<p><br /> Prince Charles has visited the Stannah factory in Andover to launch and commemorate production of their 500,000th stairlift.<br /> </p><p><br /> He spent nearly two hours at the factory touring the assembly line and meeting several generations of the Stannah family and their workers.<br /> </p><p><br /> The family-run business was established in London in 1867 and exports to 24 countries employing 1,450 people in the UK and 250 abroad.<br /> </p><p><br /> The Prince of Wales joked he knew where to get a complimentary stairlift when he reaches "decrepitude".<br /> </p><p><br /> Charles, 62, is patron of Abbeyfield and The Almshouse Association charities to whom he presented stairlifts.<br /> </p><p><br /> He then said in a speech to staff on the factory floor: "I'm someone who is a great admirer of family companies, particularly hereditary lift makers."<br /> </p><p><br /> During the visit he also met two apprentices, two members of staff who have volunteered in the local community and the head teacher and two pupils of a local school that Stannah support during their Science and Engineering Week.<br /> </p>
