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.

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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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.