We were honoured to be commissioned by Stuart Wilkinson, owner of P. Wilkinson Containers and William Say & Co Ltd Can Makers of London, to create this mural for the wall of their hand-tooling workshop at the Bermondsey factory. Established in 1930, this fourth-generation family business continues to manufacture in the heart of Central London, proudly upholding its legacy of craftsmanship and innovation.

The mural celebrates this heritage while looking to the future. It takes inspiration from founder William Say, featuring a retro Polaroid to reflect the company’s online presence, a Union Jack hot air balloon symbolising British manufacturing, and the Metal Recycles Forever packaging logo. At its heart is a meticulously detailed Spitfire, honouring WWII veteran and long-standing colleague, Colin Bell DFC, who flew the aircraft during the war. Colin has been connected with the company since the 1980s, assisting with business tax administration and remaining a valued member of the team ever since.

During the project, we had the pleasure of meeting Colin—now 104 years old—who personally signed his name on the mural, adding a uniquely historic touch.

The mural took ten days to complete, starting with sketches, drawings, and renders before moving to the final hand-painting stage. The William Say factory’s striking frontage and remarkable machinery inspired our work at every step. We ensured the Spitfire’s markings were accurate to the plane Colin flew, making this mural not only a celebration of the company’s story, but also a heartfelt personal tribute.

​

Read featured articles here,

Can Tech international 

William Say Can Makers Of London