Rolls-Royce reveals £4bn economic impact of its 20 years based at Goodwood

The Goodwood-based luxury car maker now makes an annual contribution to the economy of £500m according to the independent Economic Impact Analysis compiled by London School of Economics (LSE).

The company is one of West Sussex’s largest employers, with 2,500 full-time equivalent roles and a further 7,500 jobs supported in the wider supply chain.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars’ CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös said: ‘Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is a Great British success story. As we mark 20 years of production at our Home in Goodwood, we do so in the knowledge that not only have we produced some of the world's most significant super-luxury products, we have also made a major economic contribution to the English county we are based in and, crucially, “UK PLC”.

‘I am delighted to unveil the exceptional results of the first ever independent survey of our company's economic impact locally in Chichester, in the surrounding area and nationally. The study confirms that Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is a major economic contributor and one of the largest employers in West Sussex. As the nation enters a new era with the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III, we are proud to represent the very best of British excellence and endeavour. Through our rare crafts and craftsmanship, international customer base and products admired and cherished worldwide, we are sustaining thousands of skilled jobs and playing a key role in promoting the UK's reputation as a hub of creativity and innovation.’

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Rolls-Royce invests around £10m every year in its facilities and operations to support its production, reflected in a series of 'record years' peaking to date in 2022 with more than 6,000 motor cars sold worldwide.

The company also continues to grow in terms of employees – it created 150 jobs in 2022, and was able to avoid any redundancies during the pandemic.

The company also has a substantial positive impact on the local economy. Around 20 per cent of its total annual contribution is generated directly within West Sussex and bordering counties.

And it contributes to the local and national knowledge economies through its leading-edge R&D in fields including hardware, software, electrification, digitalisation and vehicle connectivity. These activities are growing rapidly in both scale and importance, with Rolls-Royce committed to all-electric propulsion by the end of 2030.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has formally announced proposals to expand the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood. It has acquired land to the east of the current site and planning permission will be sought later this year. The project's main aim is to upgrade the manufacturing plant as some facilities and equipment are now 20 years old and require replacement and upgrading.

Gillian Keegan, MP for Chichester added: ‘Rolls-Royce Motor Cars represents some of the very best of British design and manufacturing, and the Goodwood success story has been a proud part of Chichester and West Sussex's heritage and local economy. We've seen a whole generation of quality jobs and cutting-edge skills created over the past 20 years, and I can't wait to see what the next 20 will hold as Rolls-Royce continues to expand and grow.’