We seem to be blessed with copious amounts of sunshine when the NCCA organises events, and our latest venture into sunny Devon was no exception.
Our hosts were again Axminster Carpets, who treated us not to one, but two factory tours. First off, the group I was in was taken on a tour of the Devonia Tannery.
This is a fairly recent acquisition for Axminster Carpets and is a plant that processes sheepskin hides for various uses. These include sheepskin rugs, soft furnishings, automotive and aircraft seating and care equipment, equestrian products, paint rollers, shoes, slippers and flying jackets to name but a few.
Some products are manufactured and finished in-house, and hides are also supplied to outside specialist manufacturers.
The main reason for our trip to Devon was for the tour around the Buckfast Spinning Mill. Here we were able to gain an insight into how wool is processed from fleece into finished yarn, ready for manufacture into the highly regarded and respected Axminster Carpets. None of the yarn produced is available for other manufacturers.
Although it would not be possible for me to describe the technicalities of the manufacturing process, the enormity of the machinery is an ever-present image in my mind.
Some of the highlights for me were the scouring or cleaning process using the naturally soft water from the River Dart. The huge, heavily compacted bales of processed wool were so fire-safe that they could not be ignited even by a blowtorch!
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