Good growth in every postcode 28th August 2026

Andy Burnham’s pledge to the country is “good growth in every postcode and hope in every heart”. What would this look like in practice? The answer lies in the economic success stories of British companies across the UK and building on these successes across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Each week during recess, Paul Dimoldenberg looks at economic news from across the country to identify what “good growth” looks like in a diverse set of local communities to deliver the much-needed economic growth to power the economy and deliver new jobs, increased wealth and additional tax revenues to pay for improved public services. This week we feature:

• Rolls-Royce wins fresh engine deal in Derby with Philippine Airlines (DE24)
• Wynnstay expands fertiliser blending capacity in Montrose (DD10)
• Aircraft interiors business expands in Cambridge (CB25)
• Maritime and Renewables cluster established in North Yorkshire (DL7)
• Work starts on huge Greenpower Park project in Coventry (CV3)
• Royal Navy in Portsmouth signs torpedo deal with BAE Systems (PO1 and PO3)
• Sheffield wholesale book seller invests in larger base (S9)

Derby: Rolls-Royce wins fresh engine deal with Philippine Airlines (DE24)

Rolls-Royce has secured a major new aerospace deal with Philippine Airlines for 18 Trent XWB-97 engines as the airline expands its long-haul fleet. The Derby-based engineering company has signed a memorandum of understanding with PAL covering engines to power nine Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, with the agreement also including options for a further five aircraft. The deal strengthens a long-standing relationship between the two companies and follows PAL’s 2023 order for nine Airbus A350-1000 aircraft powered by the Trent XWB-97 engine.

Rolls-Royce will also provide its TotalCare service, a long-term maintenance agreement designed to monitor engine health, support reliability and improve operational planning for the airline. The Trent XWB-97 is the exclusive engine for the Airbus A350 and is one of Rolls-Royce’s flagship widebody engines.

Montrose: Wynnstay expands fertiliser blending capacity (DD10)

The agricultural supplies business, Wynnstay Group, has invested in its fertiliser operations in Montrose, with the expansion set to double blending capacity. The group’s investment will see Glasson Fertilisers relocate to a substantially larger production facility at Barrack Road in Montrose, supporting the continued growth of the business across Scotland. As part of the project, Wynnstay has placed the principal equipment contract for a new high-capacity fertiliser blending plant, which is expected to double the site’s blending capacity.

To ensure uninterrupted service, production will continue at the existing Cobden Street facility, while the new plant is installed and fully operational during the first half of 2027, ahead of the peak spring fertiliser season. The development builds on the expansion of Wynnstay’s Avonmouth fertiliser operation and forms part of the group’s wider Strategy Genesis programme, which focuses on investing in key growth opportunities, increasing operational efficiency and strengthening returns from its manufacturing asset base. Once complete, the development is expected to create one of the largest fertiliser blending facilities in Europe.

Cambridge: Aircraft interiors business expands in Cambridge (CB25)

ACS UK, an aircraft interiors company, has expanded its UK operations with the addition of another facility in Cambridge. Located close to ACS UK’s existing Cambridge site, the new facility, named Novus, spans 21,467 sq ft across two floors. The one-acre site will provide a dedicated space for final assembly lines, test and development areas, as well as for welcoming customers. The additional capacity at Novus will ensure the company can support its growing order book.

Novus includes a dedicated yard and incorporates electric vehicle charging points, solar panels to support on-site energy generation, and cycle storage, alongside 60 parking spaces. The facility is expected to be fully operational later this year.

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North Yorkshire: Maritime and Renewables cluster established (DL7)

A county-wide initiative will be established in September to connect businesses, education providers and investors operating across North Yorkshire’s maritime and renewables supply chain. North Yorkshire Maritime & Renewables (NYM&R) will create a single, unified voice for the industry and will aim to build a co-ordinated, internationally credible sector that drives long-term economic growth across the county.

It will embrace everything from offshore wind assets in the North Sea off the Yorkshire Coast to the engineering firms, logistics companies, training providers, technology businesses and professional services organisations supporting them from the county’s inland towns and cities. It will include manufacturers in Ripon, engineers in Harrogate, training providers in Northallerton and technology companies across the county, all of which have a role to play in the clean energy future being built off North Yorkshire’s shores.

Coventry: Work starts on GreenPower Park project (CV3)

Work has started on GreenPower Park, a landmark location for battery research, industrialisation, manufacturing, testing, recycling and electrified logistics, on the site of the former Coventry Airport. Planning permission has been secured for up to 5.7 million sq ft of industrial development, with the aim of creating thousands of jobs and injecting £2.5bn into the local economy.

Enabling works to connect the site to a dedicated power supply from National Grid are now underway. Matrix Networks and Ashwell Construction are installing a new primary sub-station, made possible thanks to £23m from Labour Mayor Richard Parker and the West Midlands Combined Authority’s regional Investment Zone programme. Richard Parker said: “Getting spades in the ground at GreenPower Park is a significant milestone in our plan to put this region at the cutting edge of global battery manufacturing and innovation. It also moves us a step closer to thousands more good-quality jobs in one of our fastest-growing sectors.”

Portsmouth: Royal Navy signs £135m torpedo deal with BAE Systems (PO1 and PO3)

The Royal Navy has signed a new £135m contract with BAE Systems to maintain and repair its torpedoes. It covers the Navy’s Spearfish and Sting Ray torpedoes used by submarines, surface warships and maritime patrol aircraft to protect UK waters and maintain its nuclear deterrent. The Torpedo Repair and Maintenance deal secures around 315 jobs across the UK, including 150 highly skilled engineering roles, and a further 165 in BAE’s UK supply chain. The engineering and technician roles include 100 in Portsmouth and 50 more across Edinburgh, Chelmsford and near Glasgow.

This is part of the Government commitment to use defence spending to drive economic growth and deliver well-paid, long-term jobs in advanced manufacturing and engineering across the UK. Luke Pollard MP, Defence Minister, said: “This is defence spending doing exactly what it should – keeping our country safe while securing 315 skilled jobs and creating new opportunities across our country.” The three-year contract runs from July 2026 to June 2029.

Sheffield: Wholesale book seller invests in larger base (S9)

Bestsellers Direct, a Sheffield book business with more than 40 years of trading experience, is expanding after signing 30,000 sq ft of industrial space at Grange 34 on Grange Mill Lane, off J34 of the M1 in Sheffield. The firm will be using the units for the storage, sale and distribution of books to customers across the UK and overseas.

Bestsellers Direct has grown from a small discount bookseller into an international wholesaler supplying thousands of titles spanning fiction, children’s books, gift books and specialist publications. In recent years, it has acquired Bookmark, a specialist retailer of military and transport books, while transitioning to a majority employee-ownership business in 2021. Larger premises will allow the business to expand its warehousing and distribution capacity, improve operational efficiency and continue providing the high levels of service customers expect.

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