DIGEST: SCISSORS MADE IN SHEFFIELD, INDUSTRIAL PHOTOS IN DERBY, BROOKS AND RCA, LABOUR & WAIT

An informative short video on Ernest Wright & Son, scissor makers based in Sheffield. Many more clips from the series "Paul Martin's Handmade Revolution are available here (BBC)

A photo of the production line at Leys Malleable Castings Company. An exhibition of manufacturing photos is taking place at Format International Photography Festival in Derby, where Leys was based (Guardian)

A refreshing initiative between Brooks, the Midlands based bike saddle maker, and the Royal College of Art. The video is worth watching to see some of the solutions that the students propose (Brooks)

Retailer Labour & Wait is posting a short feature entitled 'Tools of the Trade' each month, in relation to its 2013 calendar. January sees printer Harrington and Squires in the spotlight, February's focus is Creamore Mill and in March, Welsh weavers Elvet Woolen Mill is the subject (Labour & Wait)

DIGEST: CRAFT - BURNGATE STONE, WELSH WEAVING, MUCHELNEY POTTERY, CHAIRMAKING

Nos Da & Bora Da Collection by Donna Wilson & SCP from SCP on Vimeo.
 
At the Burngate Stone Carving Centre (Cos)

The potters of Muchelney (OEN)

On the connection between chair makers Philip Clissett, Ernest Gimson, Edward Gardiner, Neville Neal and Lawrence Neal (Traditional Crafts Blog)

RECENT DIGEST

A great feature on barley and brewing, preceded by a story on tea harvesting. Fantastic stuff from Farming Today. (Radio 4, note: only available until Friday morning)

Where Thomas Heatherwick's Olympic cauldron was made: Stage One, Yorkshire (Telegraph)

If you're in Edinburgh anytime soon you might like to visit the Dovecote Studios where Douglas Grierson is master weaver (Department of Small Works)

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Photo of Olympic cauldron petals from the (rather good) Olympic Opening Ceremony tumblr

WEEKLY DIGEST

An interview with Irish basket weaver Kathleen McCormick (Makers & Brothers)

British manufacturers enjoyed a strong start to 2012 (Guardian)

British manufacturers (including Numatic, makers of Henry vacuum cleaners) are moving production of components back to the UK in a trend known as 'reshoring' (FT)

90% of London 2012 Olympics merchandise made abroad (Telegraph)

Also, on a related note: according to this article in Time, if Americans spent $3.33 on US made products each week, almost 10,000 new jobs would be created. I wonder if it is a similar story here in Britain.

Inside the Cooper & Stollbrand factory, Manchester (Selectism)

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For further UK manufacturing stories, see Make it British's round up of the recent retail and fashion news

Photo of Kathleen McCormick from Makers & Brothers

MAURICE BROOMFIELD: PHOTOS OF INDUSTRIAL BRITAIN

Paper making in Northfleet

A furnace at Dagenham

Weaving in Derbyshire

A great article on the photographer/factory worker, Maurice Broomfield by Nina Caplan in the Financial Times (20th February 2010) here. Mr. Broomfield's engaging photographs will be on display in Chichester and Derby later this year.