Invest Lincolnshire
Key Competitive Attractions
Lincolnshire covers 2,200 sq miles (5,921 sq km) and is the fourth largest county in England and Wales. So it's not surprising that Lincolnshire is an area of enormous choice, variety and opportunity.
It's also a county that's going places with output growth, workforce numbers and population growth - all outstripping national trends.
Its highly strategic location means it can serve the whole of the UK and provide the vital link into mainland Europe. The Midlands, South East, North West and North East are all within easy reach by road, while the bustling east coast ports, strong rail network and access to five regional international airports complete the optimum logistics mix.
The county is diverse in character and beauty, against a rural backdrop, while the main centres are also growing and diversifying fast. From Lincoln and its stunning Cathedral city, through historic market towns such as Boston, Grantham, Stamford, Louth, Sleaford and Gainsborough, to bustling coastal resorts like Skegness and Mablethorpe, sustainable business growth is being achieved without affecting our renowned quality of life.
If you're looking for quality and space to expand your business, then come to the county which offers both, enabling businesses to reach their full potential.
Lincolnshire, England: the location for growing businesses with a low cost solution, without compromising on quality. Lincolnshire stands out as the right environment for business.
Assistance and Support For New Business Investors
Invest Lincolnshire is responsible for promoting investment opportunities and providing assistance to those who choose Lincolnshire, either as a property developer, new location for their business or an established company looking to expand, diversify or manage change.
Invest Lincolnshire`s team delivers a wide range of services that promotes the County as a place to live, work, invest and visit. It is a partnership between the public and private sector with partners from:
- Lincolnshire County Council
- The seven Lincolnshire local authorities
- Local intermediaries, including property agents and developers
With support from:
- East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA)
- Job centre Plus
- Learning and Skills Council
- Lincolnshire Tourism
- Business Link
- Lincolnshire Research Observatory
Services include the Investor Development facility which is a free and confidential support service for foreign owned businesses and large UK employers. The Invest Lincolnshire Enquiry Service provides advice on finding premises, grants, skills and working with local partners. It also works closely with partners on initiatives that raise the profile of the County and opportunities for investment.
Over the last three years, Invest Lincolnshire was involved in the creation of 889 new jobs, assisted in safeguarding 2440 jobs, handled 1395 new enquiries, helped 152 companies with expansion and 15 with first time investment in the county.
Invest Lincolnshire believe in a team approach, bringing together a round table discussion with the client and partners involved in planning issues at an early stage, to make any expansion or development a seamless process.
Existing Business Base
Lincolnshire`s heritage lies in the fields and food related industries, and this is still true today, with around 30% of the workforce employed in agriculture, fishing and the food industry, including distribution and hospitality. Companies such as Bakkavor, Premier Foods and Del Monte are based in the county, along with Kerry Foods, Walkers Crisps and Sealord. The food manufacturing and processing industries` supply chain spans out to haulage, packaging and support services, creating more than 50,000 jobs in the county.
Manufacturing and engineering also have strong roots in Lincolnshire. Names such as Ruston and Shuttleworth grew from humble beginnings in the city of Lincoln. Now major international companies, Siemens, Minebea, Dynex Semiconductors and Park Air Systems (Northrop Grumman) have all made their home here. Employing over 40,000 people, the county has a skilled, flexible and loyal engineering workforce, supported by the local colleges and University.
As with many other counties, public sector, education and healthcare are major employers, with over 35% of people working in this or other service related sectors. Communication and technology are imperative to providing a quality administrative service and even though Lincolnshire may be a rural county this does not hinder companies keen to keep their finger on the technological pulse. As one of the first counties to have all of its telephone exchanges broadband enabled, Lincolnshire`s County Council Broadband Initiative, 'onlincolnshire' went one step further by tendering a contract and working with British Telecom, to roll out an advanced, symmetrical wireless broadband system.
