In memory of Tom Swan OBE

It is with great sadness that Thomas Swan & Co. Ltd. has recently announced that Tom Swan, Chairman of the company, passed away peacefully in the early hours of Saturday 20th January 2018, with his wife by his side.

Mr Swan, who was the third generation of the Swan family to own and manage the business, will be greatly missed by all who knew him. As well as a devoted husband, loving father and grandfather to ten grandchildren, he was also a highly successful businessman.

Joining the family company as Sales Manager in 1968, he then went on to become Managing Director of Thomas Swan in 1976 until 1998 when he took up the post of Executive Chairman. During his long tenure at Thomas Swan, Mr Swan was responsible for turning around, modernising and expanding the business that he also took back into 100% family control. Much of the company’s current levels of diversification, flare for innovation and healthy exports are due to Mr Swan’s vision and guidance over the decades of his leadership.

He was also hugely respected across the industry as evidenced by numerous awards throughout his distinguished career, most notably the 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Chemical Industries Association and an OBE in 1999 in recognition of his work with science education and services to the Chemical Industry.

Following on from his funeral, which took place in January, the family are holding a memorial service for Mr Swan in Durham Cathedral on Tuesday the 22^nd May 2018 at 2pm.