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NORTH EAST ENGLAND WORKS.
NORTH EAST ENGLAND WORKS.
IT’S WHAT WE ARE FAMOUS FOR.
A loyal workforce, unrivalled business accommodation and a great return on your investment.
As one of the UK’s fastest growing economies, our highly-skilled, flexible workforce, connectivity to global markets and low cost base are a powerful combination.
It’s easy to see why
INVEST NORTH EAST ENGLAND INVESTNORTHEASTENGLAND.CO.UK
NORTH EAST ENGLAND WORKS.
“ The people in the North East are delightful. They’re enthusiastic, hardworking and they know how to party. A company full of Geordies is unbeatable.” Sir Richard Branson, Founder, Virgin Money
WHY NORTH EAST ENGLAND WORKS
LARGE AND GROWING BUSINESS BASE
Over 67,000 companies call North East England their home.
From the US to India, the region attracts investors from across the globe thanks to our market size and growth potential.
And once they have arrived the investment doesn’t stop there - existing investors keep on investing.
QUALITY OF LIFE
North East England boasts an enviable quality of life offering great value for money. Stunning living locations span all price brackets, with rural, coastal and river views being accessible from family town houses and starter apartments in equal measure. Our world-renowned natural environment, heritage assets and vibrant cities and towns all add to North East England’s exceptional standard of living.
VALUE FOR MONEY
Businesses coming into North East England benefit from lower wages and property costs. North East England offers some of the most attractive ‘real wages’ in the UK, meaning your money goes further.
The standard of education, training and apprenticeships are some of the best in the country.
Added to this, Grade A office accomodation costs from as little as £5.00 per sq.ft. and industrial units start at £2.50 per sq.ft.
The bottom line is, you get more for your money in North East England.
SKILLED AND DEDICATED WORKFORCE
With a growing skilled workforce of 1.2 millon, North East England has a large labour market to meet all of your needs.
The region has an exceptionally loyal and flexible talent pool with specialist skills and some of the lowest attrition rates in the UK. This, combined with over 100,000 students in the region ensures there is a constant supply of labour to meet sector demand.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Our region boasts five world class universities offering a talented and skilled employment pool for investors. With over 100,000 students in the region, studying in first-rate facilities, and over 5,000 further education courses to pick from, it’s easy to see why students choose to study here.
Both Durham and Newcastle Universities are part of the prestigious Russell Group – 24 specially selected, research-intensive universities that contribute to the intellectual reputation of the UK across the globe.
All 10 of our further education colleges have been rated good or outstanding and work collaboratively with some of our biggest employers, helping to provide a steady flow of technical skills and talent.
EASY TO REACH AND GLOBALLY CONNECTED
An international airport that offers daily flights to London, many destinations in Europe and Dubai plus three ports and fantastic rail and road networks, we’re connected to all major markets worldwide.
The Tyne & Wear Metro system is the largest rapid transport system outside of London, connecting workers with major business and transport hubs across the region. North East England also has the lowest average commuting distance and one of the shortest commute times for its workers.
INVEST NORTH EAST ENGLAND INVESTNORTHEASTENGLAND.CO.UK
North East England’s exceptional standard of living
67,000
SECTOR STRENGTHS
North East England has a diverse and thriving economy and is recognised for its strengths in a number of key industry sectors.
THE UK’S MOST COST-COMPETITIVE LOCATION FOR FINANCIAL, PROFESSIONAL AND BUSINESS SERVICES.
A winning combination of a loyal and highly skilled, cost competitive workforce, plentiful Grade A office accommodation and a strong and growing cluster make our region one of Europe’s best investment locations.
• 31% of our students study Financial, Professional and Business Service (FPBS) subjects; the second highest proportion in the UK
• North East England has the second lowest attrition rates in the UK for contact centre staff
• A 350-person customer contact centre in North East England will save £9m p/a compared to London, £2.5m p/a compared to the South East and £1m p/a compared to Scotland
• The ‘big four’ have a home in North East England: EY, KPMG, PwC and Deloitte
• Four of the world’s top twenty business processing outsourcing companies have operations in North East England: Accenture, Teleperformance, Convergys and Sitel.
“The North East of England was selected by Balfour Beatty as it provided a skilled and flexible workforce and the best supply of buildings in the UK, suitable for the new facility.
We are thrilled with the team we have been able to build here. Their efforts have delivered significant benefits for Balfour Beatty.
Savings achieved in the first year following our move exceeded £15m and headcount has grown beyond initial estimates to around 450 as new Shared Services have been added.”
Ian Dawson, Former Business Services Director at Balfour Beatty
INVEST NORTH EAST ENGLAND INVESTNORTHEASTENGLAND.CO.UK
• Second only to London, North East England has the fastest growing IT and Digital sector in the UK
• 29,000 IT & digital employees within the region
• Home to Sage, the UK’s only FTSE 100 IT company
• North East England has one of the highest percentage of students studying STEM subjects in the UK
• Home to a strategically important gaming cluster with over 50 specialist gaming companies
• The region has the UK’s second fastest average broadband connections.
The decision to establish a UK studio was an easy one for CCP. The North East has an experienced console-development talent pool and local universities producing exceptional graduates.
We have been able to assemble a world-class team of console developers with unparalleled Unreal Engine expertise and integrate them with CCP’s global organisation.”
Richard Smith Technical Director, CCP Newcastle
HOME TO SCORES OF SOFTWARE AND TECH COMPANIES DOING BUSINESS ACROSS THE GLOBE.
By 2020 it’s estimated our IT and digital cluster will be a £2.5bn industry.
NORTH EAST ENGLAND IS ONE OF EUROPE’S PRINCIPAL LOCATIONS FOR ADVANCED MANUFACTURING, WITH THE REGION HAVING A STRONG PRESENCE IN SECTORS SUCH AS AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURING, RAIL, AEROSPACE, ELECTRONICS AND PHARMACEUTICALS.
A highly skilled workforce renowned for its exceptional productivity and loyalty, unmatched operating costs and superb access to UK and overseas markets, make North East England the location of choice for investors.
A CENTRE OF HEALTHCARE EXCELLENCE.
A workforce underpinned by university graduate talent and pharmaceutical manufacturing prowess, make the region highly attractive to life sciences investors.
• NETPark is one of the UK’s best R&D facilities in science, engineering and technology
• North East England is home to the largest number of clinical trials recruiting almost 12,500 patients per year
• 1 in 4 students in North East England study Life Science topics with 70 specialised courses to choose from
• Newcastle Science Central is a 24 acre city centre innovation hub.
• More than 30,000 people directly engaged in automotive manufacturing and 120,000 in the wider manufacturing sector
• 1 in 3 cars produced in the UK is made in North East England
• 26% of all European electric vehicles are made in North East England
• Home to Hitachi Rail Europe, employing over 1000 staff producing trains for the UK and European markets
• Some of the most specialised further education courses and training academies for the advanced manufacturing sector in the UK
• Nearly 250 acres of space available at low cost development sites, close to major OEMs and transport hubs.
“Locating our HQ in Newcastle was a conscious decision. Being situated at a leading genetics institution and within the Centre for Life placed us at the heart of global DNA-based research. The availability of high-calibre scientific researchers at Northumbria and Newcastle Universities, and the scope for excellent networking opportunities to develop our business internationally, was also a further deciding factor.” QuantuMDx
“For Nissan, our plant in Sunderland, North East England, is absolutely fundamental.
Nissan has an objective to be the number one Asian brand in Europe and the plant in Sunderland is the kingpin of that.
The staff and management team have been very focused on getting a competitive plant and attracting new models.
It’s all about not being complacent, but being challenging for your future, and the plant has an excellent track record in doing that. The plant’s efficient work practices, helped in no small measure by excellent industrial relations, also contribute.”
Trevor Mann, Former Executive Vice President, Nissan
SECTOR STRENGTHS
INVEST NORTH EAST ENGLAND INVESTNORTHEASTENGLAND.CO.UK
HOME TO THE UK’S FASTEST GROWING ENERGY SECTOR.
North East England has a worldwide reputation for excellence in oil and gas, subsea technology, marine engineering and offshore renewables.
• A fantastic array of world-class R&D and testing facilities such as the National Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult Testing facility and the National Centre for Subsea and Offshore Engineering
• Over 7km of deepwater quay with over 900 acres of related development land including nine enterprise zones
• A world centre for subsea technology and innovation.
“Our expansion into North East England is in response to the industry-wide skills shortage. The move into Newcastle will make us well placed to attract talent from the strong engineering tradition in the region.”
Bibby Offshore
North East England offers a compelling set of opportunities for developers, investors and end users.
We are the English region with the greatest capacity for growth - boasting a wealth of natural assets and resources; plentiful office accommodation and industrial space; available development sites; a skilled workforce and a quality of life envied across the rest of the UK.
Property/Land Search
Our commercial property, land and enterprise zone database brings together strategic commercial property and land available to buy and rent across the North East of England, helping you find the perfect location for your business.
Take a look at property.investnortheastengland.co.uk
Invest North East England provides a single point of contact for companies looking to invest in the region.
Our highly experienced team opens the door for investors to North East England’s network of specialist organisations and individuals with the information, support and advice essential to any investment decision.
We’re here to do the hard work for you. We’ll give you the facts and figures; introduce you to the support services you need and help you make your investment happen.
Knowledgeable and dedicated, our team has built an extensive partnership network of Local Authorities, support agencies, sector specialists, universities, colleges, knowledge networks and business organisations throughout the region and we’re able to provide the latest information on the availability of national and regional financial support packages.
INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES
ABOUT INVEST NORTH EAST ENGLANDInvest North East England supports investors with a whole range of practical relocation support and advice including:
A ‘Soft Landing’ package of accommodation, professional services and access to business networks to support your relocation or expansion
Advice on availability of land/property and costs
Information and statistics on the local economy, demographics, infrastructure and labour market
Organising visits to the region and meetings with key stakeholders
Guidance on the availability of financial assistance and grants
HR support, including wage comparisons, training, recruitment and local market information
Introductions to supply chain knowledge networks and technological expertise
Personal Account Manager dedicated to your project.
INVEST NORTH EAST ENGLAND INVESTNORTHEASTENGLAND.CO.UK
Contact us today to see how we can help your business:
44 (0) 191 519 7215
44 (0) 7342 069 367
@InvestNEEngland
Front Cover - Hitachi Rail by Chris Booth photography.Energy Section - ORE Catapult, Blyth.Advanced Manufacturing Section - photo by Chris Booth photography.
Contact us today to see how we can help your business:
44 (0) 191 519 7215
44 (0) 7342 069 367
@InvestNEEngland
