Diespeker is delighted to feature in a new book ‘Made in London: From Workshops to Factories’ which is out on October 6th.
This stunning image-led hardback looks at the amazing variety of manufacturing that still goes on in the capital. It’s a counterpoint to the world of digital that seems to have taken over the city; showing that there are still plenty of hands-on businesses out there that make ‘real’ items.
The book is the work of photographer Carmel King and Mark Brearley, former head of Design for London, who set off on a mission to uncover and list manufacturers across London – a list that Mark says is now heading towards 4,000. These businesses make all manner of products, from propellers and musical instruments to go karts and neon signs.
Beautifully photographed by Carmel with a captivating introduction by Mark and words on the featured enterprise by Clare Dowdy, this coffee table book teems with the many creative endeavours of the manufacturing world which are often hiding in plain sight in the streets of London. These businesses have factories, workshops, machinery and craftspeople using skills that could too easily be lost.
It’s interesting to discover that around 11 percent of jobs in London are within industry, and a hefty chunk of that is manufacturing. As a well-established London business of over 140 years, Diespeker is proud to provide employment in the local area and provide career opportunities for the long term.
Diespeker MD John Krause says “While there’s the temptation to move out of the capital to a purpose built modern facility, our heart is well and truly fixed in London. It would take a lot to move us on!
“It’s great that there are so many thousands of manufacturing businesses out there who are continuing to thrive. It makes me proud to know that we are one of them.”
Made in London provides a new view of old London, looking at manufacturing that many associate with times past, but which is well and truly in the present.
To purchase a copy of the book (RRP £40) visit: https://www.londonmakes.com.
Buy from there and your book will be personally packed and dispatched by Mr Brearley, from his factory, that’s just a short walk from Diespeker’s, near the Old Kent Road.
