Invest Stockton
on
Tees
Already home to Novavax manufacturer Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies, world-class automotive manufacturer Nifco and global chemicals company Huntsman we’ve a proven track record and we’re ready and waiting for your business to join us.
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Why
Stockton-on-tees?
Located at the heart of the Tees Valley, we’re the powerhouse of the north east economy. Hundreds of companies from a vast range of sectors have established themselves successfully and are continuing to grow. Whether you’re a business looking for ready-made premises or intending to build a new site, Stockton-on-Tees should be at the top of your list.
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With Leeds to the south and Newcastle to the north we’ve got excellent connectivity for business whether it be by road, rail, air or sea. Combine this with easy access to the UK’s largest freeport, over 500 hectares of available land and competitively priced premises, it’s the perfect place to grow.
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Three million people live within just a one hour drive, giving you access to a highly skilled, loyal and flexible workforce, in a location committed to investing in the next generation of workers.
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It’s not all work and no play though. A packed programme of events and festivals alongside varied leisure attractions, shopping and artisan coffee spots means you won’t be stuck for something to do. The north-east coast is just a short drive away and we’re lucky to have the North Yorkshire Moors right on our doorstep too. More of our schools are rated “good” or “outstanding” by Ofsted than most other parts of the North East and house prices here are lower than the national average, meaning those hard earned pay cheques last that little bit longer.
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Invest Stockton-on-Tees is as passionate about your business as you are. We’re here to offer you guidance in everything from funding, grants and finding staff to transport links, rates and locating suitable premises. See how well Stockton-on-Tees could work for you.
Business SupportA great place
for business
Investor confidence in Stockton-on-Tees is strong, with internationally recognised companies continuing to invest. As well as being home to Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies, Nifco and Huntsman, we’re proud to have nurtured the growth of Quorn and Venator too.
Teesside freeport has turbo-charged our economy whilst the multimillion-pound terminal redevelopment at Teesside International Airport has revived business travel and international trading.
The majority of our region’s 5,500 businesses are located within our ‘strategic business locations’. All of these key locations are within easy reach of our road network and international gateways.
A great place
for business
Investor confidence in Stockton-on-Tees is strong, with internationally recognised companies continuing to invest. As well as being home to Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies, Nifco and Huntsman, we’re proud to have nurtured the growth of Quorn and Venator too.
Teesside University, one of the best universities in Britain for business, is just a few minutes drive away. Its Technology Futures Institute is an international leader in research and innovation in engineering, sustainability as well as manufacturing and process engineering. Knowledge transfer partnerships with the university already exist too, meaning you can bolster business development with additional innovative thinking and academic know-how to make it a success.
We know being able to commercialise your ideas, research new opportunities and develop new products and services is key to growth. We already have an established network of assets within the region to assist you with this, including: the UK’s Centre of Excellence for the Bioscience Industry at the National Horizons Centre; the National Biologics Manufacturing Centre and the Healthcare Futures Clinic; TWI Offshore Wind Validation Centre; and the Materials Processing Institute.
Our region is also leading the way in renewables. We boast a growing cluster of biomass, bioethanol and energy from waste plants and have plans to develop Europe’s first Industrial Carbon Capture and Storage equipped industrial zone and we’ve also been awarded UK Government Core status as a Centre for Offshore Renewable Engineering.
By 2022, the UK’s first Hydrogen Transport Centre will be completed and operational too. More than half of all of the UK’s hydrogen is produced in the Tees Valley so our region is perfectly placed with existing infrastructure and expertise to support the hydrogen economy. Once established it will be a national centre of excellence and will lead research, development and testing of new hydrogen transport technologies. This will be in partnership with Teesside University who will create a new innovation campus focused on clean energy, research and development. This, in addition to the ground-breaking development of offshore CO2 transport and storage infrastructure under the North Sea, will play a huge role in decarbonising the area and creating new business and job opportunities.
We’re also working hard to drive forward change in each of our six town to make sure they adapt to the needs of both businesses and residents. We have over £100million of funding available for investment across our six town centres, and, so far we’ve been radical in our commitment to this, with plans to demolish half of Stockton High Street to make way for a stunning, waterfront park three times the size of Trafalgar Square. You can find out more about our ambitious plans here www.stockton.gov.uk/towncentres.
Whether you’re starting a new business in Stockton-on-Tees, growing your existing business, or investing in some of our excellent business locations, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council’s Economic Development Team are here to help you. Offering specialist business support, the professional and friendly team will work with you to understand your needs and help you to achieve your goals.
Connectivity
Teesside freeport has turbo-charged our economy whilst the multimillion-pound terminal redevelopment at Teesside International Airport has revived business travel and international trading.
Road
Our roads are relatively uncongested. No matter where you are within the Borough, accessing the strategic road network (such as the A1(M) (via the A19), A66 and A689) couldn’t be easier. Many of our ‘strategic business locations’ are actually located along the A19 too. Strategically planned improvements are underway and more have also been proposed which means it’s only going to get easier to travel and move goods.
Sea
The Tees Valley is home to the UK’s largest freeport, which is a key driver for our economy. Teesport is impressively connected, accessing 13 strategic markets as well as the world’s largest shipping lanes. Our ‘strategic business locations’ are well located to capitalise on the warehousing and distribution opportunities presented by these national assets. The River Tees can also be used for the easy transportation of goods.
Rail
With six train stations located across the Borough it’s easy to get to where you need to be. You can be in Manchester in two hours, London in just under three and Edinburgh in two. Reaching regional and national destinations from here is easier than you thought.
Air
Teesside International Airport is our gateway to the world via Amsterdam Schiphol and London Heathrow. New routes are constantly being added and there is an ambitious ten year plan that will see it grow further as a passenger and freight hub.
Strategic
Business
Locations
The majority of our region’s 5,500 businesses are located within our ‘strategic business locations’. All of these key locations are within easy reach of our road network and international gateways.
Whether it’s high-spec office space, warehouse accommodation, a business park or a traditional industrial estate where you imagine yourself, there will be a space for you. There are also generous expanses of land available, providing you with the perfect blank canvas to transform your vision into a reality.
Stockton-on-Tees, including the industrial areas of Seal Sands, North Tees, Billingham Chemical Complex and Billingham Riverside, forms one of the most significant, integrated, industrial economies in the world, producing approximately 30% of the UK’s chemical output.
The plethora of innovation assets and training establishments further bolster our economy, making it a great place to do business.
Great
people
Recruiting and retaining the right people is crucial to your success. With a working population of 121,500, increasing to over 400,000 across the Tees Valley region, we have a vast pool of labour and talent to tap into.
Our workforce has transferable skills for a range of sectors and occupations, with just over a third of residents currently working in high value professions and almost a third qualified to degree level or above. And when you meet our people you’ll see they really are great – with a real pride in the Borough and an inherent desire for it to succeed, you couldn’t get a more committed workforce.
Great
people
Recruiting and retaining the right people is crucial to your success. With a working population of 121,500, increasing to over 400,000 across the Tees Valley region, we have a vast pool of labour and talent to tap into. Our workforce has transferable skills for a range of sectors and occupations, with just over a third of residents currently working in high value professions and almost a third qualified to degree level or above. And when you meet our people you’ll see they really are great – with a real pride in the Borough and an inherent desire for it to succeed, you couldn’t get a more committed workforce.
We’re proactive in upskilling our workforce too. Stockton-on-Tees is already heavily involved in an ambitious plan to offer apprenticeships and in-work training. We’ve created an employment and training hub that helps people get work-ready, with a vision that this be a seamless and collaborative approach, aligning employment and training opportunities to the needs of your business.
Attainment in our schools is higher than the national average, but we’ll never take our eye off the ball. Developing the next generation of workers is hugely important and our schools and businesses are working collaboratively to inspire and encourage students to acquire the skills they need to succeed. There are programmes and services in place to support skills development as well as a careers and apprenticeship portal, Tees Valley Careers, plus a range of training providers delivering everything from entry level qualifications up to higher level degree programmes and beyond.
With devolved funding to the Tees Valley Combined Authority this places the region in an ideal position to ensure that businesses are central to developing learning and training that is fit for purpose and flexible to respond to your needs.
A great
place to live
Made famous by the intrepid explorer Captain Cook, invention of the friction match and now the development of the Covid-19 Novavax vaccine, Stockton-on-Tees is not to be underestimated.
Located in the North East of England at the heart of the Tees Valley, we are a diverse and vibrant place offering a great standard of living.
A great place
to live
Made famous by the intrepid explorer Captain Cook, invention of the friction match and now the development of the Covid-19 Novavax vaccine, Stockton-on-Tees is not to be underestimated.
Home to 200,000 people, our residents live in our thriving towns of Billingham, Ingleby Barwick, Norton, Stockton, Thornaby, and Yarm, as well as our rural villages. From charming market towns to stunning parks, nature reserves, first class leisure attractions and a busy year-around events programme there’s lots to see and do.
Stockton International Riverside Festival takes place each summer bringing world class street theatre, daring dance and spectacular circus to Stockton as well as the largest Community Carnival in the area. Stockton Sparkles Christmas Festival takes place from late November right up until Christmas Eve and there are many more events to enjoy in between ranging from Stockton Cycling Festival to the annual fireworks display which is one of the biggest free displays in the country as well as a host of specialist markets. Visit the Enjoy Tees Valley website for the latest events listings.
And you don’t have to wait for an event to enjoy music, comedy or theatre. Stockton-on-Tees is home to a variety of live performances venues including Stockton Globe. Situated at the heart of Stockton High Street and operated by world-renowned Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG), its 3,000 capacity makes it the largest live entertainment venue between Newcastle and Leeds.
Preston Park Museum and Grounds is not to be missed, take a step back in time in the Victorian Street complete with sweet shop, police station and traditional forge, discover the history of the people of Stockton in the museum’s galleries, take a stroll along the river through beautiful woodland and let the little ones burn off some energy at the fantastic Adventure Play Park.
The River Tees flows through the Borough acting not only as an impetus for our industry, but as a growing leisure destination for outdoor adventure. Take your pick from white-water rafting on our Olympic standard course, powerboating and canoeing to kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, family rafting or even climbing high above the river at the UK’s biggest Sky Trail high ropes adventure course.
Whilst our area offers plenty of opportunities to explore the outdoors, we are also only a short distance from the beautiful North York Moors, the picturesque coastlines of Saltburn and Runswick Bay and the cathedral city of Durham. Further afield, but still within easy reach, are locations such as the stunning Kielder Forest and Lake District.
With some of the best rated schools, academies and colleges in the North East, the Borough’s young people have access to the best possible learning opportunities so that they can achieve their full potential, with no child left behind.
And if you’re worried about all this coming at a cost, our homes are actually incredibly affordable. There is a diverse range of housing available from executive homes and Victorian town houses to riverside living and new builds. Strategic new housing sites are also being developed to the west of Stockton and at Wynyard.
Home of
global
companies
We chose to relocate to Stockton-on-Tees based on the great transport links and quality office space perfect for a digital thriving business, with the added convenience of some lovely riverside walks, great events and a town centre close by.
We work closely with the team at the Council, working with some amazing staff that truly care about the area.
With excellent transport links, we have a strong foundation to provide nationwide services from the Borough. There is an economic vibrancy in the region that brings with it a wide range of businesses from various sectors.
We’re proud to be a part of this community and look forward to what the future brings for our business and the area.
