What More UK has strengthened its manufacturing capabilities by acquiring local toolmaker Canteen Smithy Engineering.

What More UK is one of the largest and most important homeware manufacturers in the UK.

The Lancashire homeware manufacturer and exporter is a proud member of East Lancashire’s manufacturing heartland and is proud that its products are made in Britain.

It’s the organization behind the popular Wham brand, available in all major UK supermarkets, DIY chains and department stores, as well as 1,600 other independent retailers. Prior to the acquisition, they had already invested over £1million in their in-house tool room, ensuring their engineering machinery is state of the art.

Canteen Smithy is a specialist engineering company with over 35 years of experience in precision mold making and precision engineering. Their toolmakers have extensive experience, some with over 35 years of service – but they share the What More philosophy of also employing apprentices, to ensure that essential traditional skills are passed on to a new generation.

New technologies play a major role at Canteen Smithy, and they have invested in their own in-house design studio. This, alongside CNC milling machines, surface grinders, lathes and cylindrical grinders, means they are more than capable of producing the many and varied tools What More needs to continue their rapid growth and meet the capacity and on demand.

Company Director Tony Grimshaw commented: “Acquiring Canteen Smithy, who have been our supplier for some time, is a natural fit. We need the extra capacity it will give us, and that means we are getting closer to self-sufficiency in We strongly believe in Made in Britain and they are only a short distance away, which also helps our carbon footprint !

“This purchase also means that most of our molds will now be made in-house and in Britain. Prior to the purchase, our injection molding tools were sourced overseas, and we now have the capability to manufacture them ourselves. themselves.

“We want to retain the strong UK manufacturing history, and we need so many different tools for our Bakeware and Plastics divisions, which are two completely different profiles, that taking Canteen Smithy and all their knowledge and expertise means that we can push forward with our growth.”

What More UK is one of the largest homeware manufacturers in the UK. They make storage boxes and household items of all kinds, including cookware, items around the sink, home laundry products, laundry, and garden items such as planters and bins. What More’s products are all made in East Lancashire and are sold in 76 countries worldwide. More can be seen on their website here: www.whatmoreuk.com