Scotland is one of the premier global locations for aerospace. Aerospace businesses in Scotland employ thousands of people and generate billions of pounds each year. Thanks to a pool of skilled labour, high-quality graduates, innovative research and world-class facilities, many aerospace businesses have found that Scotland is hard to match.
There are further opportunities within Scotland for aerospace businesses to take advantage of. Here’s what some of the aerospace industry’s leading figures have to say about Scotland:“The confidence shown by Goodrich, in consolidating the company’s presence in Ayrshire, highlights that Scotland remains a place where innovation can flourish.”
Anne McGuire, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Scotland “The new plant at Inchinnan will be a global centre of excellence. Locating there will help Rolls-Royce to remain internationally competitive for years to come.”
Royan Anthony, Managing Director, Rolls-Royce Compressor Systems “There has been a growth of work into Prestwick and that has been driven by a good skills base, lower operating costs and access to a labour market. Prestwick currently has a cluster of world-class aerospace companies that produces real synergy, and you can see a centre of excellence developing rapidly.”
Simon Foster, General Manager, BAE SYSTEMS Prestwick “Among the reasons Woodward set up in Scotland in the first place was that there were good resources, both in terms of accommodation and people and the proximity to a choice of international airports. When you consider the geographical area we cover, excellent transport links are essential to our business. Geography helps us here in that the logistics of getting in and out of Scotland work well.”
Geoff Hatton, General Manager, Woodward Aircraft Engine Systems “A further advantage of locating in Scotland is that we are right in the middle of the time zones, so we can compete and communicate with the European, North American and Asian markets all in the same day.”
Iain Forrest, Customer Services Manager, Goodrich “We trade on expertise and reputation. Customers will come back to you if you give them what they want. We are very good at that in Scotland.”
Frank Hall, Deputy Managing Director, Wood Group Component Repair Ltd “Our top engineering students are stunningly talented and capable of going right to the top of the industry. We have former students working as senior managers with NASA, BAE SYSTEMS and most of the major global players in the industry.”
Professor Roderick Galbraith, Professor of Aerospace Systems, Department of Aerospace Engineering, University of Glasgow Video testimonials
Scottish-based aerospace companies, Goodrich and STAR-Dundee, describe their experiences of working and expanding in Scotland. They also discuss how they have worked, and continue to work, with SDI and Scottish Enterprise to grow their business.
Help for aerospace businesses in Scotland
Scottish aerospace businesses, and the many international companies that have chosen to invest in Scotland, can take advantage of the many opportunities on offer. We have a tradition of innovation and excellence that helps aerospace businesses to prosper in Scotland.
Find more information on the many benefits of aerospace business investment in Scotland
Find out more by reading our case studies from Aerospace companies in Scotland
Contact us to discover the wide range of services we offer to aerospace businesses in Scotland