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William Say & Co., Ltd. - Can Makers of London

William Say & Co., Ltd. is a family business that has its production lines, power press shop & solar farm, situated within our London site (near to London Bridge and Tower Bridge). We are able to offer short lead times, flexibility, bespoke design and innovation. Our Tin cans are suitable for a variety of uses, including industrial applications, such as paints, waxes, polishes & adhesives. We also manufacture tins for candles, cookies, confectionary and various promotional items (some of which we can pack too).

Welcome to our London Tin Can factory and the William Say & Co., Ltd family. Travel through and explore our factory, and bespoke tins that come off our production lines. You’ll learn how we produce renewable energy, and we’ll help to explain the environmental benefits of using metal packaging.

William Say & Co., Ltd. is a family business that has its production lines, power press shop & solar farm, situated within our London site (near to London Bridge and Tower Bridge). We are able to offer short lead times, flexibility, bespoke design and innovation. Our Tin cans are suitable for a variety of uses, including industrial applications, such as paints, waxes, polishes & adhesives. We also manufacture tins for candles, cookies, confectionary and various promotional items (some of which we can pack too).

Products

Lever Lid Tins

Manufactured in London using Solar Power. Lever lid tins are cans that you have to lever the lid off to open. Lever lid cans have a virtually air tight lid fit, extending product life while being capable of holding liquids. They come in a wide range of diameters, with custom heights variable to your specification. We offer both seamed and welded lever lid cans. Commonly used for paints, adhesives, coatings, candles, confectionary and promotional uses. We can print, emboss, label & pack these tins too. Metal Recycles Forever.

Sold through P. Wilkinson Containers

Slip Lid Tins

Manufactured in London using Solar Power. Slip lid tins are cans that have a lid that slips on and off. Slip lid tins are easy to open and close time and again, and are ideal for any non-liquid product that doesn’t require the can to have an air tight seal. They come in a wide range of diameters, with custom heights variable to your specification. Commonly used for candles, cookies, wafers, tea, sweets & industrial applications. With printing and embossing available even on small runs, these tins are ideal for many products, big and small. We can print, emboss, label & pack these tins too. Metal Recycles Forever.

Sold through P. Wilkinson Containers

Seamless Boxes

Manufactured in London using Solar Power. Seamless boxes are cans that have a base made from a single piece of pressed metal, as so there are no joining ‘seams’. They come in a wide choice of sizes, but heights cannot be adjusted without new tooling. Seamless boxes are shallow, which makes them ideal for certain products. Commonly used for wax, polish, flux, seedballs, chocolate & promotional products. We can print, emboss, label & pack these tins too. Metal Recycles Forever.

Sold through P. Wilkinson Containers

Ring Pull Tins

Manufactured in London using Solar Power. Ring pull tins that have a metal ring joined to a rip-off end, and once opened they require plastic overcaps to reseal (optional). Ring pull tins provide the best seal and tamper proofing, and are ideal for single use products or promotional items. One end (normally the top) is supplied seamed on, and the other end is supplied separately, ready for filling (which we can help with also for some promotional items). We can print, emboss, label & pack these tins. Metal Recycles Forever.

Sold through P. Wilkinson Containers

Screw Top Tins

Our screw top tins provide a green solution to packaging most viscosities of liquids, granules or powder. The screw or dome top minimises any product waste as well as giving a point of difference in a retail environment. We can print, emboss, label & pack these tins. Metal Recycles Forever.

Sold through P. Wilkinson Containers

Outside Curl Tins

Manufactured in London using Solar Power. Outside curl tins (invented by us) have the top lip of the tin curled outside the tin. Outside curl tins use a tight fitting plug lid, which gives an extension to product life in many cases (compared to lever lid tins), though the lid must be removed with a tool such as a pallet knife or screwdriver. Commonly used for inks, adhesives, waxes, solvent based products and other industrial applications. We can print, emboss, label & pack these tins too. Metal Recycles Forever.

Sold through P. Wilkinson Containers

Let me help show you ways to promote and protect the value of both your product & your brand. All my tins are produced in London factory using solar power, but the rest is up to you. Here are some ideas using this slip lid tin - just scroll or swipe over the tin.

Build Your
Tin Can

Bespoke Heights
Stock Metal Colours
Bespoke Digital Labelling
Bespoke Embossing & Debossing
Bespoke Printing direct to Metal
Debossed Base ‘Metal Recycles Forever’
Custom fitments, sleeves & inserts
Windowed lids
Custom Shapes (substantial tooling investment required)
Extras / Options:
Decoration
Extras

Full product list

Our History

Tune the wireless radio
to explore our story

1910

Mr William Say, described as ‘A Wit and an Inventor’ works away in his workshop with Tower Bridge looming in the backdrop.

World War 1 Begins, Titanic & The Ford Model T launches.

1920

Mr. Say invents a packing system for the booming tea trade. A metal ‘Bung’ and tools to sample and seal up wooden tea chests.

The US Prohibition on Alcohol begins, but WW1 ends.

1930

Denis Wilkinson Joins inventor Mr. Say, and starts a successful drive to expand out of Mr’s Say’s tiny workshop. Say Dies.

Gandhi Protests, Hindenburg explodes & WWII Begins

1940

Say’s offices are mostly lost to the London Bombings, and the Bell Inn in Wapping is hit also (a future production area).

World War II takes hold and London suffers Bombings.

1950

Expanding through Wapping Nr Tower Bridge, Say now produces all Harrods, Fortnum & Mason Tea Tins.

Rock'n'Roll starts as Elvis Enters the Building.

1960

Peter Wilkinson, the 3rd generation of Wilkinsons joins the company from F. Francis. There are 47 can factories In London.

The Beatles take over and Martin Luther King Jr. has a dream.

1970

William Say & P. Wilkinson Containers both relocate just south of Tower Bridge in South Bermondsey. Verney Road, SE16 3DY.

Vietnam War Ends.

1980

Say now dominates Ink market with its outside curl invention, and produces lever lid tins & slip lid tins for UK industry.

Margaret Thatcher’s in No. 10, Live Aid goes ahead & IBM Launch

1990

Farrow & Ball Paints launch their printed tins with long time supplier Say. The retail brand is born with the Iconic Sample Tin.

The Hubble Telescope launches & Princess Diana is lost

2000

The last of the type writers is used as Say launch their 1st website. They also invest heavily in new production machinery.

The Euro is launched and the World Trade Centre is hit.

2010

4th Generation Garth & Stu join their father Peter. Solar Farm is installed Say starts producing its own renewable power.

Smart Phones land, UK calls a referendum, and Blue Planet airs.

2020

Say is the last standing of the 47 Central London can makers. Metal is recognised as the future & our innovation continues.

Metal continues to Recycle Forever. Recycling rates reach 75%.

Tinfinity

Welcome to the metal revolution. Metal is now recognised as being the greenest substrate, for both packaging and products alike.

This message is now slowly filtering down to the real decision makers – your customers, the high street consumers.

The materials we use are listed on the Periodic Table and, as a result, unlike all other forms of packaging, Metal Recycles Forever without any loss of material, quality or performance.

  • William Say generates renewable energy from its solar farms.
  • William Say locally manufacture all products in London, England.

Our family business avoids the need to transport empty tins around the planet, while supporting local families. We also are proud to support ethical, safety and wage standards of the developed world. No fingers were lost in the making of our tins.

  • Metal is permanent, it cannot be consumed, lost or destroyed. Whenever metal is recycled there is no loss of material or performance, so it can upcycle.
  • When metal is recycled it uses 95% less energy.

Every time metal flows through its closed recycling loop, it becomes more carbon efficient unlike other options. Metal is a clear choice for those that care about any long term environmental impact.

Here are the facts that only metal can boast. Avoid confusion around recycling by looking at the true recycling rates of each material. By this we mean the % of what is ACTUALLY RECYCLED, not the % of what is collected.

  • 80% of metal produced is still in use today
  • Recycling rates of metal have risen from 20% to 75% in the last 20 years

Metal is not just a packaging material, you might find your recycled metal tin upcycle into your next car, smartphone, house or maybe another Tin Can.

Contact Us

If you have any enquiries please don't hesitate to get in contact with us
using the details below. Thank you.

Telephone
020 7237 4500

Fax
020 7232 1568

map

Address
William Say & Co Ltd,
20 Verney Road,
London,
SE16 3DY

Get in touch