Stoves plc, a domestic cooker producer based near Liverpool, was formed following a management buy-in in 1989. In late 1989, Stoves commenced a programme of market research on a scale previously unknown in the industry. Stoves is very different from its multinational competitors; it has only one factory and this is located in an area historically associated with labour difficulties. Stoves manufactures built-in ovens for two international manufacturers, as well as for retailers under their own brands. Since the buy-in in 1989 Stoves has aggressively pursued strategic cost reduction. Modular design enables a large number of products to be produced from a number of interchangeable components or modules. The multinational companies dominating the cooker market have moved production to countries with low labour costs in an attempt to reduce production costs. Cellular production, which involves a number of people working around a central work station, has improved both efficiency and quality.