RECENT READING DIGEST

Photos (and a lovely write up) of an outerwear factory in north London (SEH Kelly)

A series of essays exploring the importance of design and craft today, including an essay from Another Country's Paul De Zwart (Danish Crafts)

Interesting features on British creatives, including Scottish craft beer brewers Brewdog and Midlands-based textile designer Tori Murphy (We Heart)

A video of Sebastian Conran talking about what makes British products (Design Council)

Whitechapel Bell Foundry is offering 'special' tours during the Olympics (Londonist)

David Hieatt of Hiut Denim on 'the age of the specialist' (eatbigfish)

A great map of British factories - from furniture to flannel (Margaret Howell)

-

Photo from SEH Kelly

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

-

Photo of Hiut Denim factory from Hiut Denim

WHAT DESIGN MEANS TO KENNETH GRANGE, PAUL SMITH, TERENCE CONRAN ET AL.

WEEKLY DIGEST

Stoke's potteries have a place in our recovery (Tristam Hunt)

An extract from 'The Busy Hives Around Us' (Esoteric London)

Thornbridge Brewery launches beer to help save Sheffield's Portland Works (SIBA)

Robin Wood's response to the recent UK culture posters: Craft is Great Britain (Robin Wood)

Design Council's 'Designing Demand' offers aid to small to medium manufacturers (Design Council)

ANGLEPOISE : A CASE STUDY

We recently came across this excellent case study on Anglepoise, courtesy of the Design Council:

Anglepoise is run by father and son team, John and Simon Terry. By 2001, the pair realised that if Anglepoise was to survive it was time to make a few harsh decisions. The most straightforward option, and one chosen by many UK manufacturers in recent years, would be to stick to the same products and distribution channels but move all production overseas – probably to China.

But the Terrys could see that this strategy might easily erode one of the company’s key remaining strengths – its reputation for precision design and engineering excellence.

‘Our margins were very small, and shrinking fast,’ explains Managing Director Simon Terry. ‘But we had a strong name, as well as our flawless design and engineering credentials. We wanted to find a way to reinvent the business to capitalise on these assets – not undermine them.’ There had to be another way.

The answer turned out to be a much more radical overhaul of the entire business. Anglepoise would start again, in a new location, as a high design, premium priced brand addressing an international marketplace.

Image from the excellent looking John's Adverts