailor James Sleater acquired the Sheffield-based company earlier this year. On this week’s show, they explain why they had always wanted to buy the company.

Plus, we also get an exclusive look at a special new product, consider why Britain has so few global luxury brands, and hear why slow growth is sustainable growth.

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The Factory Next Door is supported by AVEVA, a leader in industrial intelligence. 

Sign up to their bi-weekly newsletter about manufacturing here:

www.aveva.com/factory

There’s plenty of reasons to buy a British manufacturer right now. On this week’s episode, artist Susan Rose reveals why she’s just done that – acquiring a pottery in Stoke-on-Trent.

We take a tour to learn about getting the thickness of mugs just right, the art of the kiln-stack, and why the random-shake of a cup in water is not always what it seems.

We also hear about overcoming dyslexia to build a business, and why a little help from your friends is so often invaluable.

Plus, Susan gives thanks for the birds, saves a butterfly, and makes a mug for The Factory Next Door.

Say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor

The Factory Next Door is supported by AVEVA, a leader in industrial intelligence. 

Sign up to their bi-weekly newsletter about manufacturing here:

www.aveva.com/factory

When the ultra-wealthy want a new set of bespoke bedding for their mansion or superyacht, they email a mill that sits just outside Blackburn, Lancashire.

Peter Reed – whose customers include the Royal Household – has been producing handcrafted bedding for more than 160 years.

Number 40 on our list of the greatest products we make here is The Bed Linen.

Managing Director Sean Clayton explains how the company survived as the British cotton industry rapidly declined, questions why some skills are under-appreciated, and reveals why he never talks politics or religion.

We also learn how a single duvet cover can take five hours to complete with 12 embroidery machines, each with nine bobbins on, stitching simultaneously.

Say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor

The Factory Next Door is supported by AVEVA, a leader in industrial intelligence. 

Sign up to their bi-weekly newsletter about manufacturing here:

www.aveva.com/factory

The global market for saw blades might be worth $16bn a year, but there’s only one saw factory left in the UK.

In today’s show we visit Sheffield’s Thomas Flinn & Co to learn how they’ve been cutting teeth for the past 100 years.

Number 39 on our list of the greatest products we make here is The Musical Saw.

Director Katie Ellis’ family have owned the company for generations. She explains why heritage crafts must be preserved, how her company has pivoted to survive in the era of cheap imports, and why she’s moving to new premises – just don’t suggest leaving Sheffield.

We also learn how to file 200 teeth in under two minutes, get a quick explanation of how musical saws work, and find novel ways to use Lego.

Say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor

The Factory Next Door is supported by AVEVA, a leader in industrial intelligence. 

Sign up to their bi-weekly newsletter about manufacturing here:

www.aveva.com/factory

Earlier this year, Blue Ghost became the first commercial lunar lander to touch down on the moon.

Crucial to that mission’s success was its engine – a rocket designed and built in the Buckinghamshire countryside.

Number 38 on our list of the greatest items we make in Britain is The Rocket Engine.

At a former military base, Dr Ian Coxhill, chief engineer at Nammo UK, shows us around the workshops where propulsion systems are made for space agencies and commercial operators.

Ian demonstrates how to recreate the conditions of space at ground level, reflects on the art of engineering, and offers evidence to suggest robots aren’t going to replace humans yet.

Plus, we hear the roar of a rocket engine as one is put through its paces at the test facility.

Say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor

The Factory Next Door is supported by AVEVA, a leader in industrial intelligence. 

Sign up to their bi-weekly newsletter about manufacturing here:

www.aveva.com/factory