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Overview:
South West England is the largest of the
English regions, offering an excellent quality of life. It is also a dynamic and
innovative business location, with a skilled and motivated workforce that has
labour costs below the UK average, cutting-edge research and development
facilities and an advanced supplier structure. Major centres include
Bournemouth, Bristol, Exeter, Gloucester, Plymouth, Swindon and Taunton.
Bristol was named European City of the Year 2008 by the Academy of Urbanism, a
think tank that champions great place-making, for its economy, history and
lifestyle; and one of the world’s ‘Top 10 Cities for 2009’ by guidebook
publisher DK Eyewitness.
A spirit of innovation, coupled with a leading-edge research infrastructure
means that the region carries out cutting-edge research across many of the
world’s most commercially important technologies. The Bristol City Region has
been designated the only Science City in southern England. Public sector
research establishments working with business include the Centre for Applied
Microbiological Research; the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology; and the Water
Research Centre, Swindon.
“The UK still leads the way in the development of
wave-energy technology and we have the best wave resources in Europe. Wave Hub
will give us the development platform we need to prove our technology to the
world.”
David Crisp, chief executive, Orecon
Key sectors:
semiconductor design, information and communication technology (ICT), R&D;
creative industries, multimedia; advanced engineering (aerospace, automotive,
measuring instruments and medical devices), marine, defence and supporting
industries; environmental technologies; biotechnology, biomedical, healthcare,
pharmaceuticals; food and drink; finance, insurance and business services, call
centres.
R&D strengths:
optoelectronics, semiconductors, software, ICT, telecommunications; creative
technology, design; aerospace, defence, electronic engineering, robotics,
marine; environmental, water technology; healthcare, biotechnology,
microbiology, pharmaceutical.
Major investors include:
4we2, A Productions, Aardman Animations, Agusta Westland, Airbus,
Alcatel-Lucent, Alliance Pharmaceuticals, American Express, Arima
Optoelectronics, Artemis Optical, Arval UK, AstraZeneca, AXA, BAE Systems, BBC
Natural History Unit, Becton Dickinson, Bookham Technology, BMW Group, Boeing,
Bolex Brothers, Bookham Technology, British Aerospace, Broadcom, ClearSpeed,
Cobham, Crydom Magnetics, Defence Equipment and Support, DEK Printing Machines,
Dynamatic Ltd, Ecotricity, Eden Project, Eltek Semiconductors, Endemol West,
E.on, Four Dimension, Fred Olsen Ltd, Fugro Seacore, GE Aviation, GKN, GW Pharma,
Gooch & Housego, Hewlett-Packard, Honda, Icera, Imerys Minerals Limited, Indesit,
Infineon Technologies, Intel, Intergraph, IPL, JP Morgan, Lloyds Banking Group,
Logica, Messier Dowty, Meteorological Office, Motorola, Nallatech, Nokia, OC
Robotics, Ocean Power Technologies, Optoelectronic Manufacturing Corporation,
Orange, Orecon, PALL Newquay, Phihong Europe, picoChip, Princess Yachts
International, Quadrics, Rolls-Royce, Perkins-Sabre Marine Power, Servigistics,
Shopatron, Siemens, SIFAM Fibre Optics, STMicroelectronics, Stralfors plc,
Sunseeker International, Swindon Pressings, Symmetry Medical, Takao Europe,
Teignbridge Propellers, Thales, Toshiba Research Laboratories, Tripos Discovery
Research, Tyco Electronics, UK Hydrographic Office, Valcent, West
Pharmaceuticals, WestWave, Woodward Diesel Systems, Wrigley’s, X-FAB
Semiconductor Foundries, Zarlink Semiconductor, Zurich Financial Services.
Grants:
Cornwall is an Objective 1 assisted area and benefits from convergence until
2013. Grant for Business Investment (GBI) is available to companies across the
region, dependent on criteria (see map on Grants Information).
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