Staffordshire's ceramics industry faces an existential crisis as Wedgwood, the iconic pottery brand, pauses production for 90 days and puts 70 workers on temporary leave. The move by parent company Fiskars Group follows the collapse or overseas shift of four ceramics firms in the last two years, threatening artisanal craft skills and the remaining pillars of the region's pottery heritage.
Wedgwood's challenges are longstanding. After a debt-fuelled acquisition spree in the 1990s, executives laid off over a thousand staff while paying themselves handsomely. In the mid-2000s, much of the manufacturing was outsourced to Tangerang, Indonesia, where workers were paid an eighth of British wages. This relocation, while saving costs, damaged the brand's heritage value, as 'made in Indonesia' lacked the cachet of 'made in England'.
Success stories like Burleigh and Emma Bridgewater, which still produce pottery in Stoke, show that authenticity commands a premium. Wedgwood fell into administration in 2009 and was acquired by a US private equity firm before Fiskars took over in 2015. Despite investments such as the World of Wedgwood tourist destination, much production remains overseas, and 103 jobs were cut in 2019.
Former Bank of England chief economist Andy Haldane has criticised the government's 'arid' approach to growth, urging attention to the 'everyday economy'. Labour's industrial strategy promised to slash electricity bills but does little to confront short-term profit cultures and won't take effect until 2027. Ceramics workers have called for immediate help with gas prices, but none has been forthcoming.
