Here’s your 2016 advent calendar, celebrating everything wonderful that is or was #madeinsandwell! Visit our #madeinsandwell page to find out how you can get involved with our future plans, or check out the other brilliant business support available from Think Sandwell.
1 December: the aluminium discs on the Selfridges building in Birmingham’s Bullring were #madeinsandwell
2 December: check out these quirky cigar box guitars #madeinsandwell (Smethwick!) by Chickenbone John www.chickenbonejohn.com
3 December: West Bromwich Albion is our Premier League #madeinsandwell football team
4 December: TV presenter Cat Deeley was born in West Bromwich. Since 2009 she has been a UNICEF UK ambassador – a #madeinsandwell star of whom we can all be proud!
5 December: Purity Soft Drinks reported a very strong performance in its last financial year – hooray for this Wednesbury-based business and its products #madeinsandwell
6 December: counted among Sandwell’s Top 50 fastest-growing companies, Bevan Group is the UK’s leading manufacturer of commercial vehicle bodies. Lorry components #madeinsandwell!
7 December: did you know the curved arch on Wembley Stadium was #madeinsandwell by Angle Ring?
8 December: this stunning flame cauldron was a centrepiece for the 2012 London Olympic Games and it was #madeinsandwell by Techniswage
9 December: Scott Hadley, our amazing #madeinsandwell para-swimmer from Tipton, will be competing in the British National Para-Swimming Championships from 10-11 December
10 December: East End Foods is one of the UK’s leading spice, lentil and rice specialists, with an annual turnover in excess of £180m. More success #madeinsandwell!
11 December: Haws Watering Cans are #madeinsandwell – handcrafted, in fact (and would make a wonderful Christmas gift for a gardener)
12 December: we don’t know where we’d be – literally – without Signature Ltd! Street furniture and lighting systems #madeinsandwell
13 December: what a great idea! Hula hoop classes from Spinsonic Hoops. Fun fitness #madeinsandwell
14 December: Mundian to Bach Ke (Beware of the Boys) by Panjabi MC was the first bhangra record to reach the UK top 10 – and its success was #madeinsandwell by multi-talented Ninder Johal of Nachural Records (pictured)
15 December: Cornpoppers! #madeinsandwell (Wednesbury) since 1979 and still going pop – we mean strong – today
16 December: hope you haven’t encountered one of these at your work Christmas party! Last year full-service office technology provider Midshire moved to West Bromwich. We wish them a world of success #madeinsandwell!
17 December: West Bromwich-born Frank Skinner is a funny man #madeinsandwell. Merry Christmas, Frank!
18 December: fab fabric fabricated in Sandwell! Jerseytex in Tipton supplies knitted fabric, printed fabric, fashion fabric and imported fabric to many high-street stores. #madeinsandwell
19 December: meet Futura Design, in Oldbury. This specialist company provides clay models #madeinsandwell for the automotive industry
20 December: today we’re celebrating the Midland Metropolitan Hospital, currently under construction in Smethwick. World-class healthcare facilities #madeinsandwell
21 December: robots #madeinsandwell? Yes – KUKA Industrial Robots in Wednesbury creates automated solutions for industry sectors such as aerospace, automotive, foundry and logistics
22 December: beautiful fitted kitchens #madeinsandwell. Akaal Ltd is a construction and carpentry firm based in Oldbury
23 December: we don’t want to wish time away, but this gorgeous garden furniture #madeinsandwell by A-Mir & Co makes us dream of summer . . .
24 December: an inspiring social enterprise #madeinsandwell, Ballot Street Spice is run by Victoria Park Primary Academy and celebrates the cultural diversity of Smethwick
25 December: BAFTA and Golden Globe-winning actor Julie Walters is our #madeinsandwell star for Christmas Day. Did you know she is now an ambassador for Midlands Air Ambulance? Merry Christmas, Julie, and everyone!
