Until 1983, when the Dr Martens' largest producer licensed exclusive use of the brand from its Munich-based owners, White & Co shared the work of producing Dr. Martens-branded boots with companies including George Cox, NPS, GB Britton and Sons, Hawkins of Northampton ("Hawkins ASTRONAUT with Dr Martens air cushioned soles"), Earls Barton neighbours WJ Brookes known for the Kinky Boot Factory documentary and musical, R Griggs Group (where the Airwear brand was registered) and Blundstone of Australia.
White's had an unusual experience of globalisation and rapid currency price changes in the 1980s, shared with similar niche exporters like the shoe factories WJ Brooks and Hawkins, which is still named on an empty workshop in Northampton city centre.
Companies like WJ Brooks, White and Co, or Hawkins had done well in finding markets in Europe or round the world but had no margin for advertising or stock-holding.
Other competitors spent their margin on stockholding at a time when few wholesalers or chainstores wanted to hold a lot of stock of more expensive UK-made footwear.
Their company was sold to venture capitalists Permira for £300m and it new owners have kept some production in the UK at their Cobbs Lane Wollaston factory and occasionally subcontracted to Barkers.