Surrey
Surrey's most significant source of prosperity in the later Middle Ages was the production of woollen cloth, which emerged during that period as England's main export industry. The county was an early centre of English textile manufacturing, benefiting from the presence of deposits of fuller's earth, the rare mineral composite important in the process of finishing cloth, around Reigate and Nutfield. The industry in Surrey was focused on Guildford, which gave its name to a variety of cloth, "gilforte", which was exported widely across Europe and the Middle East and imitated by manufacturers elsewhere in Europe. However, as the English cloth industry expanded, Surrey was outstripped by other growing regions of production.
Though Surrey was not the scene of serious fighting in the various rebellions and civil wars of the period, armies from Kent heading for London via Southwark passed through what were then the extreme north-eastern fringes of Surrey during the Peasants' Revolt of 1381 and Cade's Rebellion in 1450, and at various stages of the Wars of the Roses in 1460, 1469 and 1471. The upheaval of 1381 also involved widespread local unrest in Surrey, as was the case all across south-eastern England, and some recruits from Surrey joined the Kentish rebel army.
Yorkshire and the Humber
EMIS Health are off the A658 in central Yeadon, and are a main supplier of GP computer systems. Craftsman Tools on the A659 in Otley make toolholding systems and fixtures. Sinclairs make the "Silvine" brand of stationery at Otley. Allied Glass based in south Leeds at the A61/A639 junction, and also has a main plant at Knottingley east of town on the A645, makes glass bottles for whisky. Toggi outdoor clothing (equestrian) is at Confederation Park at the M621 junction 2 with the A643, and with Champion who make riding hats and body protectors; 600 Group, based near junction 2 of the M621, are the world's biggest manufacturer of manual and CNC lathes; it makes Colchester-Harrison lathes, and Pratt Burnerd International lathe-chucks with a lathe factory at Heckmondwike. Oliver Douglas, on the Tong Road Ind Estate off the B6154 in Wortley, make industrial (catering) washing machines. Perry Uniform makes many school uniforms for many independent schools next to the railway off the B6154 in Upper Armley. Sulzer Pumps UK have a large manufacturing facility on the A6110 near the A643 roundabout. Pland Stainless make large sinks for laboratories and hospitals. Leeds is the second largest manufacturing city in the UK, after London.
Morrisons is based in Bradford; it has 132,000 staff and opened its first supermarket in 1961 in a converted cinema; it turned over £17.6bn in 2015, and is the region's second largest company. Also in Bradford are Club 18-30, Provident Financial, Seabrook Potato Crisps, Safestyle UK, Yorkshire Building Society, Stylo, the Grattan (owned by Otto GmbH since 2000) catalogue retailer, and Yorkshire Water. Santander UK (former Abbey) has its savings division there. The Halifax bank (former Building Society) is based in Halifax, the Yorkshire Bank (owned by CYBG plc and the National Australia Bank) and Leeds Building Society in Leeds, and with UK Asset Resolution (former Bradford & Bingley) and NRAM Limited (former Northern Rock) in Crossflatts. The area between Leeds, Bradford and Wakefield is known as the Rhubarb Triangle.
Empire Stores of Bradford was Britain's first mail order firm in 1890, bought by Redcats UK (French) and closed in 2009; it is now the site of Redcats UK in the north of the town centre. BASF Performance Products (Ciba Specialty Chemicals until 2008, then Allied Colloids before 1997) is in Low Moor; it makes many chemicals including thickening agents. Bowers Metrology Group, on the B6381 near the junction with A6177 at Bradford Moor, are a leading measuring instruments company, and part of Spear & Jackson. Equifax is off the A650 in central Bradford, opposite the Leisure Exchange; next door RBS Group have a call centre. Federal-Mogul, off the A650 in east Bradford, makes automotive parts (gudgeon pins and pistons). Princes Soft Drinks have their main factory south of the A650 at Tong Street; Next have a large warehouse nearby.