Programme begins with stills and illustrations that provide a brief history of textile and carpet manufacture in Kidderminster. David Rees walks up to the entrance of Carpet Trades Ltd where he meets Managing Director Stephen Fletcher who introduces him to the firm's Production Director, Andrew Marsden-Smedley. Marsden-Smedley is the guide to our tour of the factory explaining various production processes along the way. As Rees and Marsden-Smedley walk into the factory we see a film insert of yarn spinning taking place in a factory in Yorkshire. Rees meets the Director of Design, John Mellor who talks about how they come up with different patterns for carpets. After brief shots of scouring and dyeing the pair enter the preparatory department where yarn is prepared for the loom. We see shots of workers at machines. Marsden-Smedley explains the difference between a Wilton and an Axminster carpet. There are views of a jacquard Wilton loom and a plain Wilton loom in operation and we also see jacquard cards being made. In another area a spool Axminster loom is working and we see workers using a frame to ensure the spools are in the correct order. Later stages shown include the finishing room where carpets are brushed, inspected and cropped and a back sizing machine. Next Rees is shown the quality control laboratory before moving on to meet E.A. Redfern, the Marketing Director who shows a selection of designs. Final views show carpets being packed and dispatched on a lorry.
Presented by David Rees
Produced by Raymond Joss
Interviewees:
Andrew Marsden-Smedley
R. S. C. Fletcher
E. A. Redfern
J. H. Mellor
An ATV production from the Alpha Television Studios, Birmingham