Good growth in every postcode 9th September 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 – small, medium and large – across the UK and building on these successes across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Each week, 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:

• Cargo volumes soar at East Midlands Airport (DE74)
• Aircraft research centre to be opened in Bristol by Rolls-Royce (BS34)
• Construction milestone at Forgemasters’ Sheffield project (S9)
• West Midlands Interchange delivers £7m social value (ST19)
• Darlington training centre apprentice numbers increase (DL1)
• Aberdeenshire subsea specialist gets backing (AB32)
• New jobs at Coventry e-motorbike maker Maeving (CV3)

East Midlands: Cargo volumes soar at East Midlands Airport (DE74)

East Midlands Airport generated £6.2bn for the UK economy last year, a £2bn increase on the previous year, as freight volumes surged and demand for high-value exports continued to grow. Analysis by York Aviation shows the airport’s economic impact rose sharply in 2025, driven largely by its cargo operation, which handled more than 400,000 tonnes of freight during the year, up 12.5%. The airport, the UK’s largest dedicated freight hub, now connects businesses to more than 185 international markets and accounted for more than a third of all cargo growth recorded across the UK last year.

The study found East Midlands Airport directly supports 7,500 jobs on site and more than 52,000 jobs across the wider UK economy – up from 45,000 a year earlier, and underlined the growing importance of the airport to sectors such as advanced manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, pharmaceuticals and life sciences. More than £13bn worth of exports passed through the airport last year, with over half of those goods manufactured in the Midlands. Businesses using the airport include Rolls-Royce, JCB, Boots, Jaguar Land Rover and Toyota. There are plans to expand the airport’s cargo capabilities further. 

Bristol: Future combat aircraft research centre to be opened by Rolls-Royce (BS34)

Rolls-Royce is to open a £100m centre in Bristol to carry out research into next-generation combat aircraft, helping it maintain the Filton site’s status at the leading edge of military aerospace technology. The new base will provide a dedicated space for research, manufacturing and assembly, creating “significant capability for new product development for the future of air combat”. The facility will future-proof the 106-year-old Filton site and keep Rolls-Royce at the forefront of future combat air technology advancements. 

Rolls-Royce’s Filton site, where it employs around 3,000 people working mainly on military engine research, development and assembly, has a global reputation for engineering excellence dating back to the birth of the UK aviation industry. Construction of the centre is scheduled to begin later this year and the contract to build the new combat air facility has been awarded to Belfast-based McLaughlin & Harvey.

Sheffield: Construction milestone reached at £1.3bn Forgemasters’ project (S9)

The first of 11 overhead cranes has arrived at Forgemasters, the specialist steel manufacturer’s machine shop, as work progresses on its major manufacturing expansion. The crane will support the operation of some of the world’s largest vertical turning lathes. The machine shop is located on 16 acres of brownfield land on Weedon Street. The factory will house some of the world’s largest five-axis vertical turning lathes and is due to be operational by the end of 2028. At the same time, construction of a building to house its 13,000-tonne forging line is also underway on a separate site nearby.

The crane package includes two 150/40-tonne cranes, four 200/40-tonne service cranes and five 250/50-tonne cranes, together with a tandem lifting beam capable of lifting up to 400 tonnes. The remaining cranes are scheduled to arrive by the end of the year, with deliveries taking place on a weekly basis. The cranes are the first working elements of the new machine shop following installation of crane rails and electricity feeds.

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West Midlands: West Midlands Interchange delivers £7m social value to region (ST19)

West Midlands Interchange (WMI) has reported more than £7m in social value generated across South Staffordshire, Staffordshire and Wolverhampton since 2022, according to WMI’s first Social Value Impact Report, covering activity between 2022 and 2025. Of the total, £4.9m has been attributed to supporting local businesses and the regional economy, while £2.4m has come through employment, skills and training initiatives, including 55 full-time equivalent local roles.

The project has also delivered more than 690 hours of education sessions across local schools, colleges and universities, alongside more than 500 weeks of apprenticeships and T-Level placements. Local businesses have also benefited from the development’s supply chain, with £4.81m spent with suppliers in the region. Of this, £2.8m went to micro, small and medium-sized businesses. The report highlights one local student who completed a T-Level placement with Winvic at WMI before moving into a permanent role as a Trainee Site Engineer. She later won Student of the Year at the Department for Education’s National Apprenticeship and Skills Awards.

Darlington: Training centre expands as apprentice numbers increase (DL1)

The Thermal Insulation Contractors Association (TICA) has increased capacity at its Darlington training centre after enrolments climbed to 199 during the 2025/26 academic year, up from 130 the previous year. Numbers have risen steadily from 80 apprentices in 2021/22, reflecting growing demand for skills across the thermal insulation industry.

TICA says the increase also follows efforts to promote careers in the sector through visits to schools, colleges and careers fairs across the UK. TICA represents contractors working across hot and cold thermal insulation, with apprentices attending its Darlington centre for two-week training blocks every three months. Training combines classroom learning with practical experience over programmes lasting between 18 and 24 months. TICA has invested in expanding and reconfiguring its Darlington training centre, creating a larger theory classroom, an additional smaller classroom, improved staff facilities and dedicated female changing areas.

Aberdeenshire: Subsea specialist gets backing to drive growth (AB32)

Aberdeenshire-based Legasea, a subsea specialist, is planning international growth and new jobs following a £250,000 loan from the British Business Bank’s Investment Fund for Scotland. The company plans to grow its workforce from 25 to 30 employees this year while strengthening its Aberdeenshire facilities and establishing a new base in Luanda, Angola. The investment will provide additional capacity at the company’s Aberdeenshire operations as its workforce and international customer base grow.

Founded in 2018, Legasea provides engineering services focused on extending the life of subsea equipment used across the energy sector. Its circular approach sees electrical, hydraulic and mechanical components recovered, refurbished, tested and recertified for reuse rather than being scrapped, helping operators reduce costs and their reliance on newly manufactured equipment.

Coventry: New jobs at Coventry e-motorbike maker Maeving (CV3)

Coventry-based electric motorbike specialist Maeving has secured a £3m trade finance facility, backed by UK Export Finance and provided by HSBC UK, to scale up production to meet growing demand in the US and Europe. Maeving’s RM1 became the best-selling electric two-wheeler in the UK, while last year’s RM2 became the first British-made electric motorbike built for two. More than 70% of the company’s bike components are made in the UK, and the expansion is expected to create 13 new local jobs.

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