Foreign investment attracted to the Marches
Foreign-owned businesses are continuing to invest strongly across the Marches – demonstrating the strength of the region as a high-quality business location, the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership says.
A Marches LEP-run programme has seen a combined £13million invested by six separate foreign-owned companies in the last 12 months – creating 74 new jobs and safeguarding 150 others.
Official figures from the Department for Business and Trade reveal that the investment secured under the LEP’s Key Account Management (KAM) programme helped contribute to an overall total of 468 new jobs being created by 20 foreign-owned firms in Herefordshire, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin last year.
Rachel Laver, Marches LEP chief executive, said the Marches KAM programme and significant support offered by each of the three local authorities in the region had played a huge part in the success.
“The Marches is not just a great place to do business, but in the LEP and our three councils we can offer the support and help needed to attract significant inward investment. The fact that there is such a strong network of help available is a major attraction to firms when they are making investment decisions.
“As well as attracting new companies to the region, foreign-owned businesses which are already here are encouraged to talk through their plans for investment and expansion with both the local authority teams and our own dedicated KAM account manager.
“We have seen that this approach has consistently delivered new investment and jobs, which is good for the individual areas in which the companies are located and the region as a whole.”
Under the KAM programme, companies are given a designated account manager and can receive free market intelligence, business growth advice, support with expansion and energy efficiency, supply chain information and access to events and networking opportunities.
Help is also available to companies looking to relocate to the Marches, link up with the LEP’s business support service the Marches Growth Hub, and also gain access to DBT, Midlands Engine, local authority and Marches sector specialists.
Companies across the Marches seeking to take advantage of the KAM programme should contact jon.johnson@marcheslep.org.uk
