Hitachi Energy to create up to 100 roles after opening Glasgow ‘centre of excellence’
“Our new Glasgow engineering centre of excellence is about building the capability the UK needs to deliver major grid upgrades at pace” – Laura Fleming, MD
Hitachi Energy has officially opened its new “engineering centre of excellence” in Glasgow, in a move that is expected to create around 100 specialised roles.
The firm said the move marked a major investment in the specialist skills needed to modernise the UK electricity grid and support Scotland’s clean energy ambitions.
Last September, it emerged that the company was taking the top floor at the landmark 110 Queen Street building in the city centre on a ten-year lease, joining a tenant line-up including Deloitte, NatWest, Brodies, WSP and Clyde & Co.
The opening of a centre of excellence forms part of Hitachi Energy’s wider UK and Ireland growth plan, following a doubling of its workforce over the past two years and with further expansion planned as demand for electrification accelerates.
The Glasgow operation is expected to create upwards of 100 specialised roles, including engineers, project managers and technical specialists focused on delivering critical grid infrastructure.
The firm said it had 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, into the fast-growing electricity sector.
Laura Fleming, managing director, Hitachi Energy UK and Ireland, said: “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,” she added.
The new Glasgow centre is supported by a £1.7 million grant from Scottish Enterprise as part of an overall investment of more than £3m.
The facility will also support Hitachi Energy’s collaboration with universities, industry partners and organisations including Scottish Enterprise, Edinburgh Science and the University of Strathclyde to encourage more young people and experienced workers to pursue careers in energy and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) disciplines.
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 £40bn 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’s welcome presence 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.”
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