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Post-war, J & J Wiggin faced the process of converting the factory back to tableware production, a process made more difficult by shortages of raw materials of all kinds, restrictions on fuel and power supplies and the need to re-tool the plant and re-train the employees. Another problem was that, during the war years, the company had lost ground to the Scandinavians in the design and production of stainless steel tableware.
There was also a need to build up export sales as quickly as possible because, by Government direction, supplies of stainless steel were only obtainable under licences directly proportional to the value of finished goods exported. Although the domestic markets overseas were difficult to break into, what did emerge was considerable interest from hotels, hospitals and other catering users. Accordingly, the company quickly developed new designs specifically for the catering trade, the most successful of these being the "Cumberland" range of tea and coffee sets. Within the space of two years, exports had built up to no less than 50% of the total output, this proportion being maintained until the mid 1950s at which point home sales were beginning to really take off and become the dominant market.
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