Community and living

INDUSTRY

The economy of East Ayrshire is diverse and comprises both traditional and new industries.

The area has a long history of textile manufacture, ranging from traditional lace making in the Irvine Valley to knitwear manufacturing throughout the area.

Agriculture is an industry for which Ayrshire carries a world-wide reputation for quality and leading from that primary production, the food and drink sectors are significant both in employment and turnover terms.

An industry which has seen a transformation over recent decades is the engineering industry where the traditional heavy engineering companies employing large numbers of people have given way to a wider base of specialist and high value engineering.

Having a rich heritage, in terms of industry and history, East Ayrshire has a significant tourism industry, with considerable potential for development which will contribute to the development of the economy.