Watford For You

Watford offers support and a wealth of opportunities for all types of businesses. Several business sectors are represented here and there are many opportunities for businesses to develop and thrive. Watford's location within close proximity of the Oxford to Cambridge Arc as well as London, together with the facilities BRE, Leavesden Studios, Croxley Green Business Park and Hertfordshire University, have ensured that the town has seen an increase in go-ahead, knowledge-based, technology-led industries. The sectors which are showing growth, include Creative and Media, Low Carbon/Environmental Technologies, Healthcare and Financial and Business Services.

Creative and Media

Creative & Media business in Watford continues to grow. The presence of Leavesden Studios, as well as significant new investments planned, has meant a growing cluster of over 300 companies in the creative and media sector; within the Watford area.

Watford’s offer to this sector includes;

A cluster of over 300 companies in media and production and an estimated employee pool of 1000 in media production & distribution.

• Academic excellence & Research Focus – University for Hertfordshire Creative Arts school is world renowned. There are many courses running at the University to support the growing industry with graduates qualifying in disciplines ranging from Animation to Film Production and Digital Screen Arts. The School of Creative Arts also offers research in media arts and communication design including animation and video.
• Assets for TV and Film Production – Watford is home to the world famous Leavesden Studios. These studios boast a wide range of production facilities and broadcasting. The presence of Screen East at Leavesden Studios, means we have a regional agency dedicated to developing a vibrant and flourishing film, TV and digital media industry. They do this through the activities of four teams in Productions, locations, enterprise and skills and audiences and education. The work of Screen East and Leavesden Studios has attracted major, world renowned productions including the Harry Potter series of films.

Low Carbon/Environmental Technologies

Watford – making alternative, sustainable energy a reality

The low Carbon & Environmental Technologies sector is an industry of increasing national importance – currently worth over £12 billion a year and forecast to double by 2018. There is also a strong and growing supply chain of local environmental companies operating here with employment levels in the sector growing at a significantly higher rate than the regional and national averages.

Watford is home to BRE and RES – two world renowned environmental technology businesses that are at the forefront of this sector and offer;

• RES are pioneers of wind turbine technology and their experience of large-scale wind farm development has given them industry-leading skills and expertise. With several thousand megawatts of wind energy capacity built around the world since and their first wind farm in 1992, their portfolio is one of the largest in the industry and their reputation for quality and delivery has no equal. With partner companies RES have an enviable track record in biomass, solar and ground source energy, having delivered thousands of renewable energy projects. This portfolio confirms the RES ability to turn technical innovation into commercial success in many different situations.
• BRE helps government, industry and business to meet the challenges of our built environment. Todays need to combat climate change, and the significant economic and social issues we now face, are no exceptions. we can help you to reduce environmental impacts of buildings, communities and businesses at all stages, from planning and design, through use and refurbishment, to end of life disposal.

Healthcare & Medical Devices

Watford is a growing UK region for Healthcare and Medical Devices:

A strong existing cluster of leading companies – world leading companies have located Medical Devices operations in Watford as well as indigenous companies including Sigma Pharmaceuticals, Medtronic Limited, Smiths Medical and DDD Group.

Strong heritage of Medical Devices Manufacturing & R&D – Evident through the number of Research groups in the Universities and broader research network in Hertfordshire affiliated to R&D and Life Sciences disciplines.

An excellent supply base of graduates – University of Hertfordshire have strong Bio-Science faculties provide a steady stream of graduates in Biomedical engineering.

Recent expansion and substantial investment in Watford’s healthcare cluster – In 2008, NHS Trust, Watford Borough Council, EEDA and Watford Football Club announced a £1Billion investment to develop a state of the art healthcare facility and business community. The project has already started and details can be found at www.watfordhealthcampus.org

Your key business drivers may be cost, location and access to staff or you may be looking to expand or reach new markets. Whatever your rationale, Watford Inward Investment will work with you to achieve the outcomes you require to the maximum benefit of your business. You can contact the team on (+44) 01923 442442 for further details.

Financial and Business Services

A centralised solution for financial and business services

WWatford is now extremely well positioned to become one of the United Kingdom’s foremost commercial business hubs. The town already hosts over 1500 businesses in the Financial and Business services sectors and is home to over 17,000 sector professionals working for companies that range in size from multi-national through to much smaller companies. Businesses that have already chosen Watford include GE Money Servicing Limited, Aviva, Zurich Intermediary Group Limited and Standard Life Assurance Company to name a few.

The fallout from the current recession and subsequent market downturn has had huge implications for the financial and professional services sectors and has also meant that financial and business regulators are now looking closely at both business location and the ability of business to properly manage global and national operations that are spread thinly across geographies. Watford offers a well thought out and centralised alternative with a cluster of companies emerging at Croxley Business Park in particular.

Your key business drivers may be cost, location and access to staff or you may be looking to expand or reach new markets. Whatever your rationale, Watford Inward Investment will work with you to achieve the outcomes you require to the maximum benefit of your business. You can contact the team on (+44) 01923 442442 for further details.