Advanced Engineering and Materials
Aerospace
England’s Northwest is the largest single centre of aerospace
manufacturing in the UK and a leading centre of excellence in
Europe, boasting over 90 years of expertise in aerospace
production. World class products designed and developed in the
region include Nimrod, Tornado, Airbus wings and the RB-211 jet
engine. In total, more than 100 major aircraft types have
their roots in the region. Over 60,000 people work in the sector,
contributing £7 billion to the regional economy through companies
such as BAE Systems, Airbus and TRW-Lucas.
Visit the
Northwest Aerospace Alliance website
Automotive
Home to vehicle manufacturers such as Jaguar/Land Rover, General
Motors/Vauxhall, Leyland and Bentley, the Northwest is the second
largest region in the UK for the manufacture of vehicles and
vehicle components. The Ford Halewood plant in Merseyside produces
the Jaguar X-Type and the Land Rover Freelander 2 and is one of
Ford’s most advanced plants worldwide. With an annual
turnover of £9 billion, the automotive sector accounts for 12% of
UK automotive sales and is host to 450 automotive companies, of
which 200 are major automotive supply chain companies.
Visit
the Northwest Automotive Alliance website
Chemicals
The Northwest is also the UK's largest regional centre for chemical
manufacturing, an industry that is the region's largest exporter,
generating an astounding £10 billion in sales. 60% of the world's
Top 50 companies have a base in the Northwest. The sector has
43,000 highly skilled employees, helping support a further 120,000
jobs.
Visit the Chemicals
Northwest website
Advanced Flexible Materials
Another key strength of the region is its proud heritage and
cutting-edge expertise in the textiles industry. Specialist markets
such as Advanced Flexible Materials (AFM) are burgeoning
sub-sectors. In fact, the Northwest is now considered the leading
AFM centre in Europe.
Visit the
Northwest Textiles Network website