Meet the man behind London’s biggest new factory since the Second World War

Isembard s Alexander Fitzgerald is on a mission to revitalise Britain s high-precision manufacturing industry. Ali Lyon visits the company s new London site to talk policy, patriotism and intergalactic growth Amid the whirring sound of robotic machines, Alexander Fitzgerald is excitedly explaining why the only thing on the wall of his cavernous factory is a brightly illuminated, 50-square-foot Union Jack. We re incredibly proud to be actually trying to build stuff in and for Britain, the founder of Isembard says. And fun fact, the light above the flag is the only one that stays on when the factory shuts down; so people staying late can see it, and know what they re working so hard for. Fitzgerald s patriotism is a far cry from the usual cliche-ridden techspeak of venture-backed founders. But then Isembard his rapidly growing, high-precision defence and aerospace manufacturing firm is a highly unusual start-up. We are speaking just weeks after Isembard, named after B