The defence aerospace specialist has more than doubled the size of its site, increasing production space from about 10,000 square feet to more than 21,000 square feet. The expansion is expected to treble manufacturing capacity and support around 80 new skilled jobs locally, on top of 40 roles created since 2021.
Westwire was founded in 1987 and designs and hand builds complex electrical wiring interconnect systems and integrated electronic systems. Its work supports defence, aerospace, drones, land vehicles, rail and other safety critical infrastructure, often operating in harsh environments where reliability is essential.
Speaking during the opening, managing director Andy Russell said the company’s recent growth followed its acquisition in 2021 by SASMOS HET Technologies.
“The business had good core capability and some sound customers, but ambition wasn’t particularly high,” he said. “SASMOS came in and effectively brought ambition to the business, alongside investment and a very clear focus on where we should operate.”
He said Westwire had since narrowed its focus to defence, aerospace and harsh environment applications, moving away from lower complexity sectors.
“We make hand built harnesses for complex or harsh environments,” he said. “We’re a project business, working with customers through the design phase to create bespoke solutions. That’s a very different model, and it’s where we add real value.”
Since 2021, the company’s revenue has almost quadrupled, with turnover doubling in the past year alone. The workforce has grown from around 25 people four years ago to more than 65, with further recruitment under way.
“We’ve been recruiting almost non stop for the last year and a half,” Mr Russell said. “We bring in experienced harness builders, but we also take people with zero technical background and train them in house.”
He added: “We can get someone from no experience to working on a customer programme within a few weeks, and more complex work comes with time.”
Mr Russell also addressed concerns around overseas ownership.
“All the work we do here is done in the UK,” he said. “We don’t win contracts and send work to India and we don’t source our materials from India. One of the messages today is very clear, from the UK, for the UK.”
The expansion was attended by MP Will Stone, who said the growth of Westwire supports ambitions to establish Swindon as a centre for defence, drone and advanced manufacturing.
“Definitely, and it makes my life significantly easier,” he said. “Having the infrastructure here already is an extra sales pitch window. This is similar to what we had with Honda, the logistics, the infrastructure and the supply chains.”
He said defence and national security had become a priority amid global instability.
“Our defence and our national security is not where it needs to be,” he said. “So it was an emerging industry that was quite easy to pick off.”
He added: “Westwire and other advanced manufacturing companies coming here, including drone manufacturers, are exactly what Swindon needs.”
Mr Stone said collaboration between firms in the sector was already taking place.
“Westwire was already working with some of the companies I’ve been trying to attract,” he said. “It was interlinked before we even had the meetings.”
He said around a thousand jobs had already been brought into the sector locally.
“My aim by the end of my parliament is to get up to 5,000,” he said. “That means more jobs, more business rates and rebuilding what we lost when Honda left.”
He also confirmed plans to submit an application for a defence technical college later this month.
“I want children from Swindon to have the next opportunities working in these areas,” he said. “You have to create the pipeline of growth.”
The expansion is being seen as a strong signal of confidence in Swindon as a base for complex, safety critical manufacturing, with long term jobs and skills at its core.
