All Mix Blog

A round up of the week's stories from manufacturing and design: James Dyson on the hunt for the next great inventor, entries now open until August Scottish knitwear manufacturer has ' healthy order book ' British manufacturers losing out to foreign rivals UK 'most likely' base for new Rolls Royce plant And another thing... With the Southbank Centre 's Festival of Britain 60th anniversary celebrations underway you might want to have a look at a post from last September, featuring the original Festival of Britain catalogue .

M&I visited Brompton 's factory in Brentford on a beautiful spring afternoon a couple of weeks ago. We were shown around by a welcoming Swedish lady and given a great insight into the working process behind the classic folding bicycles it produces. During our turn around the factory we met Alan, an engaging gentleman who is in charge of goods and quality control. Over the course of ten minutes, Alan showed us various testing methods and told us about his love for Brompton's designs. Below is the transcription of our chat. On Testing "We take various measurements - how far it moves sideways, length, roll... all sorts. It takes half an hour or more on this. And on this (new machine, pictured above) it takes 4-5 minutes. All the measurements get logged by the computer. We aim to do one in fifty (tests) on each part. We’re after a very accurate measurement. On an ordinary bike, if your alignment is 2-5mm, it’s not too bad. What a big bike business will do is bend it to put...

During our visit to Globe Trotter in Broxbourne, we were introduced to David, the factory manager. He has worked for the luggage maker for over 25 years. Here is what he told us about the company: “I was 16 when I started here, it was 1985. We’ve got lots of people who have been here 9-10 years, since we moved here (Broxbourne.) Linda’s been here 18 years. Joe's got 35 years experience; he was working for Custom Cases (an industrial case manufacturer who created designs for British Gas and BT), they bought us when we were down in Smithfield , when Henry Elkin died. We ended up down in Waltham Cross with Mossman Trunks /Custom Cases. When we moved down here we cherry picked the best from Custom Cases and brought them here. When Welwyn Handles was threatened with closure we bought them and moved them down here too." This is the final post in our series on Globe Trotter. Coming up this week we have the write up of our visit to Brompton bicycle factory in Brentford, London.

If you ask to go to the toilet at Monmouth Coffe e 's premises in Bermondsey, SE1, you get to venture behind the rope. Here's some pictures we took when we did just that. Some lovely typography and machinery in evidence.

This superlative retailer of umbrellas and sticks can be found in Holborn, London .

We spent a wonderful winter's morning 40 floors above London today. On our visit we were told that the steel used in the construction of The Shard (as it wishes to be known, no colloquial nicknames needed sadly) is from the north of England. View of The Shard's shadow from the 40th floor by Manufacture & Industry

'We don’t want to modernise. We don’t want to go modern, we’re not a heel bar. We’re going back to the beginning of the nineteenth century. There’s a lot of people bringing vintage shoes and we can take them apart and put them back together again. There’s nothing we can’t do to a pair of shoes here.' Ken Hines, cobbler at Well Heeled, Bethnal Green, London E2. Quote from this piece from Spitalfields Life on the work of cobblers in the area. As the tag from many a reputable cobbler reads: ' Shoes worth wearing are worth repairing .' Image from Spitalfields Life

Last night M&I had the pleasure of attending a discussion between Sir Paul Smith and Mr Colin McDowell at Selfridges department store, London. Over a fascinating 74 minutes the gentlemen discussed Sir Paul's childhood, his father's humour, his (brilliant) lack of 'business model' and the importance of being genuine. The highlight for us came in the Q&A afterwards though. We asked Sir Paul to expand on his recently reported lament on the decline in craftsmanship in the UK and whether his eponymous company was doing anything to help the situation. Here is what he had to say: 'Masses of British manufacturers have fallen by the wayside, many in the 1970s, during the period that the government and many people were thinking that the new way was to do with the service industries; to do with the computer, the mass produced, robotic way. So a lot of the mills just didn't have the money to reinvest because there wasn't the tax incentives to do so. Also, un...

This fine pub is looking likely to be taken over, or worse demolished. As the Save the Wenlock Facebook group says: 'The Wenlock Arms is a thriving pub and an institution. Whilst those involved in its sale and threatened closure may have perfectly respectable reasons for doing so, were this house to close a large community will lose an amenity and some their jobs.' Picture from Matthew Ogle on the Save the Wenlock Flickr

Another Country? No, still very much to do with products made in the UK, fear not. M&I attended a tastefully modest event at Oliver Spencer 's shop on Lambs Conduit St, London last night. On display was a fine array of understated furniture from Dorset based Another Country . We couldn't hang around for long but enjoyed what we saw and appreciated the hospitable nature of the hosts. Thanks to Oliver Spencer (lovely shop with some excellent clothing on a very pleasant road in WC1N) and Another Country for the invite. The image above is from the excellent Another Country gallery . We took some pictures that are not quite as good and they can be found here .

M&I spent Friday evening drinking many fine ales from across the capital. There's plenty to say about our experience but right now the words are being quelled by the locally brewed hangover. For more pictures please click here

For images of this handsome programme in full see our new Flickr

A PSALM OF LIFE Tell me not in mournful numbers, "Life is but an empty dream!" For the soul is dead that slumbers, And things are not what they seem. Life is real! Life is earnest! And the grave is not its goal; "Dust thou art, to dust returnest," Was not spoken of the soul. Not enjoyment, and not sorrow, Is our destined end or way; But to act, that each to-morrow Find us further than to-day. Art is long, and Time is fleeting, And our hearts, though stout and brave, Still, like muffled drums, are beating Funeral marches to the grave. In the world's broad field of battle, In the bivouac of Life, Be not like dumb, driven cattle! Be a hero in the strife! Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant! Let the dead Past bury its dead! Act -- act in the living Present! Heart within, and God o'erhead! Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime, And, departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time; Footprints, that perhaps another, Sailing ...

Thanks to Mr David Pinder for alerting us to this fine silent film of the manufacturing process of an Ally Capellino wallet.

Roger Protz of The Morning Advertiser (officially the 'pub trade's favourite') reports that Truman's , the brewery formerly based on Brick Lane, is producing beer once again. The motivations of the gentlemen behind it are admirable and an M&I source tells us that 'Truman's Runner is an easy drinking and well balanced pint that is refreshing whilst retaining a depth of warm flavours.' Protz's well informed article is well worth a read if you are so inclined. It also includes a list of London based pubs that Truman's Runner is stocked at. Image from Truman's

Smiths clocks were made in Cricklewood, London. Mr.Barrie Smith knows an awful lot about the company's history (and is rather fond of comic sans.) Image from Museum Victoria, Australia

Earlier this week Manufacture & Industry had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Jim Pickles, director of D.S DUNDEE at the inaugural Stitch menswear trade show at Old Billingsgate Market. Pickles founded the traditional heritage label in the mid 90s in Scotland with Ollie Pilcher , a fashion photographer. After doing their own thing for a few years they relaunched the label in late 2007 and are now based in Dalston, London. We were immediately drawn to the brand's 'Made in the UK' labels so asked them a few questions: M&I: Where are you selling your wares? JP: We've our own store on Spitalfields market, opposite the Ten Bells pub. It's been a pop-up situation but we're hoping to make it more permanent. We've been there since mid-December and it's gone brilliantly, we've virtually sold out. M&I: Why Spitalfields for the store? JP: A, it's a mile down the road from the studio and B, it's on the edge of the city so we get a good mix of th...

Interesting work from our favourite yeast extract here. According to The Dieline , the 'Marmarati' were given responsibility to refine the flavour of the viscous spread. Quite how this could be achieved is beyond us but we are impressed with the regal packaging by Core Design nonetheless.

Last year we had the good fortune to visit Arber & Co. on Roman Road, Bow. Whilst there, Mr. Gary Arber showed us the Heidelberg press in action. He also told us about how the suffragettes printed their propaganda at no. 459 and of his time flying bombers in the Air Force. A similar experience is documented here . We highly recommend Mr. Arber's telephone message notepads and welcoming nature.