AROUND 8,500 jobs were created or safeguarded in Scotland through inward investment in the latest year, up nine per cent on the prior period, Scottish Enterprise has said.
The development agency said the 8,533 jobs created or safeguarded in the 2022/23 financial year represented the highest total since 2018/19.
With 8,519 of the latest jobs paying the real living wage, Scottish Enterprise chief executive Adrian Gillespie described the results as fantastic. He said they showed that Scotland remains an incredibly attractive location for global firms to not only locate in, but to also put down roots and develop a sizeable presence in.
The figures cover some 86 inward investment projects, which Scottish Enterprise noted are located in 20 different local authority areas. There are 32 such local authorities in Scotland.
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The firms involved include Italian-owned label-maker Eurostampa. It is investing in a new factory in Cumbernauld around double the size of its original base to allow it to increase capacity to meet demand from the wine, spirits, champagne, food and chocolate industries. The move is expected to help Eurostampa to create 90 jobs and to safeguard 12 others, taking staff numbers to around 280.
Scottish Enterprise awarded a £2.5 million grant to support the project.
America’s Mangata Networks plans to develop research and development and satellite manufacturing facilities in Prestwick, Ayshire, where it expects to create up to 575 jobs in coming years.
Scottish Enterprise noted in December that the project will be supported by an innovative funding and assistance package worth more than £83.7m, which will be provided by public bodies.
The annual figures combine inward investment projects supported by Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Development International (SDI), Highlands and Islands Enterprise, South of Scotland Enterprise and Skills Development Scotland.
They were compiled using a methodology adopted by SDI in 2001/2002. Using that methodology, the highest annual total of jobs created or safeguarded was 10,074 in 2018/19.
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Scottish Enterprise said: “The [latest] results are supported by a soon to be published independent evaluation report, led by Aston University, which finds that delivery partners’ and Scottish Government support, together with the skills of Scotland’s workforce, are key factors in influencing investors’ decisions to locate in Scotland.”
It said a real living wage represents an annual salary of at least £19,305 based on a 37.5 hour week.
Eurostampa bought Glasgow-based Gilmour & Dean in 2011.
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