For many people across the Black Country and Staffordshire, the 1980s meant factories, workshops and industrial estates were a familiar part of everyday life. The sound of machinery, the smell of oil and metal, workers arriving for shifts and lorries coming and going were all part of the local landscape.
These photographs take us back to a decade when traditional skills were being joined by new technology. Engineers, machinists, printers, foundry workers and factory teams were keeping production moving, while local firms invested in new machinery, developed new products and won orders from around the world.
From Wolverhampton and Willenhall to Walsall, Dudley, Stafford and beyond, these pictures capture the people, workplaces and businesses that helped shape the region.
Do you remember any of these factories or firms? Perhaps you worked in one of them, or had a family member who did? Take a look through and see how many bring back memories - the pictures are in no particular order - and share yours in the comments.
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41. Darlaston foundry looks to a new future
Bradley and Foster in Darlaston was looking to new technology and markets after surviving the recession that had cost thousands of jobs in the foundry industry. The company, whose roots stretched back to 1883, had built an international reputation for heat and wear-resistant castings. In April 1987, it became the first foundry in the Midlands to invest in the new Replicast full-mould process, allowing it to produce complex castings for new markets. Production director Martin Johnson and special projects engineer Debbie Kinvig are pictured inspecting a complex polystyrene casting tree. Do you remember Bradley and Foster or its Darlaston foundry? Did you or someone in your family work in the local foundry industry? | Express & Star archive
42. The Cannock worker who became an elf
Greenspear worker Val Cockill found herself with a rather unusual job in November 1983 - becoming the face of the Cannock company’s new elf logo. The 26-year-old assembler was chosen to promote the firm’s garden products after bosses decided a member of the shopfloor team would know the products better than a professional model. Val assembled heating elements for seedling propagators, while Greenspear produced greenhouse heating, watering and ventilation equipment. The company had also just won its first major export order, from the Middle East. Val Cockill is pictured in her elf role. Do you remember Greenspear in Cannock? Did you or someone you know work there in the 1980s? | Express & Star archive
43. A new showroom for the roofing trade
Mr and Mrs Barker are pictured in the reception area of a new roofing showroom at J T Matthews Roofing Centre, Coseley, in April 1985. The centre gave customers the chance to browse samples and get advice from experienced staff. Inside, walls were decorated with tiles in different colours and shapes, while sections of actual roofs allowed customers to compare products from well-known manufacturers. Do you remember the roofing centre or its showroom? Did you or someone you know work in the local building trade? | Express & Star archive
44. A small business ready to take the next step
The Walsall Small Firms Centre was proving a valuable starting point for new businesses in January 1986. Many firms that began there had already moved on to larger premises as they grew, with R J P (Fancy Leather) among those preparing to make the transition. Bob Pyatt started the business with his wife Sue just over two years earlier. It had since grown to five employees, with the couple beginning to outgrow their unit. Pictured are workers Joyce Murphy, Irene Jones and Sheila Marzillius. Do you remember the Walsall Small Firms Centre? Did you or someone you know start a business there in the 1980s? | Express & Star archive