Sandwell’s unique industrial past is a cornerstone to what its industries benefit from today – it’s where industry met innovation and where creative thinking comes up with solutions that keeps Sandwell making for businesses around the world.
Whether its engineering and metalwork, glass, surface engineering and coatings, aerospace and automotive supply chains or innovations in sustainable industry, renewables and robotics – Sandwell has had a part to play in manufacturing throughout its history.
Industrial past
Sandwell’s six towns have been at the forefront of the industrial revolution, supplying across the country through its networks of canals, railway lines and roads. Making and manufacturing for the world, it’s supplied unique products and parts, innovating with materials and solutions to answer industries biggest challenges.
What’s unique to Sandwell, historically and today, is the proximity and hybrid of these industries and expertise across the borough. Close enough to support and develop within one another’s product development and production processes.
Soho Foundry, constructed in 1795 in Smethwick, was the world’s first purpose-built, integrated steam engine manufactory. It pioneered assembly-line techniques and was the first factory every to be lit by gas. History was made here by Matthew Boulton, James Watt and William Murdoch – playing a significant role in the Industrial Revolution achieving many world ‘firsts’.
Now home of Avery Weigh-Tronix and Avery Berkel who make weighing scales. The site still includes William Murdoch’s cottage and overlooks Black Patch Park.
The Chance Brothers Glassworks, founded in 1822 in Smethwick, were world renowned for their supply of lighthouses and innovation in glass production, they supplied the glass casing for Big Ben and today Sandwell Archives are leading a cataloguing project uncovering aspects of its history shared across Sandwell. You can see one of the projects recent discoveries around how the company explored making dresses from fibre glass on TikTok here.
Did you work for Chance Brothers Ltd., or know someone who did? We’re gathering personal stories for a new book celebrating the people who helped shape the historic glassworks, and we’d love to hear from you. Every contributor will receive a complimentary copy of the finished book as a thank you for sharing their memories. Stories can be up to 1,000 words, and photographs are especially welcome. For more information, please contact Sandwell Archives at [email protected].’
The Robinson Brothers founded in 1869 in West Bromwich, is one of the UK’s largest independent chemical manufacturers of speciality/fine chemicals and rubber accelerators and is still in existence today. You can find out more about their 150 year history and how they’re still leading the way today on TikTok here.
People and industry also shaped the areas’ industrial heritage. In 1910 the women Chainmakers of Cradley Heath focussed the world’s attention on the plight of Britain’s lowpaid women workers. In their back yard forges, hundreds of women laid down their tools to strike for a living wage, led by the charismatic union organiser and campaigner, Mary Mccarthur. After ten weeks they won the dispute and increased their earnings, helping to make the principle of a national minimum wage a reality.
Today
Sandwell’s capacity to innovate and problem solve when it comes to making and manufacturing is evident in its breadth of supply networks and companies based across the borough.
AM&M EDM in Smethwick supplies precision engineering solutions for clients across the UK and around the world. It’s specialist R&D expertise and experience in materials from thermoplastics to aluminium, stainless steel and exotic materials such as Inconel and Titanium, sees them supply multiple industries from aerospace and Formula 1 to automotive and food production. They recently turned around a part in just a few days for a Formula 1 client to make the grid for the Australian Grand Prix, something their apprentice got to work on alongside the team.
Angle Ring, a third-generation family-owned business established in 1951, offers the UK’s largest steel bending range and is based in Tipton, supplying sectors around the world including energy, defence, architectural and construction.
You’ll be familiar with some of its best known creations too. Angle Ring made the arch that stands proud across Wembley stadium, bending 800 metres of 300x300mm Square Hollow Section (SHS) for the rings which help give the iconic arch its shape, weighing the equivalent of 10 jumbo jets! It also completed work on the White Horse Bridge adjacent to the stadium. Find out more about their story on our recent TikTok about them here.
Nourished in Smethwick is an exciting example of innovative manufacturing and product technology that has embraced local suppliers and expertise in order to establish a cutting-edge manufacturing process for its nutrition gummies.
Using 3D printing technology, its process can layer the right nutrition ingredients for its gummy stacks, offering a far more effective intake of supplements for customers, a problem founder Melissa Snoover identified when travelling in 2018. It’s tech and making team help research and develop its product line and production processes.
Find out more about Sandwell’s businesses today through the Sandwell Business Growth and the Black Country Chamber of Commerce
If you’re a business and would like to find out how you can get involved with the Sandwell Story – you can find out more here.
