The performance of the West Midlands caught the eye of
readers of a survey called Tech Monitor. Tech firms in the region increased in number by a quarter over the last five years. If the trend continues, demand for printing companies could mount. The statistics seemingly illustrated that Redditch was level with the Wrekin and Telford area when it comes to strength in tech firms. Mike Steventon, a KPMG regional chair, said:
“This creation of tech centres of excellence will create a virtuous circle of attracting global investment and acting as a magnet to the best tech talent.”
Further, Mr Steventon said that it was important for the sector to receive continued support. In particular, he called for local and national government to work effectively in this policy area. For him, future priorities should include regulation and infrastructure.
Some regions did outperform the West Midlands in the survey. These included the South East, the East of England and London. However, it has been reported that the sector within the West Midlands has linked up well with the local manufacturing base.
The survey underlined that just fewer than 10 per cent of companies in Redditch are tech businesses. Coventry was judged to be narrowly ahead at over 10 per cent, while the proportion reached by Warwick was 5 per cent ahead of Redditch. Nonetheless, Redditch scored better than its region.