USA Company Moves To Derby
USA company Florida Turbine Technologies Inc has opened its UK base in Derby – a move secured by the proactive work of the city’s inward investment company Marketing Derby, the team from Connect Derby and a grant from Derby City Council through the Derby Enterprise Growth Fund.
FTT are a Florida-based aerospace company specialising in engineering, developing and testing of turbines and other components for military and commercial aircraft, space propulsion and other industries including power stations.
The company has worked with Marketing Derby and Connect Derby to find premises in the city and has leased offices in Sadler Bridge Studios – Derby City Council’s new £4.4m purpose-designed facility for the creative, digital and innovation sector, which has been developed on the site of the former Prince’s supermarket at the bottom of Sadler Gate.
The move has been supported by a £165,440 grant from the £20 million Derby Enterprise Growth Fund which is funded by the Government’s Regional Growth Fund and run by Derby City Council. DEGF aims to support growth and job creation in businesses in the city and surrounding area through a mix of loans and grants.
FTT (UK) Ltd currently have a team of nine people at its Derby base and are actively recruiting to add additional staff in the coming weeks. In total, it aims to create ten full time jobs in Derby who will deliver services to customers throughout the UK.
Future growth in Derby is forecast in line with FTT’s previous investment in Brandenburg where the ten-strong workforce was expanded to 25 within just three years.
The UK base will be responsible for procuring between £3 million and £5 million a year of highly-engineered hardware from the UK supply chain and FTT has already expressed a keen interest in the opportunities presented by Infinity Park and working with universities including the University of Derby.
FTT Chief Engineer Robert Ress said: “Derby is the perfect place to establish and expand our UK operations.
“We looked at various locations in the UK and the support we have had from Marketing Derby and Derby City Council was a crucial factor in our decision to come to the city.
“We were also keen to tap into the local engineering skills base and to work with the University of Derby to be involved in their work to develop new advanced manufacturing technologies.”
Derby City Council Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Planning, Environment and Regeneration Cllr Martin Rawson chairs the DEGF panel of industrial and financial experts who consider business applications.
He said: “This is fantastic news for Derby and reaffirms our reputation internationally as the UK’s number one city for high-tech industries and innovation.
“The proactive work by Marketing Derby, Connect Derby and the DEGF team at Derby City Council showed FTT that this city means business and that we were prepared to go the extra mile to secure this inward investment.
“The DEGF grant is money well spent – encouraging a high calibre international company into the city who are looking to create high-tech and well paid local jobs for local people both now and in the future.
“There will also be further benefits and job creation opportunities for other local businesses in the supply chain for FTT and its major customers.”
John Forkin, Director of Marketing Derby, continued: “FTT were considering various locations in the UK but were drawn to Derby thanks to the high-tech credentials of the city, the quality of life here and the support that the Connect Derby team were prepared to make.”
Connect business centres manager Ann Bhatti, added: “We are delighted to welcome FTT to the rapidly expanding community at Sadler Bridge Studios, the sister building to the hugely successful Friar Gate Studios.
“We have worked hard to accommodate their business and connectivity requirements and are pleased to have been able to provide the environment that FTT needs to facilitate the next stage of their planned growth.”
Applications for the Derby Enterprise Growth Fund continue to be accepted by Derby City Council. To find out more visit: www.derby.gov.uk/degf . Alternatively call 01332 641628 or email degf@derby.gov.uk .