MOTOROLA UK arrived in Swindon in 1989, employing a staff of just 65 in one building on the Blagrove industrial estate.

By February this year staff at the American-owned firm had grown to a peak of 3,000 employees at four sites across the town, with Swindon the firm's European headquarters.

Workers at Groundwell manufacture mobile networks rather than telephones.

Exports from the factory are sent to more than 40 countries including China, South Africa and Western Europe.

In 1999 the site, with its landmark silver building, was featured in the James Bond film The World is Not Enough.

Motorola UK is the country's seventh largest exporter.

By the start of this year 10,500 people worked for the company nationwide.

In 1999 Motorola sales were £3.7 billion, including exports of £3 billion.

It was demand for mobile phone base stations that made Motorola rapidly outgrow its original building in Swindon, quickly using up an extension which nearly doubled its size.

When the firm expanded into a 71,000 sq ft building on Swindon's Europark the move was the biggest property deal in Swindon since frozen food store Iceland bought 17 acres in the Churchward former rail works development.

Trade minister Patrick McLoughlin officially opened its expansion in July 1993.

In February 1995 Motorola announced a £6.5 million order with mobile phone operator Cellnet to supply base stations.

The contract took Cellnet's total spending with Motorola on base stations to £87 million and came as the mobile phone market experienced a particularly strong growth.

By April 1995 Motorola, along with its neighbour RP Scherer, scooped the prestigious Queen's Award for Export Achievement.

The 1,200 Motorola workers celebrated with a special meal in the staff canteen and David Hughes, Motorola corporate vice- president and general manager, said: "The Queen's Award is recognition of an outstanding team effort in the face of fierce competition from across the world."

In 1996 the royal seal of approval was given to Motorola with a visit from Princess Anne.

The Princess Royal was taken on a tour of the manufacturing floor of one of Motorola's three plants, where circuit boards were being made.

By then the firm employed 1,600 people in Swindon and another 700 across Europe.

Motorola corporate vice president Adrian Nemcek said: "Estimates are that by the end of the century 200 million people will have them."