Fussy designer leaves Britain for Hong Kong to get on the pace

Meet Oliver Hemming, an award-winning designer-maker, who eight weeks ago packed up his British business and moved it to Hong Kong.

From teapots, espresso makers, kettles and milk jugs to kitchen scales, spice grinders and clocks, Mr Hemming says he has made them all, and he has produced millions of them since he started crafting items in 1982.

'When it comes to design, I'm definitely a purist,'' says the 45-year-old Briton who was born in Nairobi. 'Things have to excite me, and they have to be well made. So many products these days are badly made, and there's no excuse for it, especially when it's often cheaper to make things well.'

He prides himself on designing products that are accessible to everyone, although don't expect to find one of his creations in a $10 shop. Lane Crawford or Town Gas boutique stores are the places to go for Oliver Hemming products in this town, including the award-winning Nio collection of stove-top tea and coffee-makers.

He has also created a unique spice grinder, SpiceBoy. With a great mixing bowl, it's a bit like a mechanical pestle and mortar. It's a 'great grind', as he calls it, and it won him a best-product award at the New York International Gift Show in 2002.

It is making things well, and quickly, that prompted the designer to move his operation to Hong Kong. 'It's simply not possible to do things as well and at the same speed in Britain,' says Mr Hemming, who admits his love of Asia and his strong relationships with factories on the mainland were also decisive factors in the move.