The UK is Europe’s number one destination for inward investment. Each year hundreds of companies from all over the world come to the UK to expand their international market share and increase their competitive advantage.

UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) is the UK Government’s international business development organisation. We support overseas companies doing business in the UK and help them to realise their growth potential.

By drawing on the experience of UKTI’s staff and extensive support networks your company can expand overseas more quickly, efficiently and confidently than you could by going it alone.

Whether you’re looking to set up in the UK for the first time, expand your existing UK business, or find a UK company to form a partnership, visit UKTI’s How we help businesses section and explore the range of services available to support you.

The UK is the most favoured inward investment location in Europe, attracting around 40 per cent of Japanese, US, Taiwan and Asian investment into the EU. The reasons for its popularity are many as it has a great deal to offer overseas companies.

The UK has 28 million skilled and adaptable workers and high standards of education with a strong emphasis on vocational education and training. Labour market regulations in the UK, including working hours, are among the most flexible in Europe, and staffing costs are highly competitive. The UK has strong science and technology base, with world class design, research and development disciplines. Many UK universities and scientific institutes are taking part in collaborative research projects with businesses.

Inward Investment Group is the only investment agency covering the whole of the UK. It helps the world's companies to set up or expand business form a UK base, efficiently and smoothly. One in three companies locating to Europe comes to United Kingdom: 70% of Taiwanese companies choose the UK.

Taiwanese companies continue to take advantage of the UK's highly competitive invest environment as about one new Taiwanese operation per month locates to the UK - generating around 1000 UK jobs in 2007-8, and continuing to use the UK as an effective gateway to the vital European market. Highlights of the year include The Mega Bank opening their European HQ in London, Kymco opening a new operation in South Wales and continued investments from ICT companies including Holystone and Portwell. GlobeUnion claim the biggest Taiwanese investment of 2007-08 with their £100million + takeover of British Bathroom Accessories company PJH. There has also been a noteable increase in Taiwanese companies carrying out collaborative R&D with UK Universities.

The Inward Investment Section at the BTCO handles the Taiwan operations of UK Trade and Investment for investing in the UK. A team of three staff works in close co-operation with the UK's 12 Development Agencies to assist potential and existing Taiwanese investors in the United Kingdom.

There are already over 180 Taiwanese firms with an active presence in the UK. Twenty of these have their European manufacturing bases in Britain, accounting for 70% of Taiwanese manufacturing investment in Europe.

Please download the map of Taiwanese investors in the UK (388KB, JPG file) for more information.

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