Scottish Enterprise announces £12m RSA jobs boost

In its quarter three report, Scottish Enterprise has revealed that over 1000 jobs are to be created or safeguarded thanks to over £12 million of Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) funding.

RSA grants were accepted by 20 businesses between October and December 2011. The funding will support the planned investment of over £62.8 million, creating and safeguarding 1007 jobs.

Chief executive of Scottish Enterprise, Lena Wilson, said: “These quarter three results show that although we’re continuing to experience adverse economic conditions, companies across Scotland are still actively seeking to grow and expand.

“Regional Selective Assistance is a key source of funding that we use to help home-grown companies stay and grow in Scotland and equally, to help foreign investors view Scotland as the ideal place to locate and invest.

"By doing this, Scottish Enterprise can help forward-thinking companies realise their ambitious plans and in doing so, increase turnover, create new jobs and drive long-term sustainable growth back into the Scottish economy.”

A significant number of RSA awards were made to the manufacturing industry with 11 companies accepting a total of £9.4 million of funding to create 329 new jobs and safeguard a further 426. Companies set to benefit include Kilco Limited, Lockerbie, A & C Rodger Engineering Limited, East Kilbride and Arrayjet Limited, Edinburgh.

Geographically, the west of Scotland was the main beneficiary with 12 companies receiving a collective £1.6 million. The single largest award of £5.2 million was made to Michelin Tyres plc for assistance in the design and manufacture of tyres for cars, closely followed by a £2 million award for Stirling-based Superglass Insulation Limited for the manufacture of thermal and acoustic mineral wood products.

The full RSA quarter 3 report can be accessed here.