Norfolk and Suffolk’s world-class business offer will be globally marketed under a new brand which will help the region prepare it for a post-Brexit future.
‘Unlimited’ will promote the area as a place rich with investment opportunities and position it as the epicentre of clean energy in the UK and world-leading clusters in the ICT, tech and digital, and agri-food sectors.
The campaign is led by New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership and will help deliver the ambitions of the region’s economic strategy to 2036. It is being delivered in partnership with Norfolk and Suffolk County Councils and has the endorsement of Department for International Trade.
Norfolk & Suffolk Unlimited will be promoted at major international conferences, such as leading property event MIPIM UK in London, Offshore Energy 19 and Horecava in Amsterdam and Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
Business leaders and other key stakeholders from around the region will meanwhile become ambassadors for the brand, lending their weight to the ongoing campaign.
Companies can use the bespoke website www.norfolksuffolkunlimited.co.uk to access all key information they need and those making a direct enquiry will be connected to an expert team located at the LEP.
Statistics support Norfolk and Suffolk’s performance as a powerhouse in the key sectors at the heart of the campaign. The region provides 52% of the UK’s current 7.5GW capacity and its 1,000 wind turbines mean it has more installed offshore wind capacity than any other part of the UK.
The tech and digital creative sector has 4,000 companies employing 23,400 people and contributes £1.4 billion to the regional and national economy. Recognised tech clusters are centred on Norwich’s fast-growing digital creative hub and the centre of innovation in communications technology at Adastral Park and Innovation Martlesham near Ipswich.
Norfolk and Suffolk is also open to investment in agri-food. More than 80,000 people are employed in the sector and scientists are involving working at the leading-edge of new discoveries and technologies, in areas such as precision farming, animal health, crop disease control and prevention, and food in human health.
Jeanette Wheeler, a member of the New Anglia LEP board, said: “The strong and clear message to companies around the world is that we are open to you and the potential in this region is unlimited.
“We have a rich and diverse talent pool, a wealth of high-tech assets and excellent connections to the rest of the UK and beyond. The quality of life also makes it an attractive location for recruiting and retaining the very best people.
“New businesses survive and thrive here better than across the UK as a whole and our economy has grown faster than many of the ‘powerhouse’ areas. The businesses of the future are being created right here and we have the support networks in place to help other companies benefit from Norfolk and Suffolk’s unlimited opportunities.”
Phil Popham, CEO at Lotus in Norfolk, said: “Lotus is proud to support the Unlimited campaign, and we are absolutely behind the ethos of the initiative. The region is very much poised for investment and growth, and Lotus is a great example this.
“Our workforce has grown some 25% in the past 12 months and our recruitment drive continues. We are investing heavily in our global HQ at Hethel to prepare for the exciting future ahead of us.
“Major works are now underway with new facilities for manufacturing, for our workforce and for customers opening next year. Lotus’s global expansion plan is underway, and our home in Norfolk is at the very heart of this.”
Lisa Perkins, director of research and applied innovation for BT at Adastral Park in Ipswich, said: “BT has a great history here and we have 125 companies resident with us in Suffolk. We are only an hour away from London and the UEA and the Norwich Research Park, so there is this triangle of connectivity and you are right in the heart of major research and development for the ICT industry.”
Kieran Miles, founder of Norwich-based urban sports clothing company Duco, said: “Times have changed and only those stuck in the past care what our postcode is. We’re operating in the age of globalisation with customers and suppliers across the world. We attract incredible staff who share our values, inspire customers who care about our products and we even kit out the GB Climbing Team from one of the flattest parts of the world. The opportunity is unlimited here.”
To find out more, visit norfolksuffolkunlimited.co.uk
