Business Services
Business Development
Our aim is to secure and improve existing business performance in South Ayrshire.
The South Ayrshire economy is broadly based, with a strong manufacturing sector
and a well developed service sector. However, whilst there is a thriving small business
community, the business birth rate could be improved and there is scope for growth
of small and medium sized enterprises. Particular challenges faced by the local
economy include the decline in recent years of traditionally important sectors,
such as engineering, textiles, coal mining and fishing, and the need to diversify
into new growth sectors.
The area also has a reliance on major manufacturing companies, which are externally
owned and vulnerable to changes in highly competitive global markets. Indeed, there
has been a series of redundancies intimated by key employers over the last few years.
The future prosperity of South Ayrshire will, therefore, depend on improving the
performance of local companies making them more competitive in national and international
markets.
Priorities
- Develop the skills of local people to respond to the requirements of existing and
new businesses
- Increase new business birth and survival rates
- Assist the growth and development of indigenous companies