Bristol Business Guide

Generation, Atlantis Resources and

advisory companies, DNV GL (Garrad

Hassan), IT Power, Parsons

Brinckerhoff, and Arup. Water, waste

management and energy from waste

businesses comprise a major national

cluster including Wessex Water/Geneco,

Bristol Water, New Earth Solutions,

May Gurney, SITA, Viridor, Augean,

DPS, Sims Metal, Siniat and Avon

Power. NGOs and government agencies

include Soil Association, Centre for

Sustainable Energy, Resource Futures,

Sustainable Food Trust, Sustrans,

Environment Agency national

headquarters, and DEFRA’s national

biodiversity and conservation team.

The region benefits from a joint

approach – businesses bringing

renewable energy products and

process to market, local authorities

and NGOs committed to green

infrastructure development,

universities developing the necessary

research, and social enterprises

delivering good working practices.

Bristol is already leading the way

internationally, and is well-placed for

the transition to a low carbon economy:

• Energy generation (wind and solar)

and waste processing facilities at

Avonmouth Severnside Enterprise

Area

• Filwood Green Business Park in

South Bristol providing 40,000 sq ft

of workspace for environmental

businesses

• National Composites Centre’s work

on advanced low carbon composite

materials for use in aerospace,

automotive and marine industries.

• Early markets for green transport

electric and gas powered Ultra Low

Emission Vehicles - Bristol is to pilot

the latest ULEV technologies for

buses and commercial car and van

fleets.

• Business groups e.g. Low Carbon

South West, Regen SW and

SevernNet.

Construction and

Development

The sector provides employment for

around 27,600 people within the West

of England (of which 9,900 are in the

city of Bristol).

The market within Bristol is very strong

with many construction, development

and infrastructure projects underway

and planned in the city centre, South

Bristol and North Bristol.

Major companies with a presence and

investing in Bristol include Skanska,

Midas, Willmott Dixon, Leadbitter,

Umberslade, Taylor Wimpey, Crest

Nicholson, Redrow, Barratts, PG

Group, Urbis and Galliford Try

incorporating Linden Homes. These

have recently been joined by Kevin

McCloud’s HAB Housing.

Sustainability is a key issue because

of its crucial contribution to carbon

reduction targets and there is scope

for involvement in cross-sector work.

The West of England is home to some

of the country’s leading eco designers

and architects as promoted by The

Green Register, another national body

based in Bristol.

Skills needs are being met through

local colleges, the Construction

Industry Training Board, Onsite Bristol

and the School of the Built and Natural

Environment at the University of the

West of England.

Distribution and

Logistics

The sector provides employment for

around 11,800 people (of which 5,200

are in the city of Bristol).

The West of England is home to some

major distribution companies and

others for whom distribution is a

significant part of their business. They

include Bristol Airport, Bristol Port,

Royal Mail Centre, St Philip’s Wholesale

Fruit and Vegetable Market, Asda,

Tesco, Sainsbury, Morrisons, John

Lewis, Marks and Spencer, The Co-

operative, Accolade Wines / Matthew

Clark, Culina Distribution, DHL, Hanson,

Hovis, IOS Ltd, Nisbets, First, Palmer

and Harvey McLane, TNT Express.

The Avonmouth Severnside Enterprise

Area is the main focus for large

format distribution facilities, and

Bristol Port has planning consent to

build a new deep sea container

terminal at Avonmouth.

The West of England Freight

Partnership was created by the

sector to bring together local

authorities and freight businesses.

A Freight Consolidation Scheme is in

place serving Bristol and Bath whereby

several small deliveries to the same

location are grouped and transported

together from a centre run by DHL.

This initiative resulted from joint

planning and procurement across

Councils and has many benefits

including eased congestion, fewer

carbon emissions, fewer deliveries,

and recycling of excess packaging. It’s

used by over 100 businesses across the

two cities served by electric vehicles.

Bristol Airport and Bristol Port

expansions, as well as planned

improvements to motorway (especially

near the Avonmouth Severnside

Enterprise Area), and rail networks

give the West of England a unique

advantage in delivering to key UK

markets, saving money, time, and CO2.