Hundreds of jobs to be created in Ayrshire
Global telecoms giant Magnata will build a facility to manufacture satellites in Prestwick
There's a major jobs boost for Ayrshire as a global tech firm Mangata Networks sets up shop in Prestwick.
The global telecoms firm will build the facility to manufacture satellites as well as research and development activities.
Job creation
Over the next few years, up to 575 new jobs will be created with the hub being built at the Prestwick International Aerospace Park, as part of the Ayrshire Growth Deal.
The project is being supported by an innovative funding and assistance package from public sector partners, totalling over £83.7 million from Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Government, UK Government and South Ayrshire Council.
The funding comprises £54.5 million from Scottish Enterprise and £29.2 million from the Ayrshire Growth Deal.
On behalf of the Ayrshire Growth Deal, South Ayrshire Council has been working alongside Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Development International to secure the Mangata deal, which will have a hugely positive impact on the Ayrshire and Scottish economies and play a key role in establishing a global space cluster at Prestwick.
The new facility
Mangata’s new facility will produce and test more than 24 medium class satellites every three months meaning it will become a significant focal point and asset for the Scottish and UK space sectors, as well as a centrepiece for technology and innovation.
It is capable of qualifying, integrating and testing satellites up to 1500kg in size for the space and launch environments. From this engineering hub, the company will establish an operations centre that will manage its satellite systems and global network.
Many of the new jobs will be highly paid, highly skilled technical engineering positions in product development, designing and manufacturing satellites, and operating the system end-to-end.
Construction will begin in early 2023 with manufacturing and operations teams set to move in from late 2024. Initially, up to 50 employees will operate from temporary accommodation at the University of the West of Scotland Ayr Campus.
Prestwick is already home to Scotland’s largest and most established aerospace cluster, and, through the £80 million investment from the Ayrshire Growth Deal, is now focussed on taking advantage of the burgeoning global commercial space market to become the leading centre for aerospace and space in the UK.
The stakeholders
Leader of South Ayrshire Council, Martin Dowey commented: “We are delighted Mangata have chosen to locate in Prestwick and have great pleasure in welcoming them to South Ayrshire. We very much look forward to working with them and seeing the many benefits they’ll bring to our local communities, beginning with hundreds of jobs.
Deputy First Minister of Scotland, John Swinney said: “The fact that Mangata has chosen to base its new satellite manufacturing facility in Ayrshire is a huge boost for the region, for the space and manufacturing sectors, and for Scotland as a whole.
“As well as the substantial, high-skilled job opportunities, this will open up new pathways for the satellite manufacturing supply chain and help position Scotland as a leading centre for space and manufacturing innovation – while supporting the aims of our space strategy.”
Brian Holz, Chief Executive Officer of Mangata Networks, commented: “Scotland, Ayrshire, the local regions, and the UK have expressed a lot of confidence in our system and mission. We are very grateful to be able to locate Mangata’s core product development, satellite manufacturing, and network operations teams in a state-of-the-art facility in Prestwick.
“We will be using this facility to bring our satellite connectivity and intelligent Edge compute solutions to enterprises globally. Today, our customer base has already committed to over 1.5 Tbps pre-launch, nearing full capacity of our initial 32 satellites. As the business grows, Mangata’s network can scale to over 750 satellites. This factory will be a key enabler, allowing us to scale and deliver cost-effective space technology into markets that really need it.”
UK Government Minister for Scotland Malcolm Offord said: "The creation of this space manufacturing hub will deliver jobs and investment to Ayrshire and put Scotland at the forefront of an innovative industry. The UK Government is investing £10 million towards these cutting-edge facilities as part of our £32 million support for Ayrshire's space and aerospace programme."