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The transcript is an interview with Edith Wood as transcribed by Microsoft Word and summarised by ChatGPT and subject to errors.
Early Life & Background
- Speaker 1 mentions being born in August (specifics unclear).
- Talks about moving house within the local area without much fuss — belongings were transported easily.
Education & Work Beginnings
- Attended school locally.
- Later worked at a wireworks and then moved into the papermaking industry.
The Papermaking Industry
- Products made:
- Towels, forming fabrics, and machinery parts for papermaking.
- Forming fabrics were essential at the very start of the papermaking process — determining thickness, drainage, and paper quality.
- Materials:
- Originally metallic, but later replaced by synthetics like polyester.
- Process:
- Fabrics were woven, cut, and heat-set before being joined into seamless belts.
- Women with exceptional eyesight often stitched or later used machines for joins.
- Usage:
- Forming fabrics ran on papermaking machines, lasting anywhere from a few weeks (high-speed tissue machines) to several years (slower machines).
Export & Global Reach
- Products were exported widely: Europe, Australia, South Africa, and the U.S.
- The company even had a plant in America.
- Shipping and export required complex documentation. Speaker 1 worked alongside a highly skilled colleague who managed this.
Workplace & Roles
- Departments:
- Started in production (dominated by women).
- Later moved into sales (mostly men at the time).
- Staffing:
- Around 100 employees at peak.
- Many originally lived in company cottages, though by the 1970s–80s fewer did.
- Working conditions:
- Good canteen facilities early on.
- Annual Christmas dinner dances were held.
- Seen as a safe and fair employer — strong health & safety culture and approachable managers.
Office Life & Technology
- Pre-computer era: all paperwork manual.
- Transitioned to computers in the late 1970s/early 1980s.
- Early systems required manual data entry; later, integrated systems streamlined order processing.
- Speaker 1 was never fully comfortable with constant technological changes.
Business Culture & Changes
- Originally run like a family firm — warm, loyal atmosphere.
- Later corporate mergers/joint ventures (including one in Germany) introduced pressure and less personal culture.
- Salespeople traveled globally, supported by technical reps who visited factories to solve problems.
- Conferences were a major part of business, involving international colleagues and customers.
Competition & Market
- Major competitors were German companies.
- Customers (papermills) often bought from multiple suppliers to ensure reliability and product suitability.
- Products cost thousands of pounds, reflecting their importance in industrial papermaking.
Closing Reflections
- Speaker 1 recalls the company positively overall:
- Supportive environment, though with some frustrations during later corporate changes.
- Found satisfaction in work like organising conferences, travel arrangements, and documentation.
- Appreciated the community feel and the professionalism of colleagues.
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