About Lang & Potter

In 1946, following World War Two, friends Ronald Potter & Fernley Lang undertook a joint venture in a well-used, well-worn building on Market Road, deep in the heart of the ancient stannary town of Plympton on the outskirts of Plymouth. In this storied neighbourhood, Lang & Potter was born, retrimming automobiles, before expanding into furniture upholstery, yacht trimming and much.

A family all its own, Lang & Potter has since grown to include a team several hundred strong, under the leadership of David, & Rachel Potter, Ronald’s son and granddaughter. Today, Lang & Potter undertakes projects around the world, large & small, humble and luxurious, from sporting venues to domestic interiors, automobiles to all aspects of Luxury Yachts & their support craft, with the same attention to detail, passion and experience, that Ronald & Fernley founded the business on, over seventy-five years ago.

As Lang & Potter continues to grow, so too does our capacity for Design & Bespoke services, with recent projects including conceptualising an entirely new, fresh take on the interiors of a classic British Brand’s future projects, customised Pilot Seating & Engineering, Classic Supercar Trimming Renovation & the Interior Upholstery & Covering of a Luxury Swiss property

Looking to our future, our family values implore us to consider our family yet to come, & so we continue to invest in exploring an eco-friendly, natural, environmentally conscious, chemical free, circular economy future, & are excited to be able to offer our customers, not only the breadth of our experience, the benefit of our skill, & the passion of our attention to detail, but also materials & products that do not cost the earth or your health, helping to ensure that the future of Lang & Potter is greener, smarter & healthier for all.

Key Dates in Our History

  • 1926 – Ronald Potter begins apprenticeship as a Coach Trimmer at W.Mumford Ltd, St Andrews Street, Plymouth
  • 1932 – Ronald Potter completes apprenticeship
  • 1939 – WW2 Begins
  • Ronald Potter works for W.Mumford at a Billicombe site, building RAF Mosquito Fuselages
  • 1945 – Japan signs instrument of surrender onboard USS Missouri, formally ending WW2
  • 1946 – Lang & Potter created as “Lang & Potter (Coachtrimmers) Ltd” by two friends; Ronald Potter & Fernley Lang, re-trimming motor cars during the post-war automobile shortage
  • Late 1960’s – Lang & Potter provide upholstery for the very first yacht (Project 31) built by Marine Projects in Plymouth
  • 1973 – David Potter, Ronald’s son, joins Lang & Potter, company size is 6 persons total
  • 1976 – Ronald Potter passes
  • Late 1980’s – Lang & Potter begins to work with the Ministry of Defence & moves to a newly built site at Newnham Industrial Estate to accommodate its continued growth & expansion
  • 1990’s – Lang & Potter expands into Commercial Business projects & markets, sub-dividing into the Flooring, Upholstery, Soft Furnishings, Marine & Headboards Departments, ahead of its eventual formal division in later years – company size is under 50 persons
  • 1993 – Rachel Potter, David Potter’s daughter, joins Lang & Potter
  • Late 90’s – having outgrown the new site in the Newnham Industrial Estate, Lang & Potter expands to include several new buildings in the same estate
  • 2001 – Lang & Potter undertakes the supply of all furniture, soft furnishings, carpets, covers, linings & panel coverings for Marine Projects as a “one-stop-shop” for Upholstery Fitout
  • 2001 – Marine Projects becomes Princess Yachts
  • 2001 – Lang & Potter creates the divisions of Marine, Flooring & C/T
  • 2008 – Lang & Potter acquires Langage Industrial Estate
  • 2015 – Lang & Potter acquires another, larger building at the Langage Industrial Estate & adds the Mirrors & Glass Department to the company – company size around 200 persons
  • 2018 – Rachel Potter transitions to sharing Management Responsibility with her father, David
  • 2018 – Jack Potter, Rachel’s son, joins Lang & Potter as a carpenter
  • 2019 – Lang & Potter acquires yet another building at the newly constructed Industrial Park opposite the existing Langage Industrial park
  • 2019 – Lang & Potter acquires a building at the newly constructed Ocean’s Gate Business Park, adjacent to the historic Devonport Naval facilities
  • 2020/21 - We all know what happened (Covid). During this testing period Lang & Potter were able to continue with business whilst protecting all team members and clients
  • 2022 - Normal business resumes and Lang & Potter secure new contracts within the Luxury Yachts market

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