LONDON--Scotland's main enterprise, innovation and investment agency, Scottish Enterprise, has launched an industry-led strategy for its aerospace, defense and marine industries to encourage greater collaboration between the public, private and academic sectors.

The initiative aims to increase research and development activity, particularly among Scotland's small- to medium-sized enterprise sector, and to develop its highly skilled workforce. More than 22,000 people are employed in the sector, which supports the jobs of a further 30,000 within Scotland.

The launch was initiated at Prestwick Airport with the simultaneous opening of two new aerospace composite facilities for Spirit AeroSystems and Slingby Advanced Composites by Scotland's First Minister, Alex Salmond.

Spirit AeroSystems, which manufactures wing structures for a range of aircraft, opened a research and development center for products and manufacturing methods using composite materials. The new center will create or secure more than 50 jobs at the site. In parallel, Slingsby opened its new design and manufacturing facility, creating 28 new jobs. The Prestwick site is the company's first expansion since 2006 and builds on its 70 years-plus experience in the aerospace sector.

"The Scottish Government recognizes the real challenges that individuals, families and businesses face in the current economic climate," says Salmond, "and that is why we are working hard to strengthen the economy and to increase employment opportunities."

Lena Wilson, COO of Scottish Enterprise and CEO of Scottish Development International, says that the Scottish government and Scottish Enterprise have committed over GBP30 million in support of the development of companies in the sector over the past three years. "This high-tech engineering sector is one we need to encourage in order to maximize its already positive impact on Scottish economy," she says.

The U.K. has around 13% of global aerospace industry sales involving more than 400 aerospace-related companies in Scotland. These companies contributed almost 7% of the total U.K. turnover for aerospace of GBP19.4billion in 2007.