March 2022 ertonline.co.uk


“It has saddened me to see how the UK has turned away from manufacturing”


“Our next generation of products are going to


be quite different, but rest assured they will still be very much recognisable as Ruark in their design and the mid-century influence is still strong!” Ruark recently launched the Made in England


(MiE) collection. Led by a new iteration of its popular R5 music system, the R5 MiE (pictured below), the line will see the brand collaborate with some of the UK’s most celebrated craftspeople. The big idea is to offer bespoke components;


hand built using traditional techniques, with models featuring the finest FSC-approved timbers, veneers and materials. The move is a passion project for Mr O’Rourke. “From leaving school in 1974, I went into a


The union seems entirely on message for the


brand. Winehouse was a fan of Roberts retro-style equipment, and owned a pink Roberts Revival radio, which has been featured in the Amy: Beyond the Stage exhibit at the Design Museum. “Roberts has always been a champion of British


culture and music, both of which are synonymous with Amy Winehouse,” Mr Thornhill goes on. “We’re so proud we could work with the Foundation and we’ll be continuing to work together throughout 2022 to generate proceeds for the charity through further launches in the Roberts x Amy collection. Fans can look forward to a limited-edition collaboration on a Roberts model that the star owned herself, inspired by her iconic style.”


Brand partnerships Partnering with iconic brands has long been a core part of Roberts’s product development, leading to a number of bespoke designs and collectables. Previous collaborations have included working with Mulberry on a Revival R250, featuring the brand’s iconic Mulberry leather pattern, as well as partnerships with design-led brands like Liberty London, Scion Living and Clarke & Clarke. “We always enjoy working in partnership with


well-known brands and it’s something we’re really excited to keep progressing in the future.” One British brand that has taken ownership of the


high-end Hi-Fi design space is Ruark Audio, with its R3, R5 and R7 models achieving iconic status. “When we started out we knew we had to do


something a little different and far more eye catching than the standard rectangular speaker boxes that proliferated at the time… and it worked!” explains Managing Director, Alan O’Rourke. “Our products quickly gained a reputation for


being pieces of furniture rather than just speakers. The same situation applied when we started on our original R1 radio back in 2004. Our speakers always had a classic look, but with R1 we wanted something more modern and contemporary.


“I’ve always enjoyed industrial and interior


design and could see how the designs from the mid-century were having a growing influence, which in turn influenced the design direction we took with our R1 from 2006 and the products we have released since.


Ruark Audio’s R1


technical apprenticeship with Ford Motor Company and that was back when cars were made, rather than assembled, in the UK. My Dad’s involvement in the cabinet industry meant we both grew up with a love of manufacturing – which led us to form Ruark Acoustics together in 1985,” he says.


British craftsmanship “Over the years it has saddened me to see how the UK has turned away from manufacturing, but disputes and lack of investment during the late 70s had a devastating effect; meanwhile, countries in the Far East saw opportunity and have now become the manufacturers for the world! “While the UK no longer really mass produces


consumer goods, there are still skilled engineers and craftspeople producing wonderful products, and with my passion for manufacturing I thought it would be a good idea to work with some of these people to bring some production back to the UK. Of course we still rely on much of the electronics to be imported, but our aim is to do much of the manufacturing and assembly here and more if we can in the future!”


>> 23


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44