Industry Strengths

For over half a century Manchester City Region has been associated with the development and growth of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). From the pioneering developments of Kilburn and Williams who created the world’s first stored program computer to the recent development of one of the world’s smallest and most powerful computers, Manchester is at the forefront of developments in the computing industry.

Today the region is home to a number of the world’s leading technology companies including Cisco, IBM and Microsoft, while Brother International Europe and Siemens Industry Automation & Drive Technologies have their UK headquarters in the region. Manchester’s impressive track record in attracting and retaining leading players in the industry has led to the largest concentration of ICT industries outside of the South East of England.

The ICT industry employs over 50,000 people across almost 8,000 businesses in the region. This increases to over 86,000 people across the wider Northwest, 10% of the entire UK IT workforce. Growth in Manchester’s ICT sector has outstripped anywhere else in the UK, increasing by 50% over the past decade, nearly five times the national average.

The availability of a highly skilled and experienced pool of software engineers, analysts/programmers and network specialists together with a reputation for retaining IT staff more easily than other UK “hot spots” has encouraged world renowned technology businesses such as Agilent Technologies, Fujitsu, Logica, Oracle and Thoughtworks to establish and grow important operations in Manchester City Region.

The ICT community in Manchester is wider than just technology companies as many businesses within the financial and professional services sector have also located major IT centres within the region. This growing trend means that the Northwest is now home to over 100,000 IT professionals working across all industries, further expanding the already well-established pool of experienced labour.

Manchester is also home to a range of innovative companies that lead the way in certain key areas of software – for example Transitive Technologies, a Manchester University spin-out that has recently been acquired by IBM and counts Apple and Intel as its key customers.

For more information about the ICT industry in the Manchester City Region, please contact:

Hannah Lucas, Business Development Manager
hannah.lucas@midas.org.uk