Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering

A strong heritage in engineering and manufacturing

South Tyneside is an ideal location for manufacturing and engineering businesses to set up and grow. With a large established workforce in the sector, a skilled pool of graduates, and a range of affordable premises options including the new International Advanced Manufacturing Park.

The North East is the leading UK region for advanced manufacturing FDI in per capita terms, with almost 69,000 people employed, £8bn turnover and growing exports.

Being located here, advanced manufacturing and engineering companies can service UK customers or be reached by suppliers via the comprehensive road network we link to.

Advanced manufacturing exports from the North East increased by 12% between 2014 and 2019, reaching £10.2bn.  Port of Tyne, one of the UK’s most innovative and efficient deep-sea ports, is located right here in South Shields, handling cargoes across five continents.

Bespoke advanced manufacturing and engineering units

Land and premises options in South Tyneside include bespoke off-spec factories, or readily available units in established locations.

The International Advanced Manufacturing Park offers bespoke advanced manufacturing units in a prime North East location on the A19 economic corridor.

Our flagship development, in partnership with neighbouring Sunderland City Council, will deliver over 390,000m² of industrial space over the next 15 years. The IAMP is a designated Enterprise Zone offering enhanced capital allowances for investment in plant and machinery.

Tyne Dock Enterprise Zone offers a 7.1ha site for development, with direct access to multiple riverside berths as well as container, RoRo and bulk cargo facilities. Located within the Port of Tyne in South Shields, the site offers a superb development opportunity to support and enhance the region’s strong engineering and manufacturing sectors.

Tyne Renewables Quay provides a 11.7ha site ready immediately for development with access to a deep water berth of up to 13.5m below Chart Datum.  The site is ideal for large scale component manufacturing or a large-scale pre-assembly and installation base and is located within the Port of Tyne in South Shields.

Our workforce

North East England has a strong labour pool in the manufacturing sector with almost 69,000 employed within it, accounting for over 6% of the region’s total workforce and making it the 2^nd highest proportion of all UK regions. 

We have a cluster of almost 1,500 advanced manufacturing businesses employing 62,500 workers here too. However with 51,000 graduates each year studying STEM subjects in our five regional universities, there is no shortage of talent for the future workforce.

HE and FE graduates linked to advanced manufacturing and engineering in the local area is growing by 33%, year-on-year. Wider ‘back-office’ skills are abundant in the area, with training in courses like IT, business administration, human resources finance and customer service.

With over 52,000 STEM students (50% of its student population), there is no shortage of talent for the future workforce.  The region also has almost 10,000 students studying engineering and technology subjects, the highest proportion of any UK region.

Global success stories

Steeped in a strong history of manufacturing, businesses have invested in South Tyneside over many decades.

Barbour

Clothing manufacturer Barbour began trading in the Market Place in South Shields in 1894; they continue to employ a skilled workforce manufacturing at their HQ here.

Ford Engineering Group

Ford Engineering Group are specialists in their field of precision engineering; they have served global aerospace, automotive and marine markets to name a few for over 100 years, from South Tyneside.

Port of Tyne

One of the most efficient deep sea ports in the UK, Port of Tyne is located in South Tyneside, providing easy access to the North Sea and beyond. With a full supply chain service including cargo, storage, warehousing, logistics and distribution, its prime location on the North East coast provides great connectivity across road, rail and sea.