Making sound business sense
As a major economic power in the East of England, Essex is an inspired choice for any business
Whether for a European headquarters or
UK office, an R&D center, distribution or for
service facilities, if you’re starting up a new
business or relocating a growing business,
Essex offers a rich, well-established and
well-located solution.
Dynamic Environment
With over 50,000 businesses, employing more than 620,000 people, Essex provides a vast range of job and career opportunities and is a major economic power in the East of England. Essex’s dynamic business environment, rich history of innovation and entrepreneurship and expertise across varied sectors, has led to it becoming the chosen home to many world leading companies, including Alphasense, BAE Systems, Britvic, e2v technologies, Ford, GlaxoSmithKline, Konica Minolta, Olympus KeyMed and Selex. Essex’s long established entrepreneurial spirit means that it has a higher-than-average number of start-up businesses, a high concentration of R&D-intensive companies, low unemployment and a highly-skilled workforce.
“We’ve found Essex to be a very welcoming home for the company for over 60 years,” says Andy Bennett, Group Marketing Communications Manager, at Chelmsford-based e2v technologies.
Great Location
Essex boasts a unique location in the UK, being so close to London, Cambridge and Europe. It is served by some of the UK’s top passenger and freight services including the UK’s single most important port cluster, which includes the international deep-sea container ports of Harwich and nearby Felixstowe in Suffolk, the port of Tilbury and the new massive London Gateway Port, which is due to be opened this year. The UK’s third largest airport, at Stansted, is one of Europe’s fastest growing international airports delivering passengers and freight to over 160 destinations. Together, these make it easy to do business anywhere in the UK and the world.
“With 50% of our turnover exported, we benefit from our location in Essex,” says Neil Yule, UK Business Director for FläktWoods in Colchester. “The east coast seaports are just 30 minutes down the road.”.
skilled workforce
Essex is at the heart of a thriving, knowledge-based economy with a highly skilled workforce, world-class universities and centers of excellence. Its universities are at the forefront of cutting-edge research and are actively involved with local and international businesses through programs of knowledge transfer and industrial partnerships.
For Luke Calcraft, Executive Director, Industrial Business & Corporate Affairs at Olympus Keymed in Southend-on- Sea, it’s the workforce that makes the difference: “Thanks to the outstanding educational facilities in the county, the skills base is always growing and developing. We have everything we need here.”
Essex schools are also playing their part, laying the foundations for the knowledge workers of the future with the skills and attitude to make a positive contribution to business. Many of the schools have won specialist status for the teaching of science, mathematics, technology, engineering, computer science and business and enterprise. Chelmsford has two schools in the top 10 of the national league tables, and Southend hosts four of the top 10 schools in Essex for GCSE attainment.
In addition, an established cultural history, breathtaking countryside and first class leisure facilities, make Essex a great place to live and work.
INVEST Essex can help get your business off to the best possible start, maximize your potential and take advantage of all the opportunities Essex can offer.
For more information, contact:
INVEST Essex
Tel: +44 (0)1245 702480
E-mail: contact@investessex.co.uk
Website: www.investessex.co.uk
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