Economy

The established sectors important to Derby for employment, GDP or because they are a specialised sector for the region are advanced engineering industries including rail, aerospace and automotive.
The emerging key sectors that have the potential to be important to the economy of Derby in the future are high value added engineering, creative industries, retail and the office based sector.

Here's some key facts about Derby's economy.

Employment in High Technology
  • Derby is the UK's leading Aerospace city and the UK's leading Hi Technology city.
  • Derby is England's fastest growing city for wealth creation in growth by GVA
  • Derby has the highest visible exports per capita of all 56 cities, ranked in top position both in 1996 (£5,445 per capita) as well as in 2002 (£9,093 per capita)
  • An increasing percentage of businesses are surviving beyond three years (up from 60.8% in 1993 to 67.6% in 1999), a figure which is above the national average (of 66.4%).
Gautrain Electrostar for South Africa
  • Derby has over 200 rail-related companies, the largest concentration in Europe, including Bombardier who is the last manufacturer of rolling stock in the UK.
  • There have been improvements in the educational attainment and skills of the workforce in Derby in recent years e.g. the percentage of pupils gaining 5+ GCSEs graded A*-C has increased from 38.2% in 1997 to 48.0% in 2004. The figure was 53.5 % for 2004/2005.
  • The Derby area hosts 16,000 companies providing a diverse range of employment and supplier chain opportunities
  • Derby offers high quality office locations, at low rents
  • Derby has the highest proportion of graduates in the workforce, compared to any other UK city
  • Derby has world-class employers including Rolls-Royce, Toyota, Bombardier, Egg, Derby Teaching Hospital, University of Derby
  • The Euro Star terminal servicing Paris, Brussels and Lille at London St Pancras makes Derby an easy 4 hours from each city.
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