From the bread on our breakfast tables to the trucks on Britain's roads, Lancashire's manufacturing heritage can be found in almost every corner of everyday life.
The county has produced pioneering businesses, household names and internationally recognised products. Some have remained in the hands of the families who founded them, while others have become part of multinational companies. And although the factories, owners and products may have changed over the decades, their Lancashire connections remain an important part of their histories.
In Part 1 of our celebration of famous Lancashire brands, we explored the stories behind some of the county's best-loved food and drink names. Here, we broaden our horizons to include engineering, sportswear, paints and household products, alongside more familiar names from the food industry, and discover how Lancashire businesses have made their mark around the world.
5. Crown Paints
A production line at Crown Paints. The firm traces its origins to 1777, when James Greenway established the Dob Meadows Print Shop in Darwen. Initially involved in printing textiles, the business subsequently diversified into wallpaper production. By the beginning of the twentieth century, it had begun experimenting with water-based paints, producing its first paint under the Hollins Distemper name in 1906. The company became the Walpamur Paint Company in 1910. The Crown name first appeared on its paint products in 1966, and two years later Queen Elizabeth II visited the Darwen site to officially open a new emulsion paint plant. Crown developed into one of Britain’s leading decorative paint manufacturers, introducing innovations such as its small paint sample pots. Since 2011, Crown has been part of the Danish Hempel Group, although its headquarters remain in Darwen | Contributed
6. Baxi
Baxi traces its origins to 1866, when Richard Baxendale established an iron foundry in the Preston area. The business developed from its engineering roots into a manufacturer of domestic heating equipment and eventually became one of Britain's most familiar central heating brands. Its products included the Baxi Bermuda, a back boiler that became closely associated with domestic central heating during the second half of the twentieth century. The business underwent significant changes in ownership over the years, including a pioneering move into employee ownership in 1983. Its heating operations subsequently became part of an international group, but manufacturing has remained closely associated with the Preston area. Today, Baxi is part of BDR Thermea and continues to manufacture heating equipment at its Bamber Bridge factory | Contributed
7. Baxi
Baxi was celebrating 150 years in Lancashire when this photo was taken inside the foundry in Club Street, Bamber Bridge in 2016 | Johnston Press Photo: Staff
