Hewlett-Packard seeks public sector growth

HEWLETT-Packard is looking to capture Scottish Government work in a move that the group’s UK boss said could lead to more jobs at its giant Erskine facility.

Nick Wilson said the group is pursuing several contracts that would create more jobs in addition to the 700-plus posts it is already in the process of filling.

The US tech giant believes it can capitalise on the current austerity, with initiatives such as the McClelland Report on public sector procurement promoting cost savings through shared government services.

“If we can exercise some of our plans I would hope to create more jobs here,” Wilson said during a visit yesterday to the facility on the outskirts of 
Glasgow.

Formerly a major manufacturing plant, the Erskine site is re-building its workforce around higher-end sales and service functions.

It received a Scottish Government grant of £7 million in 2010 on condition that this would spawn 721 jobs over three years. Wilson said 494 of those were now filled, and he hoped the remainder would be in post ahead of schedule.

Originally owned by Compaq, the Erskine plant yesterday marked its 25th anniversary with a time capsule ceremony and various other activities.

The company also confirmed that it intended to fill 30 graduate positions at Erskine over three years. The plant could also benefit from growth abroad, with plans to expand the activities of its call centre to serve European markets outside the UK.