Business Overview
Ashford currently provides something for every business in terms
of sector placement, supply chain opportunities and a well
established community of businesses.
All this is supported by Ashford's excellent transport networks
and expanding opportunities as part of its growth. Ashford has the
capacity to attract a broad range of occupiers from different
sectors with a diverse range of requirements; large, small, town
centre, fringe or out-of-town.
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Headline companies
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Coty Rimmel UK Ltd, Brakes, Givaudan (formerly Quest International UK Ltd),
Eurostar and Hitachi.
Top companies in Ashford.
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Number of companies
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5,000 businesses. Nearly a fifth (17%) of the small and medium
sized businesses (SMEs) in the borough felt that their local area
had become a better place to do business over the last 12 months,
compared with the south east average of 9%. The number of
businesses almost doubled between 1998 and 2005 - a growth rate of
29% in comparison to the whole of the South East (16%).
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Key sectors and trends
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The strengths of the current Ashford business
profile are in the following broad areas: specialist manufacturing,
construction, retail, transport and distribution and business
services.
Ashford’s (road) transport links
provide a competitive advantage in the wholesale and
distribution sector, with relative strengths in employment in
wholesale (particularly food wholesale), storage and packaging.
Banking, finance and insurance sector
(including business services) is the largest broad sector in terms
of business establishments.
Business services is a growing sector locally,
regionally and nationally and it is an important employment sector
within Ashford.
Opportunities for the future will come from
the relocation of activities from higher cost locations in London
and the south east.
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Consumer access to London / Europe
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360 million
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