Swansea Bay Futures
Key Competitive Attractions
Key competitive attractions of Swansea Bay for business...
- People and skills: A population of approximately 547,000 and just over 1.5 million people living within one hour’s drive. 26.4% of the population hold qualifications at NVQ level 4 and above.
- Availability of property: A wide range of available commercial sites and premises.
- Cost benefits: Swansea Bay‘s manufacturing productivity sits 40% above the UK national average and has the lowest manufacturing labour costs of any region in the UK.
- Availability of grant support: As well as Wales’ wide opportunities for grant support, Swansea Bay is a designated area for European Convergence Funding.
- Science and Innovation: Superb business incubation facilities and a number of specialist institutes in Life Sciences, Advanced Telecommunication, Creative Industries, Manufacturing & Materials and Innovation.
- Universities: Three separate Higher Education establishments, some world-class academic research credentials – particularly in Engineering, Computer Science and Medicine - more than 18,000 students and a proactive approach to knowledge transfer and business support.
- Business success: Swansea has been named in the top 5 fastest growing cities in the UK for business by the Royal Mail’s Business Barometer (2011).
- Regeneration linked to results: Best practice examples of successful regeneration and development projects.
- Communications: Excellent access to UK and European cities via its road and rail network, nearby Cardiff Airport and Swansea and Port Talbot Docks.
- Quality of life: With its unique blend of city, coast and countryside, Swansea Bay offers an unrivalled quality of life.
Assistance and Support For New Business Investors
Swansea Bay Futures (SBF) is a source of information on the 'who, what, where, when and how' of the region. We can help!
- Find the information, facts and figures that you need.
- Put you in touch with the right people to make it happen.
- Give you the lowdown on previous developments and investments.
- Help you understand the local marketplace.
- Give you a clear view on the regions plans and ambitions.
- Provide you with on-going support and profile for your development.
In short, we will work with you to ensure that your investment in the region is successful, and if we can't do it then we'll know someone who can!
SBF is also able to directly provide support for the human side of business relocation or set up. As well as providing the basic information on practicalities such as housing, schools, cultural and sporting opportunities, SBF can provide materials to help persuade existing staff to relocate or attract new staff to join you, by selling them the superb quality of life on offer in Swansea Bay.
Swansea Bay Futures Ltd is a not for profit, independent organisation that has been set up with the aim of 'promoting the Swansea Bay region as a place to live, work, study, invest in and visit`, with the ultimate aim of having a positive impact on the local and regional economy.
Existing Business Base
The Swansea Bay region has a lot to offer as a place to do business. Dynamic developments over recent years and ambitions for the future make it an exciting area for investment.
Economically, this is a diverse urban and rural area, characterised by a high level of service sector activity in Swansea, a cluster of manufacturing industries in Neath Port Talbot, and a high proportion of agricultural related activity, tourism businesses and self-employment in Carmarthenshire. The combined area provides an eclectic and multi-sectoral business community.
Key industry sectors include:
- Automotive and automotive components
- Creative industries
- Food and drink production
- ICT
- Life sciences
- Professional services
- Marine industries
- Tourism and leisure
The region is home to many national and international companies, including HSBC, Admiral Insurance, Amazon, BT, Virgin Media, 3M, Tata, Tinopolis, Pure Wafer, The Connaught Motor Company and directory enquiries company 118 UK.
Swansea Bay is celebrating a series of recent high profile investments, including SA1 Waterfront and proposals to transform Swansea City Centre, as well as a number of business focussed parks across the region.
