Celebrating life at the cutting edge of business

One hundred years ago, though, a new company introduced a revolutionary system from its base in Sheffield, heralding a major advancement in the sector.

The Durham Duplex Razor Company, originally located on Church Street, opened for business on May 17 1910 as the European arm of a US manufacturer.

Its unique offering was the Duplex double-edge steel razor blade, which could be re-sharpened on the strop almost indefinitely and eventually disposed of and replaced without the need for a new handle. It was a true innovation.

But the invention of the disposable razor by Gillette bit hard. Sales declined post-Second World War, and the business was sold to the Milburn family in 1958, which diversified into products such as the hair trimmer and hobby knives.

On May 1 1974, the company was bought by Edward Turner & Son Ltd – and continues to thrive today as both a family business and global company, producing machine knives and industrial blades from strip steel.

While it enjoys a worldwide reputation, the business has remained true to its Yorkshire roots and fosters a family-oriented ethos among its staff.

"We're passionate about our quality and firmly believe in a 'Made in Sheffield' concept – there's still an incredibly diverse manufacturing industry here in the city," explained managing director Charles Turner, son of Edward.

"We also believe in looking after our staff – we've got strong retention and our three main salespeople have been with us a good many years. We operate as a mission command, by explaining what we'd like to achieve and then trusting people to find the way to do it."

Durham Duplex Ltd – as it became following Edward Turner's takeover – today employs 80 people, all based in Sheffield, and has an annual global turnover of about 5m. That's an increase of 1.5m since 2006, when Mr Turner took over as managing director from his father – not bad given the state of the economy over the past few years.

"Obviously, I'm delighted about that, and I hope we can grow further as the country settles down after the general election," he said.

"I was very concerned that the lack of clarity in our government would send sterling tumbling and there'd be lack of confidence in UK industry.

"The fact we now have a government that represents so many votes against the opposition means there's a real chance to get some stability in place."

With the new Business Secretary, Vince Cable, strongly pro-manufacturing, Mr Turner says there is every reason to be optimistic: "What affects us aren't grand tax policies – it's people and nations having sheer confidence in our currency and business. We sell to more than 45 countries, and I want to continue to expand on that."

It's fair to say that Durham Duplex has played some part in all our lives – even those who have never heard of it. The chances are that the carpet in your lounge or office was laid using a Durham Duplex blade; that one was used on the felting in the roof of your house.

While you might not buy their blades to do your own DIY, many industry professionals would use nothing else.

"We've all heard the phrase that you get what you pay for," said Mr Taylor. "And for a casual user, that's fine. But if you're laying carpets all day, using blades that need replacing after each side of a room is no good.

"I'm passionate about manufacturing and I'm passionate about quality, and I'm proud of what we do here in Sheffield. It's no mean feat for a company to have kept going for 100 years so we must be doing something right."

In typical Yorkshire fashion, though, the centenary celebrations will be down-played. Mr Taylor will be abroad on a business trip, but he has arranged for a company photograph to be taken.

"I think it's important to capture the moment – it's fascinating for us to look back at how things started and I hope it will be for future generations to look back at us.

"There might be a glass or two of something fizzy around the place, but other than that, as far as we're concerned it's business as usual."

Global outlook

From humble beginnings selling razor blades in 1910, Durham Duplex now operates in countries as diverse as the Dominican Republic, Russia and Dubai, and, more recently, has enjoyed a particularly strong presence in South-East Asia.

The original Duplex blade is still requested by some old soldiers for their faithful safety razor, though the company's success in other areas means its Petre Street location can no longer accommodate the entire operation.

"We're moving some of our production, but literally only down the road," said Mr Taylor. "We're a global company but still have our feet firmly in Yorkshire. We plan to grow further, and I believe the economy is on the up – I can see a golden rainbow at the end of the current situation."