Been There, Built That event 2 wrap-up | A tale of two manufacturers

On July 9, industry leaders, business owners and entrepreneurs gathered at Society1 for Preston Partnership’s Been There, Built That: Part 2, sponsored by FHunded. An inspiring evening saw proud Lancastrians Camilla Hadcock and Khalid Saifullah MBE share stories and lessons from their careers to date.

The packed room was fully engaged as Camilla and Khalid shared their experiences running paper-based manufacturing businesses in Lancashire. The common ground highlighted a rich, double-sided narrative, as they reflected on their differing perspectives while navigating the same industry.

Camilla Hadcock is director of Roach Bridge Tissues. For over two decades, the company has been the quiet force behind bespoke printed tissue paper for popular high street brands and other businesses.

Camilla shared how her company has not only responded to ever-changing regulations and sustainability targets but has also deftly adapted to major global events like Brexit and the unprecedented challenges of COVID-19.

Camilla’s passion for British manufacturing clearly shone through as she spoke about her influential role as Chair of Made in Britain. A key point of frustration for Camilla, echoed strongly by Khalid, was the persistent lack of skills support and the insufficient promotion of careers within the manufacturing sector.

Both panellists underlined the vital need to attract and nurture new talent to secure the industry’s future.

Approaches to investment

In 2024, Khalid facilitated the acquisition of his family-owned business Star Tissue UK by German sustainable paper group WEPA, securing the future of the Blackburn based factory in the deal. He described his strategic approach to becoming one of the UK’s fastest-growing manufacturers of hygiene paper products, and the decision to take on debt to purchase the right equipment to facilitate that growth – an initially uncomfortable choice for his family.

With substantial demands for space and equipment, manufacturing can be an expensive industry to break into – both Camilla and Khalid candidly shared their experiences but different approaches to investment.

While Khalid focused on fast growth, Camilla has taken an organic approach to growth at Roach Bridge Tissues, stating that the best investment she has ever made is in her team.

A sustainable manufacturing future

Sustainability also proved to be a hot topic for the evening, with both guests describing the tension between their desire to reduce their businesses’ carbon footprints, need to meet evolving regulations and the cost implications of making changes.

Camilla spoke about the extensive measures Roach Bridge Tissues has taken, from an on-site hydro electric power station to the company’s commitment to fully recyclable packaging. Both she and Khalid expressed frustration with the time-consuming and costly demands of meeting accreditation, regulation and award standards, a burden shared across all sectors.

The relatability of Camilla and Khalid’s experiences and lessons learned was a recurring theme throughout the evening, giving attendees a tangible sense what it has been like for two successful business leaders to have ‘been there and built that’ in the heart of Lancashire’s manufacturing landscape.

This series of masterclasses has been sponsored by Fhunded.

Upcoming events

Details about Been There, Built That: Part 3 will be announced soon.

For further information on Preston Partnership’s events programme, visit www.prestonpartnership.org/news-and-events/ and follow us on LinkedIn.

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