£10m investment in Gloucestershire is shaping a “modern industrial identity” for the UK
Welcome to Gloucestershire indeed! Last week this news was reported as just the opening of a new building, but one aerospace firm’s decision to invest in the county is much, much more than that.
Dear reader,
Welcome to Thursday’s story. Regular readers will know that our full editions are Monday and Friday, with the former always open to all and the latter often paywalled to help pay for what we do.
Which leaves Thursday reserved for a single big read (sometimes paywalled, sometimes not). Or rather that’s usually what we do.
But it seems remiss to publish without acknowledging just what today is, and as we pondered what to do about marking Victory in Europe Day we spotted a timely post from one of our Founding Partners, QuoLux.
It both marks the significance of today and does what QuoLux does best, gives the many leaders of county businesses and organisationsthat we know that read Raikes some intriguing food for thought.
We couldn’t resist pointing you towards that too.
Enjoy.
Best regards,
Andrew Merrell (editor).
PS: You can find out about how Gloucester is marking the day here, and if you’re busy today - or want to join in the party when it continues on Saturday in King’s Square, Gloucester, and raise money for the Pied piper Appeal, you can read about that here.
Leadership Lessons: Reflecting on 80 Years Since VE Day
As we commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day this year, we at QuoLux find ourselves reflecting on the profound leadership lessons that emerge from this pivotal moment in history. Victory in Europe Day marked not just the end of a devastating conflict, but the triumph of collaborative leadership, strategic vision and unwavering resilience, qualities that remain fundamental to business leadership today.
Read the full article and all of QuoLux’s previous blogs here.
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£10m investment in Gloucestershire is shaping a “modern industrial identity” for the UK
Welcome to Gloucestershire indeed! Last week this news was reported as just the opening of a new building, but one aerospace firm’s decision to invest in the county is much, much more than that.
By Andrew Merrell.
“What we are seeing now is the emergence of a modern industrial identity. One that places value not only on output, but on quality, longevity and shared benefit,” said John Pearce.
Pearce is chief executive officer of Made in Britain, which exists to promote, champion, underline the value of and lobby for the best of the nation’s manufacturing.
Raikes had asked him what one aerospace firm’s decision to invest £10 million in Gloucestershire really said about the county and its place in the UK.
And we spoke to the West of England Aerospace Forum too, a powerful industry body that exists to make sure the powers that be understand the value of its sector to UK plc.
And with our head still spinning from the praise for both the aerospace firm and how its decision to invest in Gloucestershire reflected on the county, its skills base and place in the sector, we also turned to ADS, the trade association for the aerospace, defence, security and space industries.
We wanted to know just how valuable aerospace engineering is for us here in the South West and the UK - an industry with a history embedded with stories from little old Gloucestershire.
Pearce had more to say first…
“Safran’s new investment in Gloucester is a timely signal of confidence in Britain’s manufacturing sector.
“This is not just about expanding physical infrastructure; it’s about backing a workforce, a community, and underpinning a vision for a cleaner, more resilient industrial future,” he added.
“This is exactly the vision that the Made in Britain campaign holds for British manufacturing and why we encourage all ambitious UK manufacturers to showcase their commitment to quality by registering under this internationally recognised trademark.
François Bastin (pictured below), chief executive officer of Safran Landing Systems, explained the investment in its Staverton site, beside Gloucestershire Airport and between Gloucester and Cheltenham, was accompanied by an active recruitment policy.
The Gloucester operation apparently welcomed 204 new employees in 2024, particularly in the machining and assembly trades, and a further 30 new recruits since the beginning of 2025.
And it recruits an estimated 35-plus apprentices per year, for which it receives in excess of 400 applications.
The county operation is currently home to an estimated 100 apprentices, international business volunteers and internships.
Safran’s expertise is broad, but the county operations - on both sides of the B4063 - focus on aircraft landing, braking systems and associated components for commercial, military, and helicopter aircraft as well as the maintenance, repair, and overhaul of landing gear, for which it is a centre of excellence.
And now it has a new building in which to carry out that work.
Bastin said: “This world-leading facility will support the design and development of the next generation of aircraft landing systems on our Gloucester site.
“This investment is not only fantastic for our workforce and the local area, it is a further commitment from Safran to the long-term future of aerospace in the region.”
It’s a site with a history that grounds the county firmly in the history of aerospace in the UK, opening in 1937 when Sir George Dowty established the business that would go on to become Safran Landing Systems.
And today it is one of the largest Safran Landing Systems sites in the world, employing 1,200 people.
The business has 12 UK sites where it employ 3,500 in total, dealing with 200 suppliers, partnering with numerous UK universities, and investing capital directly into UK startups.
It is also an active member of the Aerospace Defence & Security trade association and partner of the Royal Aeronautical Society, with its Gloucester operations “fully engaged to support strategic defence projects such as the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Global Air Combat Programme (GCAP)”.
And it’s partnered with ATI, Innovate UK and the DBT to innovate on new sustainable solutions for landing systems, contributing to the decarbonisation of aviation.
Pearce said: “Across our growing network, we see manufacturers embracing this same sense of purpose. From clean energy partnerships to the development of skilled talent, British industry is proving that innovation and responsibility can go hand in hand.
“Safran’s long-term approach, grounded in sustainability, wellbeing and engineering excellence, sets an example of how to build with intention.
“What we are seeing now is the emergence of a modern industrial identity. One that places value not only on output, but on quality, longevity and shared benefit. Investing in Britain today means investing in stability and long-term impact.
“As global supply chains evolve and geopolitical pressures grow, this kind of rooted, values-led manufacturing will only become more important, making accreditations like Made in Britain and other tangible marks of quality absolutely indispensable.
“Britain’s strength lies not just in what we make, but in how and why we make it. That is a story worth telling, and worth building on for the future.”
Colin Turner, chief executive officer of WEAF (the trade association for the West of England Aerospace and Advanced Manufacturing community), said: “WEAF welcomes the news of significant investment into the UK and South West supply chain by Safran Landing Systems’ new engineering and support facilities in Gloucester.
“This development not only underscores the exceptional technical capabilities and skilled workforce we have in the region but also reaffirms the South West’s position as a thriving hub for aerospace innovation and collaboration.”
Samira Braund is defence director at ADS – the trade association for the aerospace defence security and space industries representing around 1500 member organisations.
“ADS’s most recent figures show the total value of our sectors for the UK economy reached £38.2bn in 2024, a 50 per cent increase in the last decade,” said Braund.
“Across our 1,500 member organisations, businesses ranging from large primes down to the smaller and medium enterprises that make up the bedrock of our supply chain are at the centre of communities throughout the UK.
“The strength of our industry has, at its heart, the skill of more than 425,000 people - it's always good news to hear of significant investment in new and enhanced sites alike.
“Continued commitment to the UK from international businesses is, of course, reassuring, particularly when investments are targeted towards future engineering skills, economic resilience and strengthened relationships with our allies.
“Ultimately, the UK’s advantage is secured by the innovative capability delivered by world-leading manufacturers, many of whom are found on your doorstep.”
To put it all in context…
The total value of ADS’ sectors for the UK economy (aerospace defence security and space industries) reached £38.2bn in 2024, a 50 per cent increase in the last decade.
Exports increased 32 per cent in the same decade to £38.7bn.
Turnover increased 40 per cent between 2013 and 2023 to £88.4bn.
427,500 people are directly employed by ADS’ sectors. That total figure is up 29 per cent on 2013.
Two thirds of these jobs are outside London and the Southeast and 23,000 of them are apprentices.
(Statistics courtesy of ADS)
Globally Safran employs 100,000 employees and delivered sales of 27.3 billion euros in 2024.
The company has partnerships with more than 25 airframers in civil, regional, commercial and military transport, supporting more than 35,000 aircraft and making over 100,000 landings every day.