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Engineering & Manufacturing

A world-class location for innovation, skills and industry growth, Angus is one of Scotland’s most dynamic regions for advanced engineering and manufacturing – a place where innovative companies, skilled talent, and strategic support networks come together to drive productivity, sustainability and economic growth.

With strong industry heritage, expanding technical capabilities, and excellent connectivity, Angus offers a competitive, future ready environment for businesses and investors.

A close-up of a person welding metal in an industrial workshop. The individual is wearing a protective blue welding mask, heavy-duty gloves, and a blue jumpsuit. Bright orange sparks and blue smoke rise from the point of contact between the welding tool and the metal beams. The background shows a blurred factory setting with machinery and industrial equipment. Invest in Angus Circle

Tay Cities Engineering Partnership (TCEP):

The Tay Cities Engineering Partnership (TCEP) is a major regional initiative strengthening the engineering and advanced manufacturing ecosystem across Angus and the wider Tay Cities region.

As Scotland’s first regional Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing (EAM) network, TCEP plays a pivotal role in addressing the widening STEM skills gap, boosting innovation capacity, and supporting industry transformation through cutting-edge training and technology adoption.

A Collaborative Regional Network

TCEP unites six key organisations – including Dundee & Angus College, Angus Council, Angus Training Group, Fife College, Perth College UHI, and Perth & Kinross Council – to enhance skills, R&D activities and productivity across Tayside’s engineering sector.

The partnership secured up to £2 million in Scottish Government funding through the Tay Cities Regional Deal to help transform engineering and manufacturing capabilities across the region.

Connecting to Scotland’s National Manufacturing Infrastructure

A major TCEP ambition is the creation of an Advanced Engineering Centre of Excellence, envisioned as the east of Scotland hub for the National Manufacturing Institute for Scotland (NMIS).

This would connect businesses in Angus and Tayside to national and international manufacturing expertise, supporting product innovation, productivity improvements and export growth.

The logo for the Tay Cities Engineering Partnership. Large, overlapping block letters spell out the acronym "TCEP" in varying shades of blue and teal with a semi-transparent effect. Below a horizontal line, the full name "TAY CITIES ENGINEERING PARTNERSHIP" is written in a bold, dark blue sans-serif font.

Driving Skills, Innovation & Industry 4.0 Adoption

TCEP’s mission is to accelerate growth in the local engineering and advanced manufacturing sector by:

  • Creating a skilled future workforce through handson training, school outreach, and modern engineering education pathways.
  • Providing a state-of-the-art centre for training, demonstration, prototyping and digital design, enabling companies to adopt advanced manufacturing and Industry 4.0 technologies.
  • Supporting businesses to embrace automation, robotics, artificial intelligence, and new production techniques to enhance competitiveness and productivity.
  • Increasing research and development activity, supported by strong collaboration between industry and the region’s colleges and training providers.

End-to-end Support Pipeline for Engineering Talent

TCEP provides an integrated regional pathway supporting:

  • Primary & secondary pupils through early STEM engagement.
  • College learners & apprentices through world-class training delivered at facilities like the Engineering Partnership Innovation Centre (EPIC) in Arbroath.
  • Employees & businesses through upskilling programmes, technology adoption support and innovation guidance.
  • Startups & SMEs through technical advice, prototyping resources and R&D collaboration.

This comprehensive pipeline aims to ensure the region can meet future engineering workforce and capability needs.

Key Opportunities for Investors & Businesses

Angus offers strong capabilities in mechanical, electrical and systems engineering supported by world-class research from nearby universities and national innovation networks.

Local adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies is growing rapidly, supported by regional specialists and Scotland-wide expertise networks such as CeeD.

Proximity to Montrose Port and Aberdeen’s energy cluster positions Angus as a strategic hub for both oil and gas supply chains and the expanding offshore wind industry.

With supportive funding, skilled labour and a commitment to net zero growth, Angus is an ideal location for green manufacturing and circular economy innovation.

A high concentration of established engineering firms, coupled with local SME growth support, makes Angus a strong environment for supply chain expansion and collaboration.

Skills, Talent & Workforce Development

Engineering Education & Apprenticeships

Dundee & Angus College provides a comprehensive pipeline of engineering skills, from foundational programmes through HNC/HND and specialist pathways. Courses span mechanical, electrical, manufacturing, offshore wind and emerging technologies, with strong employer links and apprenticeship routes.

The college’s Future Engineers, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Offshore Wind programmes prepare learners for direct entry into industry, supported by industry-grade facilities and partnerships with local and national employers.

Angus Training Group, based in Arbroath, have helped thousands of young people begin exciting careers in engineering and manufacturing, working with leading local employers to train the next generation of skilled workers.

They offer a high quality practical based approach to training which meets employers demands for a skilled and flexible work force.

Industry-Led Training & Upskilling

Angus companies also benefit from Scotland-wide skills initiatives.

Energy Skills Partnership (ESP) Scotland, hosted by Dundee & Angus College, supports engineering skills development for the energy transition.

The Montrose Port Skills Academy is a flagship training facility supporting renewable energy and offshore wind growth in Angus. It will be the first training facility of its kind in Scotland to be located within a live offshore wind operations port, allowing learners to train in the same environment where they will go on to work.

An engineer in a white hard hat, safety glasses, and hearing protection stands in an industrial factory, holding a tablet and looking at a large robotic welding arm. He is wearing a grey work uniform with reflective stripes.

Why Choose Angus?

The Engineering and Manufacturing (EAM) sector is a major driver of the Angus economy, with productivity significantly outperforming national averages.

Gross Value Added (GVA) per head in the Angus manufacturing sector is 122% of the Scottish average.

The region is home to 230 manufacturing companies, representing 3% of all Scottish firms in the sector and 6% of all local businesses.

Angus is home to some of the UK’s and world’s leading engineering and manufacturing companies, including:

  • GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) – pharmaceutical manufacturing in Montrose
  • GE Oil & Gas – major engineering operations in Montrose
  • Hydrus – engineering design specialists in Brechin
  • Mackays – award-winning food manufacturer in Arbroath

These companies reflect the region’s broad industrial capability and global reach.

Angus sits between Dundee and Aberdeen, with excellent road and rail links, access to airports, and the strategically important Montrose Port, which supports oil, gas, and renewable energy operations and offers gateways to UK and international markets.

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