Sheffield's growth industries

Sheffield's growth industries

Historically, Sheffield is a city famous for its steel making. Now however a range of new industries are driving the success of the Sheffield City Region and its combined economic output of more than £24.7billion a year.

Crucially, the SCR has found itself a front-runner in  a range of industries that are vital to the success, not just of the region, but of the UK as a whole, each of which is attracting significant investment, creating new jobs and new opportunities and which is raising the profile of the city on both the national and international stage. 

Digital and creative

A report jointly commissioned by the University of Sheffield and Creative Sheffield has highlighted that the digital sector in Sheffield is ‘on the cusp of something big.’

Consulting dozens of companies across the Sheffield City Region working in areas of digital design, video games, digital art and culture, digital media and content, and digital marketing, the report revealed that Sheffield’s digital sector is on the rise, with over 21,000 people employed in digital industries across the city region.

Indeed, the report found that digital companies in Sheffield are experiencing rapid growth, with turnover increasing at 47%, and that Sheffield plays a key role in ‘connecting the dots’ between other Northern cities.

Engineering and advanced manufacturing

2017 has seen major names such as Boeing and McLaren Automotive announce their intention to base major research and development programmes in the region.

Boeing Sheffield will be the first Boeing manufacturing facility in Europe and the multi-million-pound operation will be built alongside the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre.

Meanwhile, supercar manufacturer McLaren Automotive is to open a new purpose-built Composites Technology Centre which will be responsible for the development and manufacture of advanced carbon fibre chassis, creating more than 200 jobs and representing a significant reshoring of the manufacture of car chassis to the North of England – a key objective of Northern Powerhouse and Industrial Strategy policies. 

Professor Sir Keith Burnett, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sheffield said: “Areas such as Sheffield can play a crucial role in a new Industrial Revolution for the UK – one centred on science and innovation but working hand-in-hand with industry. I am deeply proud that leading global companies recognise that Made in Sheffield still remains a hallmark of quality.”

Healthcare technologies

The Yorkshire region has one of the biggest clusters of medical technology companies, and the second largest concentration of digital healthcare employment in the UK.

In particular, the Sheffield City Region is a place where healthcare technology businesses thrive, resulting in one of the UK’s largest clusters of orthopaedic and medical devices companies including B Braun, Swann Morton, Orchid Orthopaedics and JRI Orthopaedics.

A key draw remains access to world leading research for healthcare technologies through Sheffield’s two universities while the Medical AMRC combines cutting edge manufacturing technologies with world-class research, design and development.

This year has also seen the release of the first images of Sheffield Hallam University’s new Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre which will form the centrepiece of Sheffield’s Olympic Legacy Park. The AWRC is set to become the most advanced research and development centre for physical activity in the world with the primary aim of creating innovations that will ‘improve the health of the nation’.

If you’d like to be a part of the region’s success story contact Elevation Recruitment Group today and find out how we can help you to find the perfect role for you.

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