Falkirk’s open for business more than ever before

Falkirk is building a modern, innovation-driven economy rooted in advanced manufacturing, clean energy and sustainable growth.

The iconic Falkirk Wheel connects the Forth and Clyde Canal with the Union Canal (Picture: Michael Gillen)

The £178 million Falkirk and Grangemouth Growth Deal comprises nine projects and one programme, with the potential to generate more than £628m in economic benefits over the next 30 years, create over 1,660 net additional jobs and attract significant new investment into the area.

The projects themselves tell you where the economy is heading: a Skills Transition Centre at Forth Valley College, the Grangemouth Sustainable Manufacturing Campus, improved rail infrastructure at Grahamston, and the Lock 16 Canal Centre of Excellence, where work has begun to transform the former Irn-Bru factory site into a nationally significant hub for traditional and heritage skills.

Carron Smith, Principal Officer for business support at Business Gateway Falkirk

Falkirk Council is also a key partner in the Forth Green Freeport, a collaboration between industry and the three local authority partners of Falkirk Council, Fife Council and the City of Edinburgh Council. The Freeport is projected to attract up to £7.9 billion of investment, delivering gross value added of estimated £8.1bn and creating up to 16,000 direct jobs. For businesses operating in advanced manufacturing, clean energy and related sectors, this represents a substantial pipeline of opportunity and reinforces Falkirk and Grangemouth’s position as one of Scotland's foremost investment locations.

Local businesses are, cautiously, feeling the effects of those moves.

A survey carried out between October and December 2025 found most respondents confident or very confident about the next 12 months. Around 59 per cent planned to invest in their business during the coming year and half planned to recruit within six months.

The entrepreneurial picture is shifting too. Explore Buddy, founded in 2025, provides neurodivergent support services across the UK and took first place at the HEAT 25 entrepreneurship competition. Golf Sherpa, a digital platform combining curated golf travel with event management, placed second. Head for Data, supporting energy and engineering firms to apply data and AI practically, placed third. All three are Falkirk-based growing businesses with really exciting potential.

These are the types of businesses we help day in and day out because the challenges are real too.

Rising costs are the most common pressure I hear about, and skills shortages in engineering, fabrication and renewables-related roles are persistent. No single investment solves that overnight, but the direction of travel here is clearer than it has been for some time, and for businesses that want support, whether that’s navigating funding, finding the right networks, or even taking the first step, that is exactly what Business Gateway is here for.

The free business support service handled more than 30,000 enquiries across Scotland in the last year. Many of those are in Falkirk.

Only recently the team supported Nexus Aquaculture, which specialises in the supply and servicing of equipment working with fish farms across the UK. Founded in 2007, the family business is a longstanding operator but was seeking help with its digital presence to draw in more custom and improve operations. Thanks to local support programme, Expert Help, the business now has a brand new website, while the team have had marketing training. This sort of support can change the dial, turning local businesses into national and international operators, located right here in Falkirk.

While economic pressures exist, the scale of committed investment, focus on green innovation, and emphasis on skills and infrastructure make Falkirk a really credible and increasingly attractive location for business growth and inward investment.

I feel assured that with the right support measures, like Business Gateway, business owners can feel confident to set up, scale up and thrive in Falkirk.

Carron Smith is the Principal Officer for Business Support within the Growth and Investment Unit at Falkirk Council, responsible for the delivery of the Business Gateway service and local business support products. Carron has extensive experience of managing business projects, support initiatives, financial assistance programmes and business training.