Inside our factory: National Manufacturing Day 2026 at Kewell Converters

From waterjet cutting and CNC machining to a surprisingly tricky foam challenge, here’s what happened when we opened our doors.

What happens when you invite people into a working foam factory, many of whom have never seen specialist foam manufacturing before?

Plenty of questions, a few surprises and, as it turned out, some serious competitive spirit.

On Thursday 24 September, we opened our doors for National Manufacturing Day 2026, welcoming students from The View School in Edenbridge and A-level engineering and design students from Oxted School, alongside local businesses and other guests.

Visitors explored our 33,000 sq ft factory, met some of the people behind our products and discovered how foam is transformed into specialist components used across industries including aerospace, defence, healthcare and industrial engineering.

And we had a challenge waiting for them.

More than meets the eye

Foam is something most people encounter every day, but its role in manufacturing is often less familiar.

One of the biggest surprises for visitors was discovering just how many different industries use specialist foam components, and the engineering involved in producing them.

Our Managing Director, Nick Kewell, began the day by sharing the company’s story, from the business his father Colin started in a South London garage in 1971 to the manufacturing operation it has become today.

From there, visitors headed into the factory to see how foam materials are cut, shaped, finished and inspected.

It was an opportunity to see the scale of our operations, the range of products we manufacture and the people and processes behind them.

Getting closer to the technology

For the A-level engineering and design students from Oxted School, the visit provided an opportunity to connect classroom learning with practical manufacturing.

Waterjet cutting attracted particular interest, with our General Manager, Neil Johnston, explaining how the technology works and answering questions about the manufacturing process.

The students were also interested in acoustic foam and how different materials can be used to meet specific technical requirements.

Our CAD/CAM Programmer, Joel Dallison, talked through the design process, showing how computer-aided design and manufacturing help turn an initial concept into a finished component.

Meanwhile, Geoff Daniels, our Quality, Health & Safety Manager, explained the importance of quality control and the responsibilities involved in manufacturing components for demanding applications.

Together, these conversations gave visitors a better understanding of the different skills involved in specialist foam conversion.

It’s not simply a case of cutting foam to shape. Material selection, design, programming, machining and inspection all play a part in producing components that perform as intended.

Then came the foam cube challenge

We gave visitors what looked like a fairly straightforward task: assemble a cube from precision-cut, interlocking foam pieces.

It turned out to be harder than it looked!

Some approached the challenge methodically, following the instructions step by step. Others tried different combinations to see how the pieces fitted together.

One student from The View School surprised everyone by assembling the cube almost immediately, without even referring to the instructions.

“It was remarkable to watch,” said Nick. “It was a real reminder that people think and process information in very different ways.”

The Oxted students brought a little competitive spirit to the challenge, determined to work out how the pieces fitted together.

It was fascinating to see the different approaches people took to exactly the same problem.

And there’s a connection with engineering. Whether you’re interpreting a drawing, programming a machine or finding a better way to manufacture a component, being able to approach a problem from different perspectives can be invaluable.

Everyone received a foam cube to take home, so the challenge didn’t necessarily end when they left the factory!

What made the day worthwhile

One of the most encouraging outcomes came from The View School, where several students expressed an interest in returning to Kewell Converters for work experience when they’re old enough.

The school also shared some lovely feedback afterwards about how welcoming and accommodating our team had been throughout the visit.

For us, that’s one of the most valuable things about National Manufacturing Day.

It gives young people an opportunity to see what modern manufacturing actually looks like, discover new interests and perhaps consider a career they hadn’t previously thought about.

It also gives us the opportunity to share what we do, answer questions and show that engineering involves far more than operating machinery.

From design and programming to quality assurance and hands-on problem-solving, there are many different skills and career paths within manufacturing.

A big thank you to everyone who joined us, and to the Kewell Converters team for making the day possible.

Interested in what we do?

From material selection and CAD design to precision foam conversion, there’s a lot that happens behind the scenes at Kewell Converters.

Whether you’re developing a new component, reviewing an existing application or simply interested in learning more about our manufacturing capabilities, we’d be happy to help.

Explore our manufacturing capabilities

Get in touch

About the author

Nick Kewell is Managing Director of Kewell Converters, a family-owned British foam converter with more than 50 years’ experience in specialist foam engineering and fabrication.