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William Say & Co factory floor workers with large machinery red machinery on right of image

William Say & Co

Industry
Metalwork & Electrical
Tin Cans
Location
Bermondsey, London
Workforce Size
50
Website
www.wsay.co.uk
Est
1930

William Say & Co Ltd is a family business, making tin cans for a variety of uses, including paints, waxes, polishes and confectionary.

William Say & Co employee in dark blue overalls
William Say & Co outside factory building with signage and name of business

The Business

Four generations of Wilkinsons have been involved with the William Say business, it is now in the hands of Peter and his sons Garth and Stu (pictured). When Peter joined the company in 1966, inner London boasted 47 canmakers. Since then, all bar one have gone out of business or have consolidated and moved out of town. William Say is still in central London in part because the firm owns its site. The fact it is in the capital means that some customers can easily visit the factory to discuss their particular requirements and watch their order passing along the conveyor belts. Tides are turning away from using plastic packaging. Today William Say stamps the bases of its tins with messaging about being made in London using the site's solar power and being 100 % recyclable.

Factory Visit

"I was so impressed with this factory. They take great care in creating a sustainable and recyclable product and use their own renewable energy from their on-site solar farm. A great example of a family firm owning their site and therefore able to invest long term in the product and efficiency of their building." Carmel King photographed William Say & Co in July 2018 for a visual audit of industry in Southwark, a collaboration with Professor Mark Brearley for Southwark Council.

William Say & Co inside factory large machinery employee in blue overalls
William Say & Co factory floor
William Say & Co workers working with large machinery on factory floor
William Say & Co workers working with large machinery on factory floor
William Say & Co workers working with large machinery on factory floor
William Say & Co blue shelving and workers working with large machinery on factory floor
William Say & Co close up of smaller factory machinery can
William Say & Co deep tray of partially finished cans
William Say & Co worker on factory floor holding can making componentry
William Say & Co factory worker standing with large factory machinery on green floor
William Say & Co factory workers standing facing eachother with large factory machinery on green floor
William Say & Co close up of many shiny cans on a table
William Say & Co factory worker standing in front of brown plastic crate
William Say & Co factory worker close up of hands at factory machinery
William Say & Co factory worker standing in front of factory machinery
William Say & Co white board of information on dark blue wall inside of factory
William Say & Co inside bright factory warehouse boxes
William Say & Co table with shallow tins
William Say & Co shelving with bowler hats tins and clock
William Say & Co wooden shelves full of products tins
No items found.
"Recent supply chain issues have accelerated the general trend for buying local. There's a growing thirst for knowledge about how stuff is made, and it adds some value for customers."
Stu Wilkinson, Fourth-generation Owner
William Say & Co employees hands polishing crate of tin lids
William Say & Co table with assorted colured cans

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