The Factory Next Door podcast

The Factory Next Door

What’s on your list of the greatest products made in Britain? Join journalist Steve Duke as he criss-crosses the island to meet our makers in their factories and workshops. Winner of a Silver Award at the British Podcast Awards 2025 and the Best Business Show at the Independent Podcast Awards 2024. Join the community on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor And if you can, please consider buying me a coffee to keep this show on the road https://buymeacoffee.com/thefactorynextdoor Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

What’s on your list of the greatest products made in Britain? Join journalist Steve Duke as he criss-crosses the island to meet our makers in their factories and workshops. Winner of a Silver Award at the British Podcast Awards 2025 and the Best Business Show at the Independent Podcast Awards 2024. Join the community on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor And if you can, please consider buying me a coffee to keep this show on the road https://buymeacoffee.com/thefactorynextdoor Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

 

#44

41. The China Mug

There’s plenty of reasons to buy a British manufacturer right now. On this week’s episode,... more

18 Nov 2025

32 MINS

32:24

18 Nov 2025


#43

40. The Bed Linen

When the ultra-wealthy want a new set of bespoke bedding for their mansion or superyacht, ... more

02 Sep 2025

28 MINS

28:16

02 Sep 2025


#42

39. The Musical Saw

The global market for saw blades might be worth $16bn a year, but there’s only one saw fac... more

19 Aug 2025

25 MINS

25:46

19 Aug 2025


#41

38. The Rocket Engine

Earlier this year, Blue Ghost became the first commercial lunar lander to touch down on th... more

05 Aug 2025

33 MINS

33:45

05 Aug 2025


#40

37. The Oak-Framed Home

We almost lost the art of building homes from oak in Britain. Thankfully, someone in Heref... more

22 Jul 2025

33 MINS

33:03

22 Jul 2025


#39

36. The Resoleable Sneakers

The American sneaker market is worth $25bn. It is the biggest in the world – and growing. ... more

08 Jul 2025

29 MINS

29:22

08 Jul 2025


#38

35. The Dining Chair

Design a timeless classic and the ripples from that one idea can be felt across industries... more

24 Jun 2025

32 MINS

32:13

24 Jun 2025


#37

34. The Glass Lampshade

You must be delicate shaping it. You must be aggressive smoothing it. Glass might be full ... more

10 Jun 2025

28 MINS

28:46

10 Jun 2025


#36

33. The Somerset Cider

When you’re in the business of making cider, you need to be able to predict the future. Gr... more

27 May 2025

29 MINS

29:53

27 May 2025


#35

32. The Country Brogues

These are tough times for Britain’s celebrated shoemakers – sales to Europe have been sque... more

13 May 2025

32 MINS

32:01

13 May 2025


#34

Bonus Ep. Dumfries House. Inside the King's House of Makers

Thirty miles south of Glasgow, in the grounds of a country house, thousands of students vi... more

06 May 2025

28 MINS

28:32

06 May 2025


#33

31. The Single Malt

The world loves Scotch whisky. Forty-four bottles are exported every single second – that’... more

29 Apr 2025

30 MINS

30:54

29 Apr 2025


#32

30. The Kitchen Scissors

Sheffield is about to embark on a brand refresh which celebrates the city’s role in the hi... more

18 Feb 2025

27 MINS

27:46

18 Feb 2025


#31

29. The Three-Piece Suit

Being a tailor is a profession. It has been since 1563 when laws were passed that stated y... more

04 Feb 2025

32 MINS

32:24

04 Feb 2025


#30

28. The Prospector Pan

Across Europe, we’ve been cooking with iron pans since the 1600s (the Chinese were using t... more

21 Jan 2025

30 MINS

30:32

21 Jan 2025


#29

27. The Doorman's Umbrella

Around 1.5 million umbrellas are reportedly made in the UK every year. We need them. The U... more

07 Jan 2025

28 MINS

28:08

07 Jan 2025


#28

26. The Sparkling Wine

Making sparkling wine is an old craft that’s found a new home. The French (and other Europ... more

24 Dec 2024

32 MINS

32:47

24 Dec 2024


#27

25. The Coachbuilt Car

Cars are made by robots – often articulated robots that resemble giant human arms… except,... more

10 Dec 2024

32 MINS

32:26

10 Dec 2024


#26

24. The Selvedge Jeans

More than three billion pairs of denim jeans are made every year. But not all jeans are ma... more

26 Nov 2024

31 MINS

31:43

26 Nov 2024


#25

23. The Inflatable Lifeboat

Since 1824, if you’ve got into difficulties on the British coastline, volunteers from the ... more

12 Nov 2024

29 MINS

29:56

12 Nov 2024


#24

22. The Space Satellite

In a leafy science park in Surrey, there’s a team of engineers making something that’s not... more

29 Oct 2024

30 MINS

30:55

29 Oct 2024


#23

21. The Cotton Shirt

A thread runs across the shoulders of King Charles, Stormzy, and David Gandy, and leads to... more

15 Oct 2024

28 MINS

28:00

15 Oct 2024


#22

Bonus Ep. Evan Davis

For this special episode of the show, we sit down for a chat with journalist and broadcast... more

24 Sep 2024

28 MINS

28:40

24 Sep 2024


#21

20. The Horse Saddle

The world’s biggest exporter of horse saddles and harnesses? China. Today it accounts for ... more

20 Aug 2024

31 MINS

31:41

20 Aug 2024