ght for business A Warm Welcome Contents Welcome 3 Reasons to Invest in Inverclyde 4 The Home of Opportunities 5 Key Growth Sectors 6 Where The Choice Is Yours 7 Get Yourself Connected 8 Location 9 Support for your Workforce 10 Recruitment Support 11 Business Case Studies 12 Financial Support and Assistance 13 West College Scotland/EE 14 Inverclyde Housing 15 Leisure in Inverclyde 16 How ri can help your business 17 Offices – Custom House 18 Offices – Riverside Business Park 19 Offices – Gourock Municipal Buildings 20 Offices – Scarlow House/Victoria House 21 Industrial Units – Kelburn Business Park 22 Industrial Units - Lynedoch/Drumfrochar 23 Ports – Inchgreen Dry Dock 24 Ports – Greenock Ocean Terminal 25 Bespoke Build – Offices – Cartsburn 26 Bespoke Build – Industrial – Kelburn 27 Read All About It 28 BACK HOME: Wee Annie, the Girl On A Suitcase statue, has returned to Inverclyde after a £5.85 million 2 road redevelopment. The sculpture is a celebration of Gourock’s days as a top holiday destination. Welcome to Inverclyde Dr Gerry McCarthy is Chair Aubrey Fawcett is Chief Executive of Riverside Inverclyde of Inverclyde Council We’d like to offer you the warmest of welcomes In the following pages you will discover “ to Inverclyde. how our strategic regeneration strategy can help forward-thinking companies just An area of unrivalled natural beauty on the broad like yours. coastal reaches of the River Clyde, it is also a vibrant hub for businesses. We will reveal how Riverside Inverclyde and Inverclyde Council will work with you to In 2014, Riverside Inverclyde (ri) and Inverclyde ensure Inverclyde is right for your business. Council embarked on an innovative three-year Single Operating Plan, supported by Scottish We offer the perfect business location Enterprise and the Scottish Government. while targeting your growth sectors and markets. This partnership has been designed to secure and enhance the long-term economic growth Vision, innovation and dynamism are at and prosperity of Inverclyde. the heart of Inverclyde – and we’re here to share them with you. Our first two years met with notable success – so much so, this plan has been extended to 2019. Dr Gerry McCarthy and Aubrey” Fawcett HISTORIC: The magnificent Endeavour sculpture by Malcolm Robertson celebrates Inverclyde’s proud shipbuilding heritage. Your company can be part of its ambitious future. 3 Top Choices 6 Reasons to Invest in Inverclyde ENJOY AN IDEAL LOCATION SAVE ON PROPERTY COSTS Be at the heart of business and leisure: Inverclyde Office and industrial space is available to lease in provides fantastic transport links to Glasgow city Inverclyde from only £4-15 per sq ft – now that’s centre, Glasgow International Airport and Greenock a 60% saving on your average city centre prices! Ocean Terminal. Greenock has been voted by HBOS Business rates, too, are just a quarter of city Glasgow’s ‘most affordable commuter town’. We’re centre rates. This means substantial operational also the gateway to the wonderful natural beauty savings that you can reinvest straight back into of Argyll and The Trossachs. your business. ACCESS A SKILLED WORKFORCE MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME Inverclyde is a renowned recruitment hub with Inverclyde boasts one of the most modern, direct access right across west and central high-quality and affordable housing stocks in Scotland to a talented workforce with a wealth the whole of the UK. Whatever your needs, we and variety of skills. Being based in Inverclyde can provide a range of home options thanks means you can meet all of your recruitment needs, to our ongoing programme of new residential from sourcing new staff and senior managers to and social housing developments right across accessing modern apprenticeship opportunities. Inverclyde. ENJOY THE BEST EDUCATION MIX BUSINESS AND PLEASURE You, your family and your business can all Inverclyde attracts more than 575,000 visitors every benefit from Inverclyde Council’s £270 million year – 100,000 from cruise liners. As well as enjoying investment to develop outstanding educational spectacular scenery, superb sporting and leisure facilities for future generations. Inverclyde also facilities and a variety of fun family events throughout offers further and higher education opportunities the year, visitors and residents can get first-hand at Greenock’s West College Scotland campus and experience of boats, thanks to the P1 Scottish Grand nearby University of the West of Scotland. Prix of the Sea and Scotland’s Boat Show. BEAUTIFUL BACKDROP: The view over the water at Finlaystone is just one of the 4 natural attractions to enjoy when you make your business base in Inverclyde. Inverclyde The Home Of Opportunities ROOM TO GROW: Inverclyde welcomes new businesses of all sizes. ome to a wide variety of established businesses, As well as having such a high level of sustained Inverclyde welcomes new companies to become part investment, and proven infrastructure, Hof our successful community. Inverclyde knows connectivity is vital. Riverside Inverclyde (ri) has investment opportunities for That’s why being located only 30 minutes by car new and growing organisations, large and small, all of whom or public transport from Glasgow’s city centre benefit from access to a wide range of modern offices and – Scotland’s largest business and commercial industrial premises. hub – and connected to the national road, ferry, ocean, cycle and rail networks, makes Inverclyde The area is firmly established as a hub of business activity the ideal investment area. thanks to the work of ri. Established to facilitate regeneration all across Inverclyde, ri works in partnership with Inverclyde Businesses can also gain a competitive Council, Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Government advantage from substantial rent and rate and, to date, has driven forward £70 million worth of savings, as well as harnessing the talents and investment. skillsets of a local workforce. Inverclyde is also included in the Glasgow and Clyde Valley And did we mention Inverclyde has a support City Deal, with a further £86 million proposed further team on hand to assist your business migration investment planned within the area. and ensure this transition is hassle-free and seamless? Right now it is also advancing a series of exciting regeneration projects, predominantly on a 6.5-mile stretch This is an exciting time not only for Inverclyders of waterfront at Gourock, Greenock and Port Glasgow – but also for companies such as your own looking towns that are recognised globally for their strengths in to invest and grow in the home of opportunities shipbuilding, engineering, manufacturing and IT. a place that is right for your business! PARK LIFE: Kelburn Business Park offers a total of 41,983 sq ft of new build industrial and business accommodation. 5 Unlock Success With Our Key Growth Sectors MARITIME & ENGINEERING NEW TECHNOLOGY Scotland is world-renowned for its engineering Our proven expertise in hosting businesses that heritage and Inverclyde hosts a formidable are at the forefront of promoting new technology force in shipbuilding on the Clyde in Ferguson makes Inverclyde a top choice for manufacturing Marine Engineering. We continue to grow the companies producing and exporting globally. maritime sector within Inverclyde, maximising They recognise that our highly sought after the advantages of our proximity to the water and workforce is the key to evolving the business of outstanding port and industrial facilities. technology innovation. CUSTOMER CARE FOOD AND DRINK Successful businesses know that their customers must Hungry for growth and expansion? Inverclyde is always come first, which is why they choose Inverclyde. home to food and drink manufacturers who enjoy Many companies – including RBS, Cigna, IBM and an environment of targeted growth to increase Concentrix – have already chosen to locate their productivity. With the Greenock Ocean Terminal in close customer call and contact centres here, channelling proximity, import and export opportunities can be the talents of our highly skilled local workforce. maximised from having a strategic hub in Inverclyde. RENEWABLE ENERGY LIFE SCIENCES Inverclyde is home to a range of supply companies The Life Sciences Scotland Industry Leadership within the renewable energy sector and is Group estimate life sciences in Scotland will be worth proactively targeting future growth, thanks to £8 billion a year by 2025. Inverclyde is well placed outstanding port and water facilities. When it comes to support this growth. With Glasgow University’s to positive energy in renewables, Inverclyde is Research and Development hubs and Irvine Bay Life ideally placed to act as a strategic hub for offshore Sciences Park within easy reach, diversification into and onshore projects. new sectors will see businesses flourish. 6 EXPAND YOUR HORIZONS: The view of Holy Loch from Gourock, at the heart of Inverclyde. Inverclyde Where The Choice Is Yours ART AT HEART: Oak Tree Nymph – Egeria is a sculpture in Greenock created by artist Andy Scott. hoosing where you base your ri also offers grant support with partners business is an incredibly important Scottish Enterprise through a range Cstep forward for a company. The of grant schemes and Tier 2 Regional right environment will allow employees Selective Assistance support potential. to feel comfortable and focused – it will also nurture their talents and, ultimately, Your business will benefit from help grow your business. outstanding quality as all new build, refurbished and land