Overview
Caerphilly’s economic landscape is characterised by a diversified mix of sectors, with a notable presence in construction, retail trade, and technical activities. The city has a total of 33,786 employees, with a positive growth trend in employment. Key sectors such as construction and professional services dominate the business environment. Despite no recent IPOs, there is significant activity in company scale-ups and new company formations, indicating a dynamic and evolving business ecosystem.
Employment and Business Growth
- Total Employees: 33,786. The city has seen an 8.736% growth in employment, signifying a robust job market.
- Employment Raisers: 239 companies have contributed to this growth, showcasing a healthy business expansion across various sectors.
Sector Dynamics
- Top Sectors: Construction (823 companies), Retail Trade (709 companies), and Professional Services (616 companies) lead in terms of company numbers, reflecting a strong infrastructure and service-oriented economy.
- Sector Growth: Notable growth in sectors like ‘Other business and professional services’, ‘Internet platform’, and ‘Civil engineering services’ indicates diversification and modernization of the business landscape.
Company Trends
- Number of Scaleups: 45, indicating a vibrant environment for business growth and development.
- New Companies (2 Years): 1,400, showing a healthy rate of entrepreneurial activity and market entry.
- Total Companies: 5,372, a strong indicator of a diverse and substantial business community.
- Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs): 3,893, forming the backbone of the local economy.
- Exporters: 135, suggesting a degree of international business engagement.
- Companies with Foreign Parentage: 124, indicating global investment interest in the region.
Innovation and Growth
- Fundraisings: 8, reflecting active investment in local businesses.
- Patent Owners: 148, highlighting innovation and intellectual property generation.
- Grantees: 7, signifying the receipt of grants, likely for innovation or expansion.
Diversity in Leadership
- Founders’ Gender: 16.85% female, 76.40% male, showing a gender gap in entrepreneurship.
- Directors’ Gender: 25.37% female, 71.37% male, indicating a similar trend in corporate leadership.
- Age Distribution of Directors: Majority aged between 40-60, showing experienced leadership, with a significant representation of younger directors (below 40).
Business Continuity
- Company Cessations: 676, which needs to be contextualized against the number of new companies and overall company growth.
Conclusion
Caerphilly exhibits a strong, diversified economic environment with significant growth in employment and business scale-ups. The construction, retail trade, and professional services sectors dominate, with emerging sectors showing promise. The gender disparity in entrepreneurship and leadership positions highlights areas for potential development. The city’s economic health is reflected in its vibrant SME landscape, innovation indicators, and the influx of new companies.