Scotland

Scotland has a population of just over 5 million in an area of 78,000 km². Population densities vary from 3,300 per km² in Glasgow to eight per km² in the Highlands. Gross Domestic Product is around £65,000 million (£12,500 per capita) for a labour force of 2.5 million people (75 per cent of all those of working age).

Scotland is famous primarily for its spectacular scenery, but it also offers a rich historical and cultural heritage, together with a wide range of activities bringing over 20 million tourists annually. Each year the Edinburgh Festival contributes £176 million to the Scottish economy, making it the largest arts event in the UK.

However Scotland has considerably more to offer than simply tartan, whisky, castles and bagpipes as it has a strong science heritage and is home to many of the world’s booming industries: 20 per cent of the biotech companies in the UK are located in Scotland and the country is recognised as one of the fastest-growing regions for business start-ups. With a thriving and engaged chemical sector, rapidly growing optoelectronics industry, a globally significant oil & gas sector, a buoyant food and drink industry, internationally attractive textiles industry, expanding semiconductor sector, growing finance centres and educational excellence boasting 13 universities, six specialist higher education institutions and 46 further education colleges, Scotland is an extremely attractive place for people to live, businesses to operate and economic prosperity to thrive.

Chemical Industry

The Chemicals industry is Scotland’s second top export earner, generating around £1.3 billion of manufacturing exports from a revenue stream worth almost £3.5 billion. Many of Scotland’s industries, including life sciences, electronics, food and drink and energy have Chemical Sciences at their core. These industries are dependent on innovative chemistry to create new products and new market opportunities and they could not exist without this underpinning science. The industry is also one of Scotland’s highest value industries, providing employment for almost 14,000 people directly and nearly 70,000 in total through dependent services.

Wages and productivity in the chemicals industry are high; salaries average £27,500 per annum and Gross Value Added (GVA) per employee is £76,000, 44% higher than general manufacturing. The industry comprises more than 120 businesses and 12 universities with chemistry and engineering capability and capacity. With excellent road, rail and sea transport links, Scotland’s proximity to mainland Europe makes it an attractive place to do business and many of Europe’s and indeed global chemical manufacturing bases operate from within Scotland shores, including: BASF, DOW, INEOS, FUJIFilm, Glaxosmithkline, Shasun & Dupont Teijin.