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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25. A new factory after six years of growth
Crown Plastic Mouldings was celebrating a major milestone in September 1985 with the opening of a purpose-built factory in Broad Lanes, Bilston. John Botfield had started the company in 1979, leaving his job as a production manager to set up on his own during a difficult period for industry. The company had grown from premises in Old Meeting Road, Coseley, to become an established specialist in plastic mouldings, with its success built on hard work and a focus on quality. Do you remember Crown Plastic Mouldings or the factory in Broad Lanes? Did you or someone you know work in Bilston’s plastics industry during the 1980s? | Express & Star archive
26. High-tech Wolverhampton engineering in the spotlight
US military chiefs visited the giant Lucas Aerospace factory in Wolverhampton in October 1987 to inspect high-tech equipment that could lead to major export orders. Lucas, which employed around 1,500 people in the city, was already in line to supply vital wing components for the new V-22 Osprey aircraft, in a deal worth around £30 million. The visitors also watched a Lucas-designed gun turret in action, with Colonel Harry Blot pictured examining it as Cecil Billing explains a point to him and Bell Helicopters executive vice-president Clyde Skeen looks on. Do you remember working at Lucas Aerospace or visiting the Fordhouses factory? Did you know anyone among the 1,500 people employed there? | Express & Star archive
27. A rush for jobs at Goodyear
Hundreds of work-hungry people queued outside Wolverhampton JobCentre in October 1985 in the hope of securing one of 350 jobs at the town’s Goodyear tyre factory. Some began queuing as early as 2am, with more than 1,000 people passing through the Queen Street centre in the first hour. The JobCentre opened early and brought in extra staff to cope with the demand. People are pictured outside completing their application forms. Do you remember the rush for jobs at Goodyear? Were you, a friend or relative among those who queued that day? | Express & Star archive
28. A fresh start for Villiers in Wolverhampton
A £500,000 plan to bring the former Norton Villiers factory in Marston Road, Wolverhampton, back into full production was taking shape in October 1986. The Government was prepared to provide £200,000 towards the scheme, which aimed to restart the manufacture of industrial engines and create around 200 jobs. The bid had been made by Wolverhampton Industrial Engines directors David Sankey and Mark Scutt, who hoped to begin production within weeks. The pair are pictured together. Do you remember the Norton Villiers factory in Marston Road? Did you or someone in your family work there, or at another Wolverhampton engineering firm? | Express & Star archive