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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21. A new home for a long-established company
C Cozens and Co, which supplied conveyor belting, power transmission equipment, castors and safety equipment, moved into purpose-built premises at Spring Road, Ettingshall, in February 1986. The 126-year-old company had bought the site a year earlier as it expanded its range of products and customers. Do you remember C Cozens and Co or its Spring Road premises? Did you or someone you know work there? | Express & Star archive
22. A fresh start for manufacturing
P W Turner Insulating opened a new factory at Lower Church Lane, Tipton, in September 1982, bringing new jobs to the area at a time when work was hard to find. The company, which made roof waterproofing products, had moved from Scotland to the Midlands and invested £150,000 in the new site. The photograph shows chairman David Hewett pressing the button to start production as he is joined by employees Shane Turley, foreman Pat Langton and Mark Grazier. Do you remember P W Turner Insulating or working in Tipton's factories during the 1980s? Did this expansion create opportunities for you or someone you knew? | Express & Star archive
23. Investing in the future of printing
Spartan Print of Warley expanded its factory and invested £200,000 in new equipment in August 1983 as the colour and packaging printer responded to growing demand. Among the new machinery was a Komori Sprint 25 four-colour press, used to print literature, packaging and posters. Pictured with the press are works director Les Ward, managing director Roy Harris, sales manager Barry Jones and machine manager Dennis Beresford. The company had increased its turnover by 50 per cent in just three years, reflecting the strength of local manufacturing and printing. Do you remember Spartan Print or working in the printing industry? What local firms were thriving during the 1980s? | Express & Star archive
24. Burntwood engineering goes global
Burntwood Engineering was making its mark overseas in October 1988, when a delegation from the Guang Dong bus and coach factory in China visited the Staffordshire firm. The company, which manufactured paint plant, was installing £150,000 worth of equipment at the Chinese factory. Chairman Jack Watkins and sales director Graham Debney are pictured welcoming the visitors. Do you remember Burntwood Engineering or working in the local engineering industry? Did you know local firms were supplying equipment around the world? | Express & Star archive