As if its not difficult enough dealing with depressed demand during this recession, this week we have been faced with additional problems. Firstly, we were called to a site visit where a customer (end user) had an apparent problem with some of our products. (Note that we attended, rather than our stockist or distributor).

It turned out that they were not our products but those of one of our competitors. The end user in question had specified our products and was naturally annoyed that she has been supplied with a cheap, inferior, imitation product. When she complained to the supplier she was told,

“Oh, these products are all the same. They are all made in the same way”.

NOT TRUE!

On another, separate occasion, a customer, (end user), was told by the stockist that one of our competitor’s products was from the UK.

NOT TRUE.

We make the claim that our Kirkpatrick Malleable Iron Black Ironmongery is the only range still made in the UK. If someone can prove otherwise then we will withdraw this claim but as far as we are aware it is a reasonable claim. If you go back 30 years there were three Companies all within a mile of each other in Walsall all making similar products. In a way it is sad that Kirkpatrick is the only one to have survived. At around this time imported copies started arriving on the UK market. These designs were never patented so there wasn’t a lot we could do. We have taken action against Companies in India using our images to promote their ranges, however.

Imported products are marketed so that they sound British. British sounding names like “Ludlow Foundries” or “Black Country Metalworks” give the impression of originating in the UK.

THEY DON’T.

Some products are promoted using the fact that they are made using “traditional English methods” but they don’t state that they are actually made in India or China.

It’s a similar marketing technique to that used in the Vodka market. Smirnoff and Vladivar both sound Russian but you can bet that they don’t originate from Russia.

We are not seeking special treatment. We certainly don’t rest on our laurels and think that just because we are British we are owed a living. All we seek to do is to point out and educate the public both at home and abroad that our products are made in the UK. They are of the highest quality and the most authentic in both look and feel. Because they are made of Malleable Iron, they are the strongest and toughest. We say this to people all the time but if you want an independent viewpoint follow this link and see what an end user thinks.

What we don’t want is for the public to be sold an inferior copy when they have specified ours. Neither should retailers claim that all similar products are the same. It is a bit like claiming that an Aston Martin and a Tata are the same. True, they will both get you from A to B and there is a market for both. But which would you prefer?

We try to educate our stockists and distributors and the vast majority promote our products because they recognise the quality of our range and they want to be associated with this. Occasionally, whether through ignorance or just plain laziness we get a situation like that outlined at the start of this blog.

So, we are doing what we can to spread the word. Please help us. Support British manufacturing!

UK Manufacture

Visited Interiors show at NEC yesterday. It was a good show with loads of stands with loads of exhibitors. It made me wonder, though,  exactly how much of the stuff there was manufactured in the UK. There were one or two stands flying the flag, obviously displaying UK manufactured items. There were some old UK "household names" there but I wonder how much of what they were showing originated in the UK.

I am strangely drawn to the Union Flag when I see it displayed on a product. I like to see who else is with us trying to stem the flow of imports and actually making stuff which people can buy, which generates wealth which helps the economy. I was drawn to one flag but was quite shocked to see that rather than saying, "Made in the UK", it boasted that the range was "Stocked in the UK". I know that we all have to use whatever tools we can to get our products noticed but, really, what does the consumer gain from knowing that the product is stocked in the UK? Maybe if I put a "Led Zeppelin" sticker on our products because once in the 1980's Robert Plant came to our factory to pick up some hardware? I am sure that all it would do would be to alert Zep's lawyers that someone was using their trade mark without permission. So who looks after the trademark of UK plc? Shouldn't someone be policing the use of the Union Flag? I guess all that would do would be to add a few more civils servants to the numbers we already have to support.

So, we are in it by ourselves, guys. All us UK manufacturers should stick together.There was a report on the radio this morning that Asda are to create 5000 new jobs. That's good news but Asda can't keep growing unless:

a) they take business off Tesco and the other supermarkets, (which we may be seeing with Tesco's latest figures).

b) we create new jobs in manufacturing and sell more stuff from the UK to people overseas so that we create more wealth which enables us to buy more from Asda.

Let's get this message across. Buy a product manufactured in the UK, wherever possible. Medium and long term we will all be better off if we do.

Rocknroll

Well, hello again. Apologies for the lack of blog (bloglessness) recently. Here we go and again its not necessarily concerned directly with the manufacture of the finest Antique Black Ironmongery but its just something that needs to be said....

The Kirkpatrick Blogger went to a gig recently. Now that in itself is nothing new but it has to be said that 2011 has not been a good year for gig-going. It did occur to me, however, that it was probably 40 years to the month, (give or take a week or so), since I went to my first gig at exactly the same venue. Who and where, you may be asking?. Well, seeing as you asked so nicely it was King Crimson at Wolverhampton Civic. So to be standing in the same venue 40 years later was an occasion worth marking, I thought. What made it extra special was that my son had asked me to go with him and had given me the ticket and he refused to accept payment for it. How cool is that? Which sort of got me thinking that it would have been unheard of 40 years ago to go to a gig with your Dad. Not that my Dad would have appreciated King Crimson but its amazing how things have changed. I actually remember that my Dad picked me and my sister up from the Civic in 1971 and even that was frowned upon by my more worldly, super cool friends who would just button up their ex RAF great coats and disappear into the night on foot, their loon pants mopping the pavement as they went.

Anyway, I digress. The gig was great, largely down to two pretty damn good supports, (Ghost and In Flames). The headliners were Trivium. Good but not great but really not a band I would have chosen to go and see. Just as an aside, its amazing how bands, particularly American bands have fallen quite easily into being entertainers. The gig is now referred to as a "show". I suppose it is, but back in 1971 a show was what you saw at the seaside at the end of a pier. I doubt that a King Crimson gig in 1971 was referred to as a "show" and they certainly wouldn't have thought of themselves as entertainers. They were serious musicians, man. They had sufferred for their music.....and now it was our turn.

So back to 2011. What amazes me, (and it is something I have noted for a few years now), is the number of people who go to a gig and insist on trying to have a conversation most of the way through. Now, in case you don't know, Trivium are towards what I would call the more extreme end of metal. Thrashy, growling vocals, double kick drum beats, I'm sure you all know what I mean......Anyway, they are reasonably loud, so trying to have a conversation is nigh on impossible so why try? The other thing, of course, is a ticket these days is quite expensive, (did I tell you my son bought mine?), so if you are spending £30-40 on a ticket why waste that money by ignoring the band and trying to chat? King Crimson in 1971 was 50p, by the way.

The other thing is why do people also try to make and receive phone calls throughout a gig? Crazy! You must have heard them....

"Hi mate, can you hear me? Hi mate....hello...can you hear me? I'm at a gig....at a gig.... Sorry, what was that? Can't hear you mate.....I'm at a gig....you what?....sorry mate, can't hear you....see ya......"

Again, sending texts, e-mails, playing games....anything but taking in the gig. I have to admit here that I did get my Gooseberry out once to see what time it was but I couldn't read it without my glasses....Oh, the joys of getting older!

So, there we go. That's another rant over and another thing sorted. Rock and indeed, Roll, man.

"they said it wouldn't last, but baby please lets face it....
they just don't know what's going to replace it...."

First blog

Welcome to the first official "blog" from the Kirkpatrick "blogger". The thoughts or opinions represented here do not necessarily represent the views of Kirkpatrick, its Directors or its Employees, but then again they might!

What we hope to do here is to generate some discussion, maybe some debate, provide information on our products and maybe, just maybe, have a little fun from time to time. After all, there is more to life than Black Ironmongery, although sometimes it doesn't feel this way.

So we are approaching the Festive Season. The shops are crowded. They are selling huge tins of biscuits, chocolates. Ferrero Rocher are being advertised, (do they sell them at any other time of the year....and do people really like them?). There is so much tat and junk being sold and you know that it is not wanted and much of it will be discarded within a few weeks of the New Year. Everyone goes mad buying stupid amounts of food, a lot of which will be wasted.

Christmas can be a wonderful time but do we need to consume (or waste) so much just to say what a great Christmas we had? Its an unpopular viewpoint, believe me.

Ultimately, you don't need to be particularly clever to see that the modern commercialised Christmas helps us survive the rest of the year in relative comfort. If everyone stopped buying all the tat and junk, all the biscuits and chocolates (and the Ferrero Rocher), then shops would struggle, people would be out of work which would have the knock on effect of reducing demand in the economy, perhaps dropping us back into recession and maybe the demand for Kirkpatrick Black Iron products would be reduced.

So, Merry Christmas everyone. Keep consuming, keep eating, keep buying our products, (just make sure you don't buy the cheap copies which are the only things sold by the DIY sheds).

Just one thing. Would it be possible for pubs to have a special bar area for regular pub goers so that they don't have to queue behind people who only venture out once a year to office parties? Don't get me started on that....Bah humbug!

Welcome to Kirkpatrick

Located in the heart of England, Kirkpatrick Ltd is the oldest established manufacturer of black iron door and window furniture. Each malleable iron product is handcrafted and finished making each one completely unique. The use of traditional manufacturing techniques and relevant technical advances means that Kirkpatrick products are of the highest quality in terms of both aesthetics and functionality.

Kirkpatrick celebrates its history and heritage and still occupies the same premises from where it all began in 1855.