Make room: creating space for Scottish manufacturers to grow
Scottish Enterprise
Putting businesses at the heart of everything we do, our focus is on innovation, investment and international.
by Elaine Morrison, Director of Productivity at Scottish Enterprise
Manufacturing is a cornerstone of the Scottish economy, accounting for over half of Scotland’s international exports. This diverse sector, ranging from clean energy to semi-conductor manufacturing contributes ￡12.5 billion in Gross Value Added (GVA) and supports around 170,000 jobs.?
But for the sector to continue to thrive, it needs the right space.
Space: a brake on progress?
Our market analysis, highlighted in a 2023 report by Ryden , underscores a critical shortage of high-quality industrial accommodation in Scotland.??
Manufacturers need flexible, energy-efficient, and digitally connected spaces close to transport infrastructure. This is especially important if we want to support high-value growth sectors such as low carbon transport, chemical industries, space and satellites, healthtech, and food and drink innovation.
One million square feet of new space by 2030?
To bridge the accommodation gap, Scottish Enterprise is launching the Manufacturing Property Challenge Programme.?
Partnering with private sector property developers, this ￡35 million programme aims to deliver up to one million square feet of new speculative manufacturing accommodation by 2030 – the equivalent of 14 football pitches. The innovative programme will work alongside the private sector to help unlock investment into Scotland’s economy, with the first call for applications potentially allocating up to ￡15 million to bridge the viability gap often faced by developers.? ??
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New and refurbished accommodation?
The property challenge invites industrial property developers to submit proposals for new mid-sized manufacturing units. We’ll look for evidence of local demand – as well as deliverability – with a sharp focus on making sure the new spaces meet the needs of Scotland’s manufacturers.?
But the challenge goes beyond new developments – we will also invite developers to submit plans to refurbish existing buildings. That could mean delivering results quickly by converting outdated office space on business parks – a sustainable, low-carbon approach.??
Beyond the buildings: strategic investments?
Scotland has thousands of hectares of allocated employment land, but much of it remains undeveloped.? As the programme evolves, we aim to unlock this and pave the way for even more new developments.??
We are also in the process of developing a strategic acquisitions programme, alongside proactively managing our land portfolio. This includes working with port operators to meet the demands of clean energy industries, boosting opportunities in emerging innovation districts, and providing support for individual projects.?
How to take part??
If you’re an industrial property developer in Scotland’s manufacturing future, we invite you to join us. Together, we can build the infrastructure that will support high-value jobs, innovative products, and a thriving economy. Let’s turn ambitions into actions and make sure Scotland’s manufacturing sector stays fit for the future.?
Find out more about our Manufacturing Property Challenge Programme on our website.
SIM Energy Technologies
4 个月For manufacturing to grow, we need to fully support and nurture innovation to a higher level than we currently do. This is only my opinion but is based on my experience over the last three years trying to get a renewable energy device to the market. ?If the design involves unconventional, outside the box thinking, then you have an additional hurdle of overcoming academic perception. Even a study from a top university to show the design is feasible and includes all data and calculations to back this up seems to have minimal sway. The saddest indictment is that when (and I strongly believe it will) this design reaches the market, the back story will not be about the device and the potential of it, the real story will be about how it took so long. We need a more streamlined process to assess and evaluate innovation quicker, (in my opinion).
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4 个月Buildings don't make great companies - skilled and committed people do.
Risk management* Mechanical engineering advice * Forensic engineering * Machinery safety * Statutory regulations * Training *Expert witness*Technical due diligence
4 个月I'm hopeful for the development of the Green Freeport areas. I understand that Cromarty and Aberdeen have a green light and hopefully borh this and the Forth Green Freeport will inject manufacturing with both land, infra and logustics development.
retired
4 个月This will end up having to be subsidised until it is tempting enough for overseas companies to carry out some of their manufacturing here. That achieves nothing. It does seem to be the core Scottish Enterprise objective though
??Know your Competitive Advantage? It's *never* what or where you think. ??Director of the Edinburgh Institute ?, up to 2 years of an edge.??Author of 'The Marketing Manifesto' & 'CompetitiveSME'. Think, Trim, Thrive. ??
4 个月Let's hope this encourages jobs - we badly need new manufacturing jobs, although I note that Scotland is ahead of the rest of the UK in job creation! We should be the world's #1 manufacturer of clean tech / energy equipment and innovators that act a a magnet for overseas commerce and exporting both product and expertise.