The engineering behind those innovations went on to receive The Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Innovation, with a visit to Buckingham Palace to meet Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in person and we had the privilege of a few minuets to discuss the industry.

Over the years, the same philosophy has been applied to a variety of products. From warehouse stackers and recycling compactors used by major supermarkets, to patented systems designed to maximise storage and efficiency, the focus has always remained the same: Making better use of the space available.

Eventually, that experience found its way into something much closer to home.

As Volkswagen California owners ourselves, we became increasingly frustrated by having to unpack half the boot just to reach something at the back. Existing solutions often compromised storage & simply weren’t designed with everyday use in mind.

So we set out to design something better.

The result was SpaceMate – a simple, robust sliding drawer system that gives easy access to your gear whilst making the most of every millimetre of available space.

Designed and engineered in Britain, SpaceMate products are now used by Volkswagen California owners throughout the UK and across Europe and as far as Japan and New Zealand and it’s particularly satisfying to see a British product being embraced in Germany – the home of Volkswagen & "Vorsprung durch Technik" itself.

Although the products have changed over the years, the thinking behind them hasn’t.

Whether it’s a warehouse, a supermarket, or the back of a camper van, the aim has always been the same: Make better use of space.