Over 70 years of premium sausage manufacturing
Today, Blakemans is a well-oiled machine, seamlessly producing in excess of 22,300 tonnes of exquisite quality sausage and meat products per year for delighted customers across globe and employing in excess of 260 staff; but it all started with one hardworking and determined man, hand-held machines and a stable block.
Throughout the many expansions Blakemans has achieved, they have never lost sight of the foundations of the business, instilled by James Blakeman at the very beginning, which makes them stand-out in the market place.
Mr Blakeman said
“Since Philip and Susan took over they’ve consolidated our position in the frozen & chilled markets and moved us successfully into new cooked markets by following the core principles we’ve always employed”
Mr Blakeman set out determined to make the best quality products for his customers with impeccable service levels. This is still at the heart of everything they do today, a traditional family business but with all of the bonuses of modern, efficient facilities.
Jim and Ann made a huge investment into more automated machinery, enabling the family to produce in excess of 3 tonne per week (more than they had previously been able to make in a whole year). It was during the family’s time here that James’ son, now MD, Phillip learned each and every process in the small factory, even gaining his HGV licence to allow him to drive the refrigerated delivery trucks.
Our Story
1955
1970's
The 70’s was a worrying time for the fish & chip industry when the cod wars hit and fish supplies became scarce and pricey; they needed another protein offering for their customers. Sausages seemed like a suitable replacement but their natural casings meant that they would split when cooked in a frying range. Mr Blakeman worked tirelessly, alongside a synthetic sausage skin producer, to create a sausage that would deep fry to perfection each and every time.
1977
1977 saw the factory move to larger premises in Northam Road, Hanley. This extra space allowed for further machinery to aid efficiency. The investment totalled £250,000 (the equivalent to over £1.5 million today) and enabled production to top 7 tonnes of sausage per week. Jim and Ann’s daughter Susan, now Finance Director, completed the family team in 1982, taking responsibility for administration, accounts and training.
1988
A further big move for the Blakeman family saw them open their showcase premises in Trubshaw cross, Longport in 1988. The site was a purpose-built, open plan, modern facility with clinical hygiene standards which kept the business ahead of the times whilst the Blakemans ensured that their time old values of quality, consistency and service were strictly upheld.
2000
The turn of the millennium saw many changes for the Blakeman family business. James Blakeman took the position of Chairman, putting Philip and Susan in charge of the day to day running of the business as its directors. The siblings then opened a state of the art facility in Millennium way, Newcastle-under-Lyme which allowed them to enter the cooked market with the capability of producing deep fried and oven cooked products whilst doubling production capacity.
2006 - 2008
In 2006 the millennium way site was expanded by a massive 18,000 square foot extension, providing a vast amount of additional cold storage. In 2008, the cold store was closed to make way for the manufacturing facility in Longport, meaning that the whole outfit would work seamlessly under one roof. This investment included a large office extension and brought about the creation of a product development suite; allowing the business to formulate bespoke recipes to fit with their customers’ requirements. The business was now running on state of the art systems and equipment and had the lowest carbon footprint for a development of its type.
2017
Product demand called for further investment in 2017 with the conversion of a cold-store unit into an automated production facility capable of taking a block of frozen meat to a cooked, chilled and packed finished product ready to roll out to the customer in a mere 40 minutes.
2018
Having started the production of pigs in blankets on a small scale, Blakemans quickly perfected their process, recipe and technique so that they were producing a product that would not lose its bacon through the cooking process, performing to the high quality that the company are renowned for. Demand for these delicacies increased drastically and so in 2018 the Blakeman family decided to, once again, invest in the Millennium way facility adding yet another string to their bow.
2023 (May)
A fully self-contained production area built to service their on-site cooking plant, phase 5 was completed in record time and was up and running smoothly by the end of May 2022. The new addition to the site has granted the factory the agility to produce more products simultaneously whilst retaining segregation and increasing production capacity, meaning that Blakemans can continue to guarantee continuity of supply to their customers.
2023 (June)
At the grand age of 93, after paying witness to his business’ 70th anniversary, Blakemans lost their founder and chairman Mr James Thomas Blakeman M.inst.M. A beautiful service was held in celebration of James’ life on the 12th July which saw him visit his factory one last time, with his entire workforce lining the yard, his cortege guided by his beloved lorries.
