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The Factory Next Door

The Factory Next Door

54. The Helter Skelter

Sep 22, 2026 · 34 min · 14 segments

You never quite know what you’re going to find when you visit one of our manufacturers. On today’s episode of The Factory Next Door, we head to Avonmouth to visit a bespoke storage maker – but…

You never quite know what you’re going to find when you visit one of our manufacturers. On today’s episode of The Factory Next Door, we head to Avonmouth to visit a bespoke storage maker – but what we discover is far from expected. We hear stories of serious fraud, do our daily stretches, go welding with Daft Punk, and see the frame of a 15-meter-high slide being lovingly bent into shape. Number 54 on our list of the greatest things we make here is The Helter Skelter by Moduflex. Managing Director Richard Blunden shows us around as we learn what it takes to keep a company going through its darkest days, discuss the importance of a strong employee culture, and consider the benefits of designing next door to the factory floor. Say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor Support the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/thefactorynextdoor * * * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You never quite know what you’re going to find when you visit one of our manufacturers. On today’s episode of The Factory Next Door, we head to Avonmouth to visit a bespoke storage maker – but…

Top entities: computer numerical control×4 HM Revenue & Customs×4 Chile×4 United Kingdom×5 Victoria and Albert Museum×3

Spotify Apple Podcasts YouTube Amazon Music

Speakers: Richard BlundenGuestSteve DukeHostLauraGuestJohnGuestDylanGuestKaiGuest

Show signals: SuitabilitySafeAudience≈15k followers

Punching, Laser Cutting, and Automation3:54 – 6:51

S

3:54

Here we

S

3:54

are.

S

3:54

Get a closer look at the Helter Skelter.

S

3:56

Okay.

S

3:58

That is quite noisy.

S

3:59

Yeah.

S

3:59

So from

D

DylanGuest

4:01

here

Richard BlundenGuest

4:03

you get a bit of an overview of the factory.

Richard BlundenGuest

4:05

So you've got raw material sat here on the left.

Richard BlundenGuest

4:07

You've got the noisy machine, which is the AE, which is a sheet-loaded automated punch machine.

Richard BlundenGuest

4:14

So it physically punches holes in the flat sheet of steel.

Richard BlundenGuest

4:18

And this is the the first stage of the process.

Richard BlundenGuest

4:21

The machine behind is brand new to us, came in at the very end of last year, it's a laser.

Richard BlundenGuest

4:26

So that cuts holes in the steel with a beam of light and hot gas rather than physically punching holes.

Richard BlundenGuest

4:32

Much quieter, very different machines but both very important to us.

S

4:36

This is quite some machine we're looking at here.

S

4:39

This is the one that's punching holes through the steel.

Richard BlundenGuest

4:43

Yeah, so basically these shelves, they're shelves to go into a shoe store or a retail environment.

Richard BlundenGuest

4:49

But with the new regulations, you have to let the water from the sprinklers pass through the shelf.

Richard BlundenGuest

4:54

So we punch about 400 holes in the top of the shelf to let the water pass through.

S

5:00

It's so busy in here.

S

5:01

I get a real sense of activity, you know, with the forklift truck whizzing around.

Richard BlundenGuest

5:06

So just a quick stop.

Richard BlundenGuest

5:08

So this is the new laser that we have put in last December and then the automation came in in March this year.

computer numerical controlEntity
97%4 mentions
HM Revenue & CustomsGovernment OrganizationGovernment department
92%4 mentions
ChileCountryCountry in South America
86%4 mentions
United KingdomCountryCountry in Europe
81%5 mentions
Victoria and Albert MuseumMuseumMuseum in London, England
75%3 mentions
Buy Me a CoffeeCompanyCompany
69%1 mention
AcastCompanyAdvertising agency company
64%2 mentions
Daft PunkMusic GroupElectronic duo
58%3 mentions
AvonmouthPlace
53%1 mention
EdinburghCityCapital of Scotland
47%2 mentions
Bristol BearsSports TeamRugby union team
42%3 mentions
Las VegasCityCity in Nevada
36%1 mention
BanksyPersonStreet artist and political activist
31%1 mention
Henri MatissePersonFrench visual artist
22%1 mention
Pablo PicassoPersonSpanish painter and sculptor
22%1 mention
HarrodsOrganizationDepartment store in London, England
14%3 mentions
Amazon.comCompanyMultinational conglomerate company
8%1 mention
Small and medium enterprisesEntityOrganization type
3%1 mention

ManufacturingBusiness
Laser WeldingBusiness > Manufacturing > Production Processes > Machinery
Design ProcessBusiness > Product Design > Engineering
Prototype DevelopmentBusiness > Product Design > Engineering > Design Process
Bespoke ProjectsBusiness > Customer Relations > Client Management
Reputation BuildingBusiness > Customer Relations > Client Management > Bespoke Projects
FinanceBusiness
Employee EngagementBusiness > Management > Leadership > Team Dynamics
Client ManagementBusiness > Customer Relations
Corporate GovernanceBusiness > Finance > Fraud
ManagementBusiness
LeadershipBusiness > Management
FraudBusiness > Finance
EngineeringBusiness > Product Design
MachineryBusiness > Manufacturing > Production Processes
Financial MismanagementBusiness > Finance > Fraud > Corporate Governance
Product DesignBusiness
Production ProcessesBusiness > Manufacturing
Customer RelationsBusiness
Business
Team DynamicsBusiness > Management > Leadership

Punching, Laser Cutting, and Automation3:54 – 6:51

S

3:54

Here we

S

3:54

are.

S

3:54

Get a closer look at the Helter Skelter.

S

3:56

Okay.

S

3:58

That is quite noisy.

S

3:59

Yeah.

S

3:59

So from

D

DylanGuest

4:01

here

Richard BlundenGuest

4:03

you get a bit of an overview of the factory.

Richard BlundenGuest

4:05

So you've got raw material sat here on the left.

Richard BlundenGuest

4:07

You've got the noisy machine, which is the AE, which is a sheet-loaded automated punch machine.

Richard BlundenGuest

4:14

So it physically punches holes in the flat sheet of steel.

Richard BlundenGuest

4:18

And this is the the first stage of the process.

Richard BlundenGuest

4:21

The machine behind is brand new to us, came in at the very end of last year, it's a laser.

Richard BlundenGuest

4:26

So that cuts holes in the steel with a beam of light and hot gas rather than physically punching holes.

Richard BlundenGuest

4:32

Much quieter, very different machines but both very important to us.

S

4:36

This is quite some machine we're looking at here.

S

4:39

This is the one that's punching holes through the steel.

Richard BlundenGuest

4:43

Yeah, so basically these shelves, they're shelves to go into a shoe store or a retail environment.

Richard BlundenGuest

4:49

But with the new regulations, you have to let the water from the sprinklers pass through the shelf.

Richard BlundenGuest

4:54

So we punch about 400 holes in the top of the shelf to let the water pass through.

S

5:00

It's so busy in here.

S

5:01

I get a real sense of activity, you know, with the forklift truck whizzing around.

Richard BlundenGuest

5:06

So just a quick stop.

Richard BlundenGuest

5:08

So this is the new laser that we have put in last December and then the automation came in in March this year.

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