Business and Industry in Norwich
Once well-known for the manufacture of cloth, worsted in particular, the industry has almost ceased to exist in Norwich. Nearly the sole indication of the trade in material are the high three story houses, with dormer windows, which were used to accommodate the looms used in its production. Norwich is now largely dependent on the service economy for the occupation opportunities; the city has drawn over 50 national or local headquarters of major UK companies and has four of the UKs fastest growing corporations based there. With a complete of some 3,000 employers in the area around Norwich, over people are employed five by 75% of them or fewer. Hence, small businesses are of vital importance to local employment opportunities. Though agriculture, still another historically important activity in the region, is still important with regards to contributing to the local economy, it now uses just about 8% of the local residents.Norwich Union is undoubtedly the most famous company in Norwich and it's also the biggest employer, employing 8000 local citizens. The organization is involved in the insurance, financing, guarantee and health sectors of the economy and has assets over A300 thousand. It is estimated that overall one in four people in Norwich work in a finance or business related setting. Being the city where Barclays bank first started doing business it's perhaps fitting that Virgin Money has its registered office in Discovery House on Whiting Road in Norwich. Virgin Money, with resources more than A2.5 thousand, is area of the very successful Virgin class and was released in 1995 by the master, Richard Branson. Virgin Money employs more than 400 people in Norwich and the Virgin team employs 35,000 people world-wide. Moneyfacts is a paper and electronic author of impartial financial information, situated in Norwich which uses about 115 people. Another company employed in the finance field is Central Trust, that is positioned at Austen House in Stannard Place, and employs about 350 employees. The company is a company of economic services, loans, and has resources of around A50 million.Currently possessed by the Malaysian vehicle manufacturing company Proton, Group Lotus has for over 50 years been distinguished for providing sports cars of quality and distinction. Its existing array of designs are the; Elise, Exige, Europa and the 2-Eleven which re-introduces the motoring viewpoint of the previous Lotus-7. While the glory days of F1 motor-racing are removed for Lotus, it is still an important employer in Norwich. Its staff of approximately 1000 generate over 3000 cars a year. The high reputation in which Lotus Engineering, another arm of Group Lotus, is presented can be shown in the fact a large number of all car engines sold in Europe were created by Lotus. Party Lotus is situated at Potash Lane in Hethel. Lotus are not the sole company working in the motor trade near Norwich, Racing Technology (Norfolk) Ltd employs 40 people in an intention built manufacturer at Hingham and designs and produces composite bodies, mainly for racing cars, for clients such as Audi, Volkswagen and Bugatti. The business uses around 100 staff including manufacturers, administrators and advertising staff. Another organization, Triking Cycle Cars Ltd, specialises for making three wheeled 'kit' cyclecars.The Norwich Research Park is typical of the forward looking perspective that the town is taking to its future career prospects. The park is really a site of focused study sponsored by several organizations into Environmental, Food and Health sciences and provides work for around 9000 people. Other hi-tech companieses located in Norwich include Syfer Technology Ltd, located at Arminghall in 'state of the art' areas, that are acknowledged as a global leader in the production of multi-layer elements to the electronics industry. This essentially means they produce filters and capacitors for electronic circuit boards. Positioned nearby in Diss is Hamlin Electronics, they make movement and position receptors which can be very important to features of vehicle safety. Adobe, the company behind several software applications, has among its two European growth companies in Norwich.Whilst the number of people working in agriculture has decreased, the farming industry however provides employment opportunities through organizations involved in control locally grown produce. Most famous of the meals making organizations must undoubtedly be Bernard Matthews. Associated with both village showing of the birds and the processing of these Bernard Matthews is really a house-hold name in the UK when it comes to any hen connected produce. Having its hq and handling plant at Great Witchingham Hall outside Norwich, it uses close on 1000 people domestically and some 6000 world-wide. Were only available in 1950 by Bernard Matthews the organization is now the biggest manufacturer of turkeys in Europe and has an annual turn-over greater than A400 thousand. The company takes great delight in using plants in the east of England to raise the turkeys that it processes at its 12 hectare heart of operations.One new achievement in this area has been the development of Kettle Foods. With its registered office on Bowthorpe pot Foods are most commonly known because of their array of potato snacks that they produce which contain "absolutely nothing artificial." Unilever has a in Carrow, Norwich, producing Colman's Mustard, a product that's been manufactured in the town for over 180 years. Coleman's has been owned by Unilever since 1995 and could be the earliest established arm of the business.