HITACHI Energy has opened its new UK Engineering Centre of Excellence in Glasgow city centre.
The firm said the facility is expected to create around 100 highly skilled roles – including engineers, project managers, and technical specialists focused on delivering critical grid infrastructure.
Hitachi Energy has already recruited a significant proportion of the new roles, with hires including technical engineers, project site engineers and specialists in planning, management, health and safety and testing. The centre is also intended to help attract talent from adjacent sectors, including oil and gas, manufacturing, and other engineering-intensive industries.
The Glasgow centre will support the delivery of major UK electricity transmission and distribution projects.
Laura Fleming, Hitachi Energy UK and Ireland MD, commented, “The electricity grid will be the backbone of a secure, affordable and sustainable energy system for decades to come. That makes investment in skills every bit as important as investment in technology. Our new Glasgow Engineering Centre of Excellence is about building the capability the UK needs to deliver major grid upgrades at pace.
“Scotland is already central to the UK’s clean energy future, and this expansion will help ensure that more of the value created by that transition is captured here – through high-quality jobs, new career pathways and stronger local supply chains.”
John Swinney, first minister of Scotland, added, “I am delighted that Hitachi has chosen Glasgow as the home of their new UK Centre of Excellence. This is a clear demonstration that Scotland’s industrial heritage and engineering excellence continue to play a vital role in shaping the clean industries of tomorrow.”
Adrian Gillespie, chief executive of Scottish Enterprise, said, “The UK is currently embarking on a once‑in‑a‑generation transformation of the electricity network. More than £77 billion of UK grid investment has already been approved for delivery by 2031. Scotland is at the heart of this with over £40 billion of that investment happening right here. This will not only help unlock new offshore wind investment but also has the potential to be a significant economic opportunity for existing supply chain companies, attracting additional inward investment and stimulating innovation.
“Hitachi Energy’s welcome presence, creating around 100 highly skilled roles in Glasgow, is a huge step forward for the ecosystem here and the electrification of the energy system, upgrading transmission and distribution across Scotland and beyond utilising homegrown talent.”
The Glasgow centre is supported by a £1.7 million grant from Scottish Enterprise as part of an overall investment of more than £3 million.
