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Grangemouth industrial cluster

Grangemouth is entering a bold new chapter.

For decades, it’s been Scotland’s leading centre for petrochemical refining and manufacturing. But right now exciting transformation is happening. And you can be part of it.

The shift represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform this industrial heartland into a world-leading low carbon manufacturing cluster. It'll focus strongly on industries that specialise in sustainable fuels and fine chemicals of the future.

Why Grangemouth?

Your business will benefit significantly by locating in Grangemouth through its scalable sites and strategic connectivity. If you're a global company, you'll expand quickly and capture new market opportunities. These include high value investment areas, from waste and bio-feedstocks to offshore wind industries. 

Its central Scotland location provides advantages in logistics and connectivity. These include Scotland’s largest port, Green Freeport benefits, and transport solutions by rail, road, air and sea.

You'll access development-ready land, shared infrastructure and integrated skills plans. And there's the backing of UK and Scottish Governments, while local universities and colleges deliver a future-ready workforce.

With access to CO₂ storage potential in the North Sea and opportunities across R&D, Grangemouth gives you the perfect test-bed for innovation and large-scale low-carbon manufacturing.

A location that will take your business places

Grangemouth is a world-class industrial cluster, with talent and connectivity that's already here for your business.

  • Access a world-class industrial ecosystem

    Join globally significant businesses that drive low-carbon and high value manufacturing. Fulfil opportunities to scale-up. Partner through supply chains across chemicals and fuels.

  • Experienced workforce across key sectors

    Access highly-skilled talent across oil and gas, chemicals and manufacturing. Industry-led training and bespoke skills support will ensure your people have the skills of the future now.

  • Growth potential for business success

    Tap into partnerships, ample development land, and large-scale, flexible sites. Gain support to seize commercial opportunities to scale new low-carbon capabilities and products.

Vision for the future

​Scotland has a clear vision for Grangemouth to be a carbon-neutral hub by 2045. Significant public sector support initiatives and government investment will make this a reality.  

By locating at Grangemouth, you'll capitalise on the facility's existing industrial strengths. You'll also become part of a sustainable, prosperous future, driven by the Grangemouth Cluster Strategyopens in a new window.

This pioneers low-carbon technologies, advanced manufacturing and bio-fuels. Here's how you'll benefit from this future vision:

•    Join a thriving net zero chemicals centre 
•    Locate your business in a leading UK production centre in low-carbon energy 
•    Innovate in advanced industrial products and processes, manufacturing and biofuels for global exports
•    Belong to an industrial carbon capture point and hub for wider CCUS sector
•    Play a key role in growing the market for bio-based products
•    Participate in a circular economy for a prosperous future 
•    Partner with chemicals, pharma and logistics firms in high-growth industries 

Download the report

Extensive research into new opportunities at Grangemouth highlights nine key investment areas. These are within the categories of wastes, bio-feedstock, and support for off-shore wind.

Project Willow is a strategic initiative set up to transform the various sites.

Read more about Project Willow (PDF, 2.95 MB, 30 Pages)opens in a new window 

Key investment areas

Access multi-sector opportunities, including: 

Waste Recycling

  • Hydrothermal upgrading: converts hard-to-recycle plastics into pyrolysis oil
  • Chemical plastics recycling: breaks down plastics to their original state
  • ABE biorefining: uses bacterial fermentation to process carbohydrate-rich waste

Bio-feedstocks

  • Hydrothermal upgrading: produces pyrolysis oil from plastics
  • Chemical recycling: restores plastics to virgin quality using chemicals
  • ABE biorefining: turns carbohydrate-rich waste into valuable products

Sustainable fuels

•    Fuel switching: replaces natural gas with low-carbon hydrogen
•    E-methanol and methanol-to-jet: creates sustainable aviation fuel from hydrogen and carbon dioxide
•    E-ammonia: produces low-carbon ammonia for shipping

Opportunities by sector

Grangemouth offers exceptional infrastructure with major players like INEOS and Syngenta, reducing costly setup through shared services and skilled workforce access. Government-backed net zero transition provides funding for green chemicals and circular economy initiatives.

Proximity to world-class universities provides cutting-edge R&D, open-access labs, and a pipeline of talent.

Strategic connectivity includes on-site blending, packaging, and global logistics via shipping routes, rail freight, and motorways. This makes Grangemouth the ideal location for sustainable chemical manufacturing and innovation.

Grangemouth boasts a strong sustainable innovation ecosystem. This is supported by R&D expertise from its Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC) that includes pilot facilities and scale-up capabilities to accelerate growth and de-risk biotech innovation.
Its strategic location ensures feedstock availability from whisky, agriculture and food processing industries for bio-refining and sustainable fuels.
As the cluster transitions from fossil fuels to bio-based and circular economy industries, early investors gain first-mover advantage. This includes access to public funding and opportunities to collaborate with government and academia on pioneering pilot projects.

Scotland is advancing a circular economy with a “make, use, remake” approach supported by Zero Waste Scotland and industry-led feedstock insights.

Innovation spans chemical and mechanical recycling, backed by investment in infrastructure for high-quality feedstocks. Grangemouth leads this transition with petrochemical capacity, waste handling systems and research partnerships.

INEOS and partners are already trialling conversion of hard-to-recycle plastics into food-grade material. Grangemouth helps pioneer sustainable manufacturing to achieve a circular economy that contributes to carbon-neutral industries. This is both good for the environment and provides a strategic business advantage. 

Grangemouth is Scotland’s largest hydrogen user, with demand set to rise as sectors decarbonise and drive future green hydrogen needs. The cluster offers a skilled workforce with transferrable expertise for hydrogen projects.

Scotland, an early innovator, is now scaling up with strong supply chains, public sector backing and a robust project pipeline. Grangemouth will be a key player in future Scottish and UK hydrogen transmission networks, enabling storage and export opportunities.

Grangemouth’s heavy industry provides a ready source of CO₂ for capture. This enables Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage (CCUS) projects to decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors. It also strengthens Scotland’s low-carbon manufacturing competitiveness.

Existing pipelines, ports and transport networks can be repurposed for CO₂ transport offshore, reducing costs and leveraging local skills.

Grangemouth will connect to the Acorn project for vast North Sea storage and offers opportunities for CO₂ utilisation in sustainable aviation fuel and chemical production. This will build a future strategic low-carbon hub.

Grangemouth offers diverse opportunities for CO₂ and green hydrogen utilisation, driving a sustainable future. There is vast potential, from producing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) using biogenic CO₂ and green hydrogen, to creating green hydrogen fuels like e-methane and HVO. 

Food, drink and agriculture sectors can harness waste for new revenue streams. Likewise, sustainable building materials and chemical industries benefit from feedstock access and decarbonisation. This integrated approach positions Scotland as a leader in circular, low-carbon innovation.

In Scotland we are aiming to ensure that all aviation fuel will be net zero by 2045. As Scotland’s main aviation fuel supplier, Grangemouth is primed for SAF production through a range of technologies, with major funding available to support key projects.

With strong industrial partnerships and handling expertise, plus global aerospace leaders nearby, Grangemouth offers a strategic location for SAF innovation. This drives decarbonisation and positions Scotland at the forefront of Jet Zero ambitions.

Explore Grangemouth

Want to take a look around? Take a virtual tour with our interactive map. 

The future view of Grangemouth

This Spatial Vision map represents the future direction of the Cluster Strategy for Grangemouth.

Learn more about Grangemouth

Be part of Scotland’s bold industrial future.

Backed by government support and a clear vision for 2045, Grangemouth offers the perfect platform for your business to realise its growth ambitions.

Watch our short videos to discover why:

Want to find out more about investment opportunities in Grangemouth?

Phone: +44 300 013 2734opens in a new window 

Disclaimer

Whereas every effort has been made to ensure that the information in these pages is accurate, Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Development International do not accept any liability for errors, omissions or misleading statements. And no warranty is given, or responsibility accepted as to the standing of any individual, firm, company or other organisation mentioned. Investors will need to undertake their own due diligence in conjunction with individual project promoters/sponsors in relation to the detailed project investment opportunities presented.