The Factory Next Door

Hosted by Steve Duke

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Nov 2026

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About the show

What’s on your list of the greatest products made in Britain? Join economics journalist Steve Duke as he criss-crosses the island to meet the people still making things in our factories and workshops. Hear the stories behind some of our most iconic products, told by the people crafting them. “A gem of a series” – Podcast Rex “Thoughtful and warm” – The Guardian ***** “A wonderful, life-affirming podcast” ***** “Important listening with a light touch” 2026 – Gold - British Podcast Awards 2026 – Gold - The Signal Awards 2026 – Winner - Independent Podcast Awards 2025 – Silver - British Podcast Awards 2024 – Winner - Independent Podcast Awards Have a suggestion for what needs to go on our list? Whatsapp me on 07767 888 319. Say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor Support the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/thefactorynextdoor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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60 recent

November 3, 202634 min

57. The Bicycle Saddle

When Selle Royal, the world’s biggest producer of bicycle saddles, took over Brooks’ historic Smethwick factory, they imposed one golden rule – no robots. Ever. For well over 100 years, Brooks has been producing its iconic B17 saddle by hand, and Selle Royal were smart enough to recognise that some manufacturing processes just work. On today’s The Factory Next Door, we head to Smethwick to meet the workers hand-making a saddle that’s regarded as the longest-living bicycle product in the world. Number 57 on our list of the greatest things we make here is The B17 Bicycle Saddle. Brooks’ Operations Director Martin Shepherd shows us around as we consider the challenges of maintaining vintage tools, we learn about the importance of being Tigger, and I fall in love with a machine that breathes life into saddles. Say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor Support the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/thefactorynextdoor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

October 20, 202636 min

56. The Rivet Stool

It’s truly one of our greatest materials. We make shoes from it; clothes, books, bags and furniture. Leather is extraordinary. Over the millennia, we’ve become adept at using it. Today, in a West London workshop, a group of craftspeople continue to experiment with leather – learning how to manipulate it to create floors, stairs, tables, and freestanding stools. On today’s The Factory Next Door, we meet the team at Bill Amberg Studio, the globally celebrated experts in architectural leatherwork. Number 56 on our list of the greatest things we manufacture here is The Rivet Stool. Bill Amberg shows us around his studio as we learn what it takes to build a client list that goes from Apple to Aston Martin, Boodles to Burberry – and then right down through the alphabet! Also on the show, we consider the importance of the Mingei movement, contemplate the things we think about before we go to sleep, contemplate politicians working in a factory, and hear why leather work is far from a dying craft. Say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor Support the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/thefactorynextdoor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

October 6, 202636 min

55. The Hand-Sewn Kilt

For 500 years highland dress has been synonymous with Scotland, but these days there are more kilt-makers in India than within its home country. On today’s The Factory Next Door we head to a workshop just off Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, where efforts are being made to preserve the art of traditional kilt-making. Number 55 on our list of the greatest things we manufacture here is The Hand-Sewn Kilt. As we tour Nicolson Kiltmakers, directors Gordon and Louise reveal the gamble they took to set up the Edinburgh Kiltmakers Academy, we learn the maths behind the pleats, request a brief history of the kilt, and hear the importance of provenance. Also on the show, MoD contracts leave us confused, a refugee from Europe’s war reminds us to value our roots, and I get my trousers off… again. Say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor Support the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/thefactorynextdoor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

September 22, 202633 min

54. The Helter Skelter

You never quite know what you’re going to find when you visit one of our manufacturers. On today’s episode of The Factory Next Door, we head to Avonmouth to visit a bespoke storage maker – but what we discover is far from expected. We hear stories of serious fraud, do our daily stretches, go welding with Daft Punk, and see the frame of a 15-meter-high slide being lovingly bent into shape. Number 54 on our list of the greatest things we make here is The Helter Skelter by Moduflex. Managing Director Richard Blunden shows us around as we learn what it takes to keep a company going through its darkest days, discuss the importance of a strong employee culture, and consider the benefits of designing next door to the factory floor. Say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor Support the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/thefactorynextdoor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

September 8, 202631 min

53. The Ceremonial Uniform

When you need someone to escort the King’s crown to Parliament for the state opening, you call on his Majesty’s Gentleman at Arms – with their distinctive red and gold jackets. And when you need someone to make a new uniform for this historic corps, you call Jules Walker and her team at Gieves and Hawkes. Number 53 on our list of the greatest things we make here is The Ceremonial Uniform. Jules is head of the tailor’s military team, and on today’s show she gives us a tour of her workshop in the basement of 1 Savile Row. We learn what it takes to make uniforms for the King’s Guards, discover what an epaulette is, and consider the parallels between tailoring and plumbing. Also on the show, we mull the need for a Ministry of Made in Britain and question why buyers from overseas appear to value our crafts more than we do. Say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor Support the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/thefactorynextdoor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

August 25, 202640 min

52. The Propelling Pencil

The epicentre of the global pen industry used to reside in Birmingham. Then the plastic biro arrived and everything changed. But in the city’s jewellery quarter, a team of skilled silversmiths are ensuring the history of Birmingham’s pen industry continues to be written. Number 52 on our list of the greatest things we make here is the propelling pencil by YARD-O-LED. Owner Giles English shows us around the company’s historic workshop as we celebrate a 100-year-old design, admire irreplaceable machines, and learn the meaning behind the company’s distinctive name. Also on the show, we explore the power of loss, Giles talks about the birth and sale of the Bremont Watch Company, and we discover the important distinction between chasing and engraving. Say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

August 11, 202631 min

51. The Remembrance Wreath

Inspired by a poem about the horrors of war, the red poppy is worn by millions of people every year to commemorate those who have died in conflict. And every November, on Remembrance Sunday, poppy wreaths of varying sizes are placed beside graves and war memorials. Each one is made by a small team in Richmond, Southwest London. Number 51 on our list of the greatest things we make here is The Remembrance Wreath. On this week’s The Factory Next Door, we head to The Poppy Factory to see how they are made. Director of production Jeff Short shows us around as we learn how to manage people with PTSD, make a lapel poppy with one arm, and celebrate paper coffee cup off-cuts. Plus, we learn about transferring skills from the boxing ring to the production line, give thanks for the SS America, and hang out with a biker gang. Say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 29, 202615 min

Most replayed moments. The greatest business strategy

We’ve hit number 50 on our list of the greatest things we make here, so I thought it would be nice to share some of my favourite moments, as well as your most replayed clips. Since we started The Factory Next Door, we’ve spent hours and hours hanging out with business owners, chatting to them on factory floors and in their offices. They come from different walks of life, creating a wide range of beautiful products. But there’s a unifying factor that comes up time and again in our chats. An element that is repeatedly identified as being crucial to success. Family. Mum, Dad, Brother, Sister, Children – they are often credited with direction and drive. Even when they are not employed by the company, we hear about their influence on business strategy. We start in the city of Gloucester – and close to its beautiful cathedral sits the shirt-maker Emma Willis (Ep. 21). It’s a company that makes shirts for royalty, actors, musicians, as well as for injured service personnel through its Style for Soldiers charity. In this clip, Emma reveals where her company’s strong sense of societal responsibility comes from. For our second clip, we travel to Walthamstow, North London. Here, Han from Black Horse Lane Ateliers (Ep. 24) is explaining to us why he pivoted from making clothes for high street brands to launching his own label making the very finest jeans. For the final clip, we go back to the beginning, to the custom motorbike (Ep. 4). For this episode we went to hang out with husband-and-wife team Vic and Lin from Destiny Cycles – makers of the finest choppers this side of the Atlantic. In this clip, Lin discusses her pride for Vic’s work. Say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 22, 202616 min

Most replayed moments. Why I bought a British factory

We’ve hit number 50 on our list of the greatest things we make here, so I thought it would be nice to share some of my favourite moments, as well as your most replayed clips. Our manufacturers are undoubtedly facing strong headwinds. Many business owners tell me it’s tougher now than it’s been for decades. Despite this, on our travels around the country, we’ve met a few extraordinary people who have decided to face the challenge head on and buy a factory. In this compilation, we begin in Stoke-on-Trent, where we met the wonderful artist, Susan Rose (Ep. 41). Before asking her why she’d recently taken-over a pottery – I wanted to know from the previous-owner Tony, why he was exiting the family business. In Ep. 30 we met Paul Jacobs. He lives in the Netherlands but spends a lot of time in Sheffield these days. Can you remember why he bought scissor-maker Ernest Wright? For our third clip we stay in Sheffield, with Buffalo Systems – which makes outdoor clothing. Having just bought the factory, Ben Fogle and James Sleater (Ep. 42) invited us along to have a look around, but before asking them why they’d bought the brand – we wanted a quick gossip with the team. Say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 15, 202615 min

Most replayed moments. Stories from our makers that made me cry

We’ve hit number 50 on our list of the greatest things we make here, so I thought it would be nice to look back at some of my favourite moments from the show, as well as your most replayed clips. Over the coming weeks, I’ll share a few compilations. We’ll start with moments that hit me hard. The Factory Next Door might be about manufacturing, but it’s also a love letter to people making things in our communities; people who have stories to share. In this compilation, we begin on the Isle of Wight, at the RNLI’s factory making inflatable lifeboats (Ep. 23). Who would have thought the name of a boat would leave me choked up? In Ep. 37 when I sat down with Merry from Border Oak to ask why she does what she does, her love for her dad caught me completely off-guard. Finally, we have a clip from Ep. 46. If you want to manufacture things in Britain, your company must show extraordinary resilience – but when I started my chat with Naomi from lingerie company Edge o Beyond, I had no idea about the personal resilience she’d brought to her brand. Say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.