Key Competitive Attractions
Invest in Dudley
A borough that is passionate about its past with ambitions to deliver an exciting future...
Dudley Borough occupies a central geographical location in England, and is rich in cultural, geological and industrial heritage. The borough covers 38 square miles, has a population of 307,000 people, and residents and boasts four town centres: Dudley, Brierley Hill, Halesowen, and Stourbridge. Currently, there are around 10,000 businesses operating in Dudley.
Distinctive economic advantages:
- 1/3 of businesses based in Dudley are actively looking to expand
- Dudley Borough has a long-standing, stable population, and a loyal workforce with 70% of the workforce living and working within the Borough
- 70% of Dudley businesses say it’s a good place to do business
- Dudley has a potential consumer market of 4million people within a 40-minute drive, and 5million within one hour’s drive
- Excellent accessibility to the M5 and M6 motorways, providing quick connections to the cities of London, Manchester and Birmingham. Birmingham International Airport is just 30 minutes away, Manchester International Airport is 90 minutes away, and Luton is 1 hour and 45 minutes away, making the city ideal for logistics.
- £60m of committed investment is currently going into the Borough’s further education sector.
- Dudley is within a 20-minute drive of four well-respected universities: Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Aston, and Birmingham City.
- Merry Hill Shopping Centre is the 4th biggest shopping complex in the UK, with more than 300 stores and a large food court. It attracts 23.5 million visitors each year.
- Dudley is an attractive location in which to live and work, with 25% of the area constituting green spaces.
- Thriving construction industry
- Availability of quality industrial space
- Major city developments underway
More reasons to invest in Dudley...
Assistance and Support For New Business Investors
Dudley Business First offers free and personalised services to help your business establish, or relocate, grow and diversify in Dudley Borough
- A dedicated development team, responsive to your individual needs
- Support to identify and access business finance
- Land and property searches
- Help in accessing tailored business advice
- Supporting business to business opportunities
- Help with recruitment and training
- Introducing you to potential suppliers and highlighting supply chain opportunities
- Assistance with developing international trade
- Help with raising business profiles
- Hosting business and networking events
- Co-ordinating familiarisation visits for potential investors
- Providing economic intelligence and research
Existing Business Base
- Dudley is an important economic centre in the West Midlands region, with 10,000 businesses, a workforce of 117,000 people, and an economy worth almost £9billion.
- Dudley Borough has a total population of 307,000 people – making it the 25th largest authority in England and Wales for population size.
- 60% of Dudley’s population is of working age.
- Dudley’s business base is diverse: its significant manufacturing sector provides 18,000 jobs, and it also has a strong service sector, includes financial services, distribution and retail.
- Local businesses have secured internationally renowned accolades, including the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise - prizes for sustainable development, innovation and international trade. Several Dudley businesses were also recognised in the ‘Sunday Times Top 100’ for companies showing fastest growth in international sales.
- House prices in Dudley are lower than the average cost of housing in the West Midlands, with the median house price just below £138,000.
- Pensnett Trading Estate is one of the biggest secure trading estates in Europe.
- The Waterfront Business Park is situated on a canal marina and offers high quality office space. Residents include Virgin Media, Lloyds TSB, and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.
- Dudley’s visitor economy is currently worth approximately £225 million, receiving more than 4million visitors annually, and growing.
