Swindon and Wiltshire’s successes in attracting job-creating foreign inward investment has been welcomed by the leaders of the area’s Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), Swindon Council and Wiltshire Council.
Swindon Business News revealed last week that 10 new investment projects were started by overseas companies in 2013/14 in the LEP area, creating 186 jobs and safeguarding a further 962.
The investments came from across the globe, with five originating from Europe, the Middle East and Africa, three from Asia Pacific and two from the Americas. 
The strong performance helped the UK achieve the highest number of inward investment projects since records began in the 1980s.
LEP chair Barry Dennington, pictured, said: “The results are very encouraging and prove that Swindon and Wiltshire is an ideal location for businesses looking to grow.
“The performance was extremely positive on both a local and national level, and I’m confident that through a strong working relationship with UKTI, we’ll attract even more inward investment from overseas in the future.”
Swindon Council leader David Renard added: “I am really encouraged by these latest figures as they prove that Swindon and Wiltshire is seen as an attractive place for firms looking to invest.
“The economic recovery is well underway here in Swindon with multi-million pound regeneration schemes in full swing and these new investment projects are further evidence that we are continuing to head in the right direction in terms of reducing unemployment and safeguarding existing jobs across the area of the Local Enterprise Partnership.”
Wiltshire Council leader Jane Scott OBE said the figures were indicative of the progress made by Swindon and Wiltshire in the past year and proved that the economic recovery was taking shape in the area.
“In Wiltshire, we are seeing the real economic benefits of working with our significant employers, the majority of which are multi-national groups,” she said.
“Their decisions to remain and grow in Wiltshire show the confidence they have in the economic future of our LEP area.”
The results were released last week as part of UKTI’s report on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) during 2013/14.
