high tech industries

• there are 50 micro-electric and silicon design businesses in the bristol area
• bristol is home to global companies such as Aardman animations, Hewlett Packard and toshiba as well as smaller firms working in robotics, 3D printing and other advanced technologies
• chinese telecommunications giant Huawei has invested in the city
• the following factors attract high-tech businesses to bristol:

  • a government grant of £100 million to become a super-connected city with broadband download speeds of at least 80Mbps
  • close links between the city council and the university
  • an educated and skilled workforce
  • advanced research at the university
  • a clean and non-polluted environment
• the ministry of defence procurement agency, employing over 10,000 people was established on a greenfield site in 1996, it supplies the army, air force and navy with everything they need from boots to aircraft
• 14 of the 15 main global aircraft companies are found in bristol region, these include rolls royce, airbus and GKN aerospace, supply chains have grown up in the region to supply these high tech companies, there is a 100 year tradition for the aircraft industry in bristol and this is supported by world class aerospace courses at local universities
• aardman animations are based in bristol, the company was set up in 1972, the studio has become well known for its films using stop motion clay animation techniques, particularly those featuring the characters wallace and gromit, their films have won an oscar and many other awards