As it approaches a significant centenary, the North East chemicals manufacturer Thomas Swan has expressed firm confidence in its ability to steer back to profitable growth, despite posting another annual operating loss.
Financial Performance and Strategic Investment
The family-owned business, based in Consett, reported a rise in turnover from nearly £34m to £35.4m for the year ending March 2025. While operating losses persisted, they showed improvement, narrowing to £997,975 from £1.19m the previous year. A key positive indicator was the increase in gross profit, which climbed from £7.1m in 2024 to £7.7m.
Management highlighted ongoing investment in equipment designed to boost both capacity and long-term profitability. The company's headcount saw a slight reduction from about 154 to 144 employees during the period. Ordinary dividends totalling £1m were paid to shareholders.
Global Rebrand and Expansion Strategy
This financial update comes during a pivotal year for the firm, which celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2026. Founded in Crookhall, the business has evolved into an international exporter, sending roughly 70% of its products to more than 80 countries from its North East base. Its diverse product range is used in items from industrial disinfectants and latex gloves to tyres.
A major part of its recent strategy has been consolidating its global identity. Last year, the group rebranded its American subsidiary from Swan Chemical Inc to Thomas Swan – Americas. This move was coupled with an expansion into larger offices in Lyndhurst, New Jersey, to support its growing team and customer base in the region.
"Rebranding as Thomas Swan – Americas is an important step in our global strategy," said Jeff DeWerth, the subsidiary's Managing Director. "It unifies our identity across all regions, reinforces our long-standing heritage, and positions us strongly for our next century of innovation and service."
Looking Forward to the Next Century
Harry Swan, Managing Director and grandson of founder Tommy Swan, who led a major plant investment programme starting in 2019, echoed this sentiment. "This rebrand is designed to bring the Thomas Swan range of overseas commercial activities under one global umbrella," he stated. "We have had a US business for over four decades and I’m delighted that we are now aligning our activities."
Further diversifying its activities, the group also entered a new distribution deal in the past year with Black Swan Graphene, a company it helped establish and in which it retains an 11% stake. The agreement grants the Canadian firm access to Thomas Swan's global warehouse network, including its facilities in China, for distributing graphene-based products.
With a century of history behind it and a clear focus on international alignment and strategic partnerships, Thomas Swan's leadership is betting on its investment and global strategy to return the historic manufacturer to sustained profitability.
