49. The Folding Bicycle

49. The Folding Bicycle

From The Factory Next Door by Steve Duke

April 7, 2026 · 39 min

About this episode

This episode explores the design and manufacturing of Brompton's folding bicycles in London, featuring an interview with CEO Will Butler-Adams OBE.

Spend a day in any major city from Seoul to San Francisco and you’ll spot them weaving through the traffic – a bicycle with distinctive small wheels and arched top tube. Brompton’s folding bike is an example of a great British design that’s loved around the world. More than 1.2m have now been sold. Number 49 on our list of the greatest things we make here is The Folding Bicycle. On this week’s The Factory Next Door we head to Greenford in West London to meet the team making these beautiful bikes. CEO Will Butler-Adams OBE explains why they are an engineering company that makes bicycles, not the other way around. We go for a quick ride, see bikes being beaten up, and learn why manufacturing in London is integral to Brompton’s future. Plus, we chat about what success looks like, learn where the name ‘Brompton’ came from, consider truck-driving in clogs, and explore how businesses can help drive positive change. Say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor The Factory Next Door is supported by AVEVA, a leader in industrial intelligence.  Sign up to their bi-weekly newsletter about manufacturing here: www.aveva.com/factory Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

People in this episode

Host: Steve Duke

Guest: Will Butler-Adams OBE

Topics covered

  • bicycle design
  • manufacturing
  • entrepreneurship
  • sustainability
  • engineering

Keywords

  • Brompton
  • folding bicycle
  • manufacturing
  • design
  • engineering
  • sustainability
  • entrepreneurship

Sponsors

AVEVA

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Brompton

Places: Greenford, London, Seoul, San Francisco

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