A major Swindon employer has made a visible show of support for the town’s economic ambitions—quite literally raising the flag.
At its Kingfisher Drive headquarters, Thermo Fisher Scientific has installed a “Swindon: Make it Here” flag, signalling its backing for Swindon Borough Council’s ongoing place-marketing campaign.
The gesture was marked with a small ceremony attended by council leader Jim Robbins and senior figures from the company, underlining what both sides describe as a shared commitment to the town’s future.
For the council, the campaign is about attracting inward investment and reinforcing Swindon’s reputation as a place where things are still made—often at scale, and often quietly.
Thermo Fisher fits that description. Based in Dorcan since 1970, the site has evolved from its early days as part of Roussel Laboratories into a major pharmaceutical manufacturing facility. Today, it forms part of a global organisation employing around 120,000 people, with the Swindon operation specialising in sterile liquid and freeze-dried medicines.
Recent years have seen significant investment. Since 2020, around $200 million has gone into expanding the site’s capabilities, including work linked to vaccine and pharmaceutical production. The facility now spans roughly 300,000 square feet and employs close to 400 people.
There’s more to come. Plans are in place to grow the site further over the next five years, with up to 100 additional jobs expected to be created. Recruitment is already underway across a range of roles, from production and inspection to laboratory and quality positions.
For Thermo Fisher, the decision to back the campaign reflects a long-standing relationship with the town. For the council, it’s a useful endorsement—evidence that existing employers are willing to put their name to the wider pitch.
The “Make it Here” message leans heavily on Swindon’s strengths in advanced manufacturing and life sciences, sectors that don’t always grab headlines but remain central to the local economy.
A flag won’t transform a town on its own. But as signals go, it’s a clear one—particularly when it comes from a company with half a century of history in the area.
