WEEKLY DIGEST

A slightly extended round-up this week, potentially containing 'old' news.

A video on knitwear manufacturer John Smedley (Mr Porter)

The latest issue of The Brooks Bugle is available online (Brooks)

Umbrella magazine's latest issue has an interesting feature (p50) on the Ford factory in Dagenham (Umbrella)

According to this article, the Japanese are flocking to appreciate industrial beauty (FT)

Profile on James Eden of Private White VC (Telegraph)

On Hiut Denim and its founder David Hieatt (Business of Fashion)

Video interview with Irish crafts duo Jonathan Legge and James Carroll at New York Design Week where they were making simple stools (Makers & Brothers)

The Design Summit 2012 (on 'Who do we think we are?') looks like it could be interesting (Design Council)

Good news in the form of design copyright law change (Design Council)

Made in Britain's New Wave of designers (Telegraph)

And finally, a round-up inspired by a gentleman named Baz Clarke who has been sharing several excellent sources on the M&I Facebook page:

A couple of companies I was not aware of: Huddersfield's Richard Carter who makes tools by hand and Sugden Audio, a West Yorkshire based designer and manufacturer of audio equipment

A lovely article on Devon's Richard Morris who makes traditional tools in his mill in Dunsford (Western Morning News)

Nick Hedges' photos of factory workers

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Photo of Hiut Denim factory from Hiut Denim

WEEKLY DIGEST

Following a brief hiatus over Christmas and the new year, it's a bumper digest of UK manufacturing stories this week.

On the success of German manufacturing (Guardian)

UK manufacturing has reasons to be optimistic in 2012 (The Manufacturer)

UK manufacturing sector stagnant (Guardian)

Bentley posts 37% surge in sales (Guardian)

Meanwhile, Rolls-Royce records record sales thanks to Asian market (Guardian)

Welsh clothing label Howies is going independent once again (Howies)

Brands look to rebuild British textile industry (MEN)

Martin Parr's Black Country Stories opens on 20th January at The New Art Gallery Walsall (Multistory)

Open call for Designers in Residence 2012 (Design Museum)

A lovely profile of expert joiner Dave Thompson (Spitalfields Life)

Inside the Efgeeco factory, Balham (Andrews of Arcadia Scrapbook)

Picture from Spitalfields Life

WEEKLY DIGEST

The MD of Morgan explains why the car maker will never manufacture abroad (Real Business)

Hiut Denim: Made in Cardigan, Wales (Stylesight)

UK manufacturing activity picks up (FT)

Among the excellent soundslides on Nick Hand's Slowcoast project is one with Paul Smith (Slowcoast)

Photo of Morgan factory from Dark Roasted Blend

WEEKLY DIGEST

Some great photos of Bentley's factory in Crewe (Selectism)

Margaret Howell's top 10 product designs (Guardian)

Apprenticeships in the spotlight on Radio 4 programme In Business (BBC R4)

Jaguar Land Rover to open new plant in Wolverhampton (Telegraph)

WEEKLY DIGEST

The week's stories on UK manufacturing and design:

Once Was England visits Church's factory in Northampton

Lotus cuts jobs at Norfolk factory

James Dyson's favourite design of all time is the Moulton bicycle

Port magazine goes where M&I has been before; Sunspel's factory in Long Eaton

The Manufacturer ponders the 'revival of made in Britain'

The Made in Britain blog talks socks

And finally, House of Hackney gets some nice coverage on WSJ

Photo from Once Was England

WEEKLY DIGEST

Just a couple of stories that caught the eye this week:

Glove manufacturer to increase UK manufacturing

Vauxhall chief says resurgence in UK car manufacturing is fanciful

WEEKLY DIGEST

Limited edition Minis to be decked out with Rolls Royce interior touches

Reasonable Royal Wedding product alert: Stoke brewery partners with pottery to produce ceramic bottle

Life at the Dyson R&D dept sounds pretty fun

Retailer to fund UK manufacturing apprenticeships

First new MG in 16 years rolls off production line at Longbridge, Birmingham

MIDLAND MANUFACTURING GROUP IN PLEA TO PM

Over the last few months M&I has had several conversations with people involved in UK manufacturing - from heads of trade bodies to factory owners to designers. Time and again the same issue arises; if the UK is to play a strong role in the global economy then more support is needed from the government.

'For small, medium and large enterprises, there has been little reform to boost manufacturing, training and growth in the UK since the General Election,' Ian Williamson of The Midland Manufacturing Group, told The Kenilworth Weekly News.

'There has also been a significant trend regarding the sale of our larger companies to overseas competitors. The UK is now reliant on them for ensuring the research and development of high-value, high-skill jobs remain in the UK.'

'If we lose our manufacturing base we are never going to get it back,' warned Williamson. 'The West Midlands is the heartland of our manufacturing and we need trading conditions to allow it to prosper.'

The Midland Manufacturing Group includes industrialists and professional bodies and is seeking to reverse the trend of job losses in the area. Members include Automotive Products in Leamington, and Arden Products, Clarke Clulley and Norgren Martiner in Kenilworth, as well as the region’s automotive industry.

Williamson also told The Kenilworth Weekly News that he is in talks about holding a debate on reform needed in Midlands manufacturing in early 2011 - we look forward to hearing more about this.

Illustration of Mini & 1100 engine from Austin Memories

FOCUS ON BIRMINGHAM : JAGUAR LAND ROVER SAVED

Birmingham has received a sizeable amount of column inches over the last couple of weeks, mostly spurred by the Cameron chat. A good consequence of this has been the focus on manufacturing in the area, epitomised by this story from the BBC.

The future of Jaguar Land Rover's Solihull plant had never been in doubt, according to Gerard Coyne, regional secretary of Unite, due to it being the 'ancestral home' of the car maker.

Workers at the plant were clearly relieved. 'It's better than good. It's far more than we could have expected and I am gobsmacked,' said (the brilliantly named) Mick Jones, a paint shop worker from Erdington, Birmingham.

We enjoyed reading the comments from other workers here too.

MG TO RELAUNCH IN THE UK IN 2011

A piece in the Financial Times caught our eye today: 'MG, the Birmingham based carmaker will begin producing its first new car in 15 years, and from 2011 relaunch in the UK as a 'value' brand.'

'We've got to get across the ideas of having a great past with a bright, exciting future,' Guy Jones, MG Motor's UK sales and marketing director told John Reed of the FT.

According to the FT, if the new MG6 model proves successful then production at the Longbridge site will be increased, giving new life to the site that was once one of Europe's largest car plants.

Image from Old Classic Car