Inside the Workshop: A Real Day at Oreham Vehicles Ltd
A Small Workshop with Big Skills
At Oreham Vehicles Ltd, we’re not a big factory. It’s just the two of us — and my dog, Happy, head of security.
Between coffee breaks, stitching sessions, and her enthusiastic woofs at visitors, the workshop runs on teamwork, precision, and good humour.
Michelle is our trimmer, happiest when fitting covers and seeing everything come together. I handle most of the sewing — the “sewist,” if you will — but we both share the work depending on the project.
What a Typical Day Looks Like
Each day starts with whatever’s rolled in — sometimes a classic Porsche interior, sometimes a modern van, sometimes a boat interior.
From there, the process begins:
Stripping down the seats and removing the old covers
Taking covers apart for templating
Drawing and cutting new panels
Adding scrim foam to each piece
Creating tuck-and-roll or quilted panels (no CNCs here — all handmade)
Assembling everything with care
Fitting the new covers and smoothing any wrinkles with a steamer or heat gun
Some jobs need custom work — patterning from scratch, reshaping bolster foams, replacing old horsehair fillings, or modifying templates. It’s never repetitive, and every car brings a new challenge.
Between Stitches and Staple Guns
The soundtrack of the day is a mix of sewing machines, pneumatic staplers, glue spray, and the occasional woof.
We don’t rush our work — details matter. Stitch length, seam alignment, no dangling threads (even the hidden ones). Everything has to look and feel right before a seat leaves the bench.
It’s Not All Fabric and Foam
Running a workshop isn’t just hands-on work. Between retrims, one of us is usually on admin duty, me— replying to messages, sending quotes, updating social media, writing blog posts (like this one), or ordering materials.
It’s part of keeping a small business alive and running smoothly — and there’s always something that needs doing.
Pride in Every Stitch
Being two women in a mostly male trade gets people’s attention, but for us it’s just normal — we’re here because we love the craft.
Every job, whether it’s a full interior or a pair of box cushions, gets the same care and attention. When customers see their seats back in perfect shape, it’s worth every minute spent cutting, stitching, and fitting.
Curious About Our Work?
If you’d like to see what goes on inside our Henfield workshop, follow Oreham Vehicles Ltd on social media for before-and-after transformations, daily updates, and (of course) photos of Happy doing quality control.
📍 Oreham Vehicles Ltd – Unit D Henfield Business Park, Henfield, West Sussex BN5 9SL
📞 Contact us for quotes or interior restoration enquiries.
