• Swindon & Wiltshire Manufacturing
• Friday April 3 2026

Go-ahead for £100 million Wiltshire factory

A £100 million factory will be built by one of Wiltshire’s largest employers, after planning permission was granted. Wiltshire Council approved a planning application from frozen food giant apetito for a new state‑of‑the‑art regenerative manufacturing facility in Trowbridge. The […]

• Swindon & Wiltshire Manufacturing
• Thursday March 19 2026

Drone hub sees Swindon nominated for national award

A town’s behind-the-scenes work to establish itself as a major defence tech hub has seen it nominated for a national award. Last year, Swindon Borough Council was praised by the Defence Secretary John Healey, for its success in attracting […]

• Swindon & Wiltshire Manufacturing
• Monday March 9 2026

Swindon submits innovation bid to accelerate growth of drone sector

A nationally important drone and defence technology cluster could be set up in Swindon. Swindon Borough Council has joined forces with Brunel University of London to submit a significant bid to UK Research and Innovation’s Local Investment in Partnerships […]

• Swindon & Wiltshire Manufacturing
• Friday March 6 2026

Avon Protection wins Middle East order as tensions rise

Melksham-based manufacturer Avon Protection has secured a £10 million order for its specialist filters which protect against chemical and biological warfare agents from a Middle Eastern customer, the company told the markets this morning (Friday). Its MILCF50 filters are […]

• Swindon & Wiltshire Manufacturing
• Tuesday February 17 2026

Swindon manufacturer bought for £9.3 million

A Swindon-based manufacturer of LED components used in military aircraft has been acquired by scientific equipment group SDI. PRP Optoelectronics designs and manufactures custom high performance microLEDs and LED light engines for avionics, defence and industrial applications. Its kit […]

• Swindon & Wiltshire Manufacturing
• Tuesday February 3 2026

Uncertain world leads to record start of year for defence firm

Global uncertainty has led to growing demand for military and homeland security gear produced by a Melksham firm. Avon Technologies told its AGM – held at its Melksham headquarters – that there had een sustained demand for its CBRN […]

• Swindon & Wiltshire Manufacturing
• Thursday January 8 2026

‘Band gets back together’ as Wiltshire print firms merge

Wiltshire print firms Corsham Print and Kennet Print have announced their merger. Neil Mortimer, formerly of Kennet Print, joins as a director alongside Chris Perry and David Kilmurray in the merged company. The merger combines two established local print […]

• Swindon & Wiltshire Manufacturing
• Tuesday January 6 2026

South West manufacturers prepare for new wave of M&A deals in 2026

South West manufacturers are preparing to bring their businesses to market in 2026, as well as making fresh investment in digital and automation capabilities, according to a new report by specialist business advisory firm FRP. Of the South West […]

• Swindon & Wiltshire Manufacturing
• Tuesday December 16 2025

Artisan bakery expands into breakfast cereal with new range

Artisan bakery Pipp & Co is once again expanding its range – this time into preservative-free breakfast cereals. The Swindon-based bakery – which recently scooped a national award for its rhubarb and ginger jam vegan doughnut – is launching […]

• Swindon & Wiltshire Manufacturing
• Monday December 15 2025

Avon wins £15 million NATO contract

A Wiltshire-based manufacturer of personal protection gear for the military and emergency services has won an £15 million order from NATO. Avon Technologies’ defence division, Avon Protection, has received a new European order for the FM50 respirators and FM61EU […]

• Swindon & Wiltshire Manufacturing
• Monday November 24 2025

Swindon drone factory to create 100 skilled manufacturing jobs

A new drone manufacturing facility in Swindon will create more than 100 jobs in its first year. That was the message as the STARK factory threw open its doors to VIPs last week. The purpose-built 40,000 sq ft factory, […]

• Swindon & Wiltshire Manufacturing
• Friday November 21 2025

Profits at Babcock rise as governments spend more on defence

Profits have jumped 19 per cent at defence engineering firm Babcock, as governments spend more on defence. Babcock maintains Britain’s naval fleet, builds warships and provides weapons systems at 60 sites around the UK. Regionally, Babcock has multiple locations […]

• Swindon & Wiltshire Manufacturing
• Wednesday November 12 2025

Global conflict continues to be good news for Avon Technologies

War, and the threat of conflict, continues to be good news for Avon Technologies, which has reported a record order book. The Melksham-headquartered manufacturer of personal protection gear for the military said the 12-month period to the end of […]

• Swindon & Wiltshire Manufacturing
• Tuesday October 28 2025

Huge fall in West SMEs claiming R&D tax relief

There has been a £50 million fall in the number of SMEs in the South West making research & development tax relief claims, according to research by accountancy and advisory firm Azets. The drop has prompted a specialist at […]

• Swindon & Wiltshire Manufacturing
• Monday October 20 2025

Funding boost for West’s SME manufacturers

SME manufacturers in the West will be able to apply for funding to support innovation under a new scheme launched by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority. The authority looks set to secure £2.2 million for the region, […]