Aerospace and shipbuilding

Scotland has an excellent history of over 200 years in heavy engineering, and has successfully produced some of the world's finest engineers. This engineering tradition continues today in both the aerospace and shipbuilding industries.

Aerospace

Scotland has four major international airports, among them the UK's largest freight airport and world's busiest heliport.

Employing some 18,000 staff, the aerospace industry generates a turnover of £2.1 billion annually. 

Key areas of specialism include

  • Avionics
  • Defence
  • Manufacturing and design
  • Maintenance, repair, and overhaul
  • Research and development
  • Space
  • Unmanned aerial vehicles
  • Composites

Shipbuilding

Scotland's shipbuilders directly employ some 5,400 people who are involved in the design, manufacture and support of complex warships and specialist ships.

Sales are worth about £530 million each year.

Scottish shipbuilding and ship-repair yards are dealing with their biggest order books for many years. They're designing, building and maintaining the complex warships and support vessels the Royal Navy and other overseas navies need for the 21st century.

Current and future programmes include the world's most advanced air-defence destroyers, frigates and support vessels and the continuing upkeep of the Royal Navy's existing fleet of surface ships and submarines.

There are also civil shipbuilding, boat-building and repair yards around the country that serve the commercial shipping industry.

Employers

Scotland is home to over 150 aerospace-related companies including many of the top 12 global aerospace and defence companies such as Rolls Royce, MB Aerospace, Boeing and Goodrich.

Industry is based around Glasgow and Prestwick on the west coast and Edinburgh and Aberdeen on the east coast.

There are more than 125 companies involved in shipbuilding and ship-repair. Major employers include Babcock Marine, and Thales group.

Most employment is based in Glasgow and Faslane on the west coast and Rosyth on the east coast.

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