The Big Interview
“It is an amazing feeling and something we’re proud to be part of.”
Masterclass in sustainable infrastructure It isn’t just the production side of the business the Asfordby site is emulating, as it has also implemented key sustainability infrastructure and practices.
On the roof are 106 solar panels generating around 75% of the facility’s required energy; and, occasionally, producing a surplus that is redirected back to the grid. It also has the capability of harvesting rainwater, which is pumped across the site into the buildings’ toilets and used there. Also utilised is a sophisticated heat recovery system which filters and distributes hot air from one part of the building to another where it is better used.
Rob said: “From a cost perspective, it makes us super competitive.
“One of the reasons companies have moved abroad is because of energy costs. We’ve bought into that looking for our own renewables, and the message from a business to have its own sustainable capabilities is worth far more and is far more than employing the best salesman in the world. Customers can come and see all of this, and they like the fact their products are manufactured in this manner.”
Machinery and the ‘Sockology Centre’ When walking around the site, there is a distinct hum of machinery that is a blend of Italian innovation and British heritage. The primary knitting machines are Italian Lonati models, which still use technology that has its roots in the British industry.
Rob said: “The main reason we are using them today is their knitting heads that are being used today, the origin of the tech with which I was brought up.”
As well as modern kit, innovation at the site is further driven by the Sockology Centre, where the team creates 3D renders of designs. This digital-first approach allows Exceptio to bypass traditional sampling hurdles, sending designs straight to the machinery to speed up the process. It also helps customers understand products, accelerates development, reduces physical sampling and speeds up production.
Rob is also currently looking to invest even further into machines to increase their capacity and efficiency, while also looking into AI and seeing how it can be used to help customers further.
The human touch
At the heart of all these innovations is Rob’s ultimate philosophy which remains centred on people. His goal is to remain “accessible for all” by keeping minimum order quantities (MOQs) low and staying at the cutting edge of new fibres and technologies. Through it all, the mission of the Asfordby facility remains the same as the day Exceptio was founded. Rob said: “It’s about no compromise. The integrity that I hold within myself is embedded into everybody and every product we make and its people; absolutely people, and product over profit all the time”.
www.printwearandpromotion.co.uk
For Rob, the Asfordby plant is the ultimate proof that; with passion, a bit of ‘mechanical aptitude’, and a refusal to settle for the status quo; sustainable, onshore manufacturing is the way forward.
The message is therefore clear, British manufacturing is back and Exceptio is proving how through this new facility.
By using its manufacturing expertise, its desire to be there for its clients and its relationships with British suppliers, it is showing the rest of the market how to drive the industry forward.
August 2026 | 29 | The facility holds all the top of the range machines Rob Horsley, managing director
Socks made by Exceptio
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