Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and covers the northern third of the island of Great Britain. [1] [2] [3]
Traditionally, the Scottish economy has been dominated by heavy industry underpinned by shipbuilding in Glasgow, coal mining and steel industries. Petroleum related industries associated with the extraction of North Sea oil have also been important employers from the 1970s, especially in the north-east of Scotland. Edinburgh is the financial services centre of Scotland, with many large banking and finance firms based there, including the Bank of Scotland, Lloyds Banking Group (owners of HBOS); the Government owned Royal Bank of Scotland and Standard Life.
Other notable companies based in Edinburgh include Rockstar North, whilst Glasgow, the countries largest city, is home to the International Financial Services District which houses offices of the Scottish Government, Morgan Stanley and JP Morgan Chase, [4] and Buchanan Wharf, headquarters of Barclays in Europe. [5] Glasgow also serves as the headquarters of other notable companies, including drinks manufacturer A.G. Barr. Other notable Scottish brands, such as Johnnie Walker, was established in Kilmarnock, and The Designer Rooms was established in Ayr. Popular clothing brands Lyle & Scott and Pringle of Scotland also originate from the country, whilst bus transportation company, Stagecoach Group, is based in Perth.
This list includes notable companies with primary headquarters located in the country. The industry and sector follow the Industry Classification Benchmark taxonomy. Organizations which have ceased operations are included and noted as defunct.
The list includes notable companies as defined under the Companies Act 1985 and the Companies Act 2006, as well as other bodies such as limited liability partnerships and building societies.
Name | Industry | Sector | Headquarters | Founded | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Abrdn | Financials | Life insurance | Edinburgh | 1825 | Formerly Europe's largest mutual life assurance company |
Aberdeen Asset Management | Financials | Asset managers | Aberdeen | 1983 | Asset management |
Adam & Company | Financials | Banks | Edinburgh | 1983 | Bank |
Aegon UK | Financials | Banks | Edinburgh | 1831 | Bank |
A.G. Barr | Consumer goods | Soft drinks | Cumbernauld | 1875 | Soft drinks, including Irn-Bru and Tizer |
Agenor Technology | Industrials | Business support services | Edinburgh | 2006 | IT consulting |
Aggreko | Industrials | Electronic equipment | Glasgow | 1962 | Power generation equipment |
Airdrie Savings Bank | Financials | Banks | Airdrie | 1835 | Bank |
Albion Motors | Consumer goods | Automobiles | Glasgow | 1899 | Car manufacturer |
Alexander Dennis | Industrials | Commercial vehicles & trucks | Larbert | 2004 | Bus manufacturer |
Alliance Trust | Financials | Banks | Dundee | 1888 | Bank |
Arnold Clark Automobiles | Consumer services | Motor vehicles | Glasgow | 1954 | Transportation |
Apex Hotels | Consumer services | Hotels | Edinburgh | 1996 | Hotels |
BAE Systems Maritime – Naval Ships | Industrials | Defence | Glasgow | 2008 | Military ships, part of BAE Systems and VT Group |
Barr Construction | Industrials | Heavy construction | Paisley | 1898 [6] | Construction |
Baxters | Consumer goods | Food products | Fochabers | 1868 | Food producer |
BBC Scotland | Consumer services | Broadcasting & entertainment | Glasgow | 1952 | National public broadcaster, part of the BBC |
Britoil | Oil & gas | Exploration & production | Glasgow | 1975 | Oil and gas, part of BP |
Business Stream | Utilities | Water | Edinburgh | 2006 | Water, part of Scottish Water |
Cairn Energy | Oil & gas | Exploration & production | Edinburgh | 1981 | Oil and gas development |
Caledonian Brewing Company | Consumer goods | Brewers | Edinburgh | 1869 | Brewery, part of Heineken International (Netherlands) |
Caledonian MacBrayne | Consumer services | Travel & tourism | Gourock | 1851 | Ferry company operating on the west coast of Scotland, Scottish Government owned through David MacBrayne |
Cashmaster International | Industrials | Industrial machinery | Dalgety Bay | 1977 | Money counting machines |
Century Building Society | Financials | Banks | Edinburgh | 1899 | Bank, merged into Scottish Building Society in 2013 |
Christian Salvesen | Industrials | Marine transportation | Leith | 1872 | Transportation, merged into Norbert Dentressangle (France) |
Clyde Broadcast | Industrials | Electronic equipment | Clydebank | 1997 [7] | Broadcasting equipment |
Clydesdale Bank | Financials | Banks | Glasgow | 1838 | Commercial bank |
Cupid plc | Technology | Internet | Edinburgh | 2005 | Dating websites |
Dana Petroleum | Oil & gas | Exploration & production | Aberdeen | 1994 | North Sea exploration and production |
DC Thomson | Consumer services | Publishing | Dundee | 1905 | Publisher of the Sunday Post , the Beano |
Doosan Babcock | Industrials | Electronic equipment | Renfrew | 1891 | Power equipment |
Drambuie | Consumer goods | Distillers & vintners | Glasgow | 1910 | Whisky producer |
Dunfermline Building Society | Financials | Banks | Dunfermline | 1869 | Bank, building society |
Edesix | Industrials | Electronic equipment | Edinburgh | 2002 | Body cameras |
Edinburgh Woollen Mill | Consumer services | Apparel retailers | Langholm | 1947 | Clothing, knitwear retailer |
Edrington | Consumer goods | Distillers & vintners | Glasgow | 1850 | Whisky producers |
Farmfoods | Consumer services | Food retailers & wholesalers | Cumbernauld | 1955 | Frozen food supermarkets |
FirstGroup | Consumer services | Travel & tourism | Aberdeen | 1995 | Passenger transportation |
Forth Ports | Industrials | Transportation services | Edinburgh | 1967 | Port operator |
German Doner Kebab | Consumer goods | Food products | Glasgow | 2017 | Fast casual kebab chain |
Gleneagles Hotel | Consumer services | Hotels | Auchterarder | 1924 | Hotel |
HBOS | Financials | Banks | Edinburgh | 2001 | Holding company of the Bank of Scotland, part of Lloyds Banking Group |
Highland Spring | Consumer goods | Soft drinks | Blackford | 1979 [8] | Bottled water supplier |
Highlands and Islands Airports | Industrials | Transportation services | Inverness | 1986 | Airports, owned by the Scottish Government |
Inver House | Consumer goods | Distillers & vintners | Airdrie | 1964 | Whisky producers |
Jenners | Consumer services | Broadline retailers | Edinburgh | 1838 | Department stores, part of House of Fraser |
Johnston Press | Consumer services | Publishing | Edinburgh | 1767 | Owner of The Scotsman |
Kelvin Diesels | Industrials | Industrial machinery | Glasgow | 1904 | Motors |
Kwik Fit | Consumer services | Specialized consumer services | Edinburgh | 1971 | Car repairs, mechanics |
Linn Products | Industrials | Electronic equipment | Glasgow | 1973 | Audio equipment |
Loganair | Consumer services | Airlines | Paisley | 1962 | Airline |
Lothian Buses | Consumer services | Travel & tourism | Edinburgh | 1919 | Regional bus operator publicly-owned by Edinburgh City Council |
Lyle & Scott | Customer services | Clothing | Hawick | 1874 | Clothing manufacturer and retailer |
M&Co. | Consumer services | Apparel retailers | Inchinnan | 1834 | Clothing retailer |
Megabus | Consumer services | Travel & tourism | Perth | 2003 | Low-cost inter-city bus operator |
Menzies Aviation | Industrials | Delivery services | Edinburgh | 1833 | Logistics and distribution |
Müller Milk & Ingredients | Consumer goods | Food products | East Kilbride | 1947 | Milk and dairy |
NatWest Group | Financials | Banks | Edinburgh | 1969 | Banking and insurance, formerly Royal Bank of Scotland Group |
NorthLink Ferries | Industrials | Marine transportation | Stromness | 2002 | Operator of ferries to the Northern Isles |
Park's Motor Group | Consumer services | Travel & tourism | Hamilton | 1971 | Coach operator |
Pelamis Wave Power | Oil & gas | Renewable energy equipment | Edinburgh | 1998 | Wave power equipment, defunct 2014 |
Pringle of Scotland | Consumer goods | Clothing & accessories | Edinburgh | 1815 | Fashion |
Realtime Worlds | Technology | Software | Dundee | 2002 | Game developer, defunct 2010 |
RHA Audio | Technology | Audio electronics | Glasgow | 2008 | Personal headphones and audio electronics |
Robert Noble | Consumer goods | Clothing & accessories | Killybegs | 1666 | Clothing, textiles |
Rockstar North | Technology | Software | Edinburgh | 1984 | Game developer, part of Rockstar Games (US) |
Royal Bank of Scotland | Financials | Banks | Edinburgh | 1727 | Bank, part of NatWest Group |
Schuh | Consumer services | Apparel retailers | Livingston | 1981 | Footwear retailers |
Scotmid | Consumer services | Food retailers & wholesalers | Edinburgh | 1859 | Scotland-wide supermarket chain |
ScotRail | Consumer services | Travel & tourism | Glasgow | 2022 | Passenger rail operator |
SSE | Utilities | Multiutilities | Perth | 1998 | Electricity and natural gas supplier |
Scottish Building Society | Financials | Banks | Edinburgh | 1848 | Bank and building society |
Scottish Citylink | Consumer services | Travel & tourism | Glasgow | 1985 | Inter-city coach operator |
Scottish Friendly | Financials | Full line insurance | Glasgow | 1862 | Insurance and friendly society |
Scottish Power | Utilities | Multiutilities | Glasgow | 1990 | Gas and electricity, part of Iberdrola (Spain) |
Scottish Water | Utilities | Water | Dunfermline | 2002 | Public water utility owned by the Scottish Government |
Scottish Widows | Financials | Investment services | Edinburgh | 1815 | Pensions, part of Lloyds Banking Group |
SgurrEnergy | Industrials | Business support services | Glasgow | 2002 | Engineering consultancy specialising in renewable energy |
Skyscanner | Technology | Internet | Edinburgh | 2001 | Flight aggregation website, part of Ctrip (China) |
Stagecoach Group | Consumer services | Travel & tourism | Perth | 1980 | Bus and train operator |
Stoats Porridge Bars | Consumer goods | Food products | Edinburgh | 2004 | Porridge providers |
STV Group | Consumer services | Broadcasting & entertainment | Glasgow | 1957 | Formerly Scottish Media Group, owner of STV |
Tesco Bank | Financials | Banks | Edinburgh | 1997 | Bank, part of Tesco |
The Ashvale | Consumer services | Restaurants & bars | Aberdeen | 1979 | Fish and chip restaurant chain |
The Comedy Unit | Consumer services | Broadcasting & entertainment | Glasgow | 1996 | Sitcom and comedy developer |
The Designer Rooms | Consumer goods | Homeware and furniture | Ayr | 2010 | Premium furniture and homeware |
Thus | Telecommunications | Fixed line telecommunications | Glasgow | 1999 | Telecom, formerly known as Scottish Telecom |
TSB Bank | Financials | Banks | Edinburgh | 1985 | Retail and commercial bank |
Tunnock's | Consumer goods | Food products | Uddingston | 1890 | Biscuit and confectionery producer |
Visioncall | Health care | Health care providers | Cambuslang | 1994 | Eye care chain |
Walkers Shortbread | Consumer goods | Food products | Aberlour | 1898 | Shortbread, biscuit and cracker company |
Wavegen | Oil & gas | Renewable energy equipment | Inverness | 1990 | Wave power equipment, defunct 2013 |
Weir Group | Industrials | Industrial machinery | Glasgow | 1871 | Machinery |
Wellpark Brewery | Consumer goods | Brewers | Glasgow | 1556 | Brewing company, part of C&C Group (Ireland) |
Western Ferries | Consumer services | Marine transportation | Hunters Quay | 1868 | Operator of ferry services on the River Clyde |
Whyte & Mackay | Consumer goods | Distillers & vintners | Glasgow | 1844 | Whisky producers |
William Grant & Sons | Consumer goods | Distillers & vintners | Dufftown | 1887 | Whisky producers |
Wolfson Microelectronics | Technology | Semiconductors | Edinburgh | 1984 | Fabless semiconductors, defunct 2014 |
Wood Group | Oil & gas | Oil equipment & services | Aberdeen | 1982 | Oil and gas support |
Wood Mackenzie | Industrials | Business support services | Edinburgh | 1973 | Analytics |
ABN AMRO Bank N.V. is the third-largest Dutch bank, with headquarters in Amsterdam. It was initially formed in 1991 by merger of the two prior Dutch banks that form its name, Algemene Bank Nederland (ABN) and Amsterdamsche en Rotterdamsche Bank.
Lloyds Bank plc is a British retail and commercial bank with branches across England and Wales. It has traditionally been considered one of the "Big Four" clearing banks. Lloyds Bank is the largest retail bank in Britain, and has an extensive network of branches and ATMs in England and Wales and offers 24-hour telephone and online banking services.
A.G. Barr plc, commonly known as Barr's, is a British soft drink and energy drink manufacturer based in Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, Scotland widely known for manufacturing the drink Irn-Bru. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.
Tradeston is a small district in the Scottish city of Glasgow adjacent to the city centre on the south bank of the River Clyde. The name reflected its role as a primarily dockland area with a large number of warehouses and wharves along the riverside were vessels would be unloaded. It merges to the south and west with Kingston, and the two districts are often considered one and the same.
The economy of Scotland is an open mixed economy, mainly services based, which is the second largest economy amongst the countries of the United Kingdom. It had an estimated nominal gross domestic product (GDP) of £218.0 billion in 2023, including oil and gas extraction in the country's continental shelf region. Since the Acts of Union 1707, Scotland's economy has been closely aligned with the economy of the rest of the United Kingdom (UK), and England has historically been its main trading partner. Scotland conducts the majority of its trade within the UK: in 2017, Scotland's exports totalled £81.4 billion, of which £48.9 billion (60%) was within the UK, £14.9 billion with the European Union (EU), and £17.6 billion with other parts of the world. Scotland’s imports meanwhile totalled £94.4 billion including intra-UK trade leaving Scotland with a trade deficit of £10.4 billion in 2017.
Clydesdale Bank plc is a retail and commercial bank in Scotland. It was formed in Glasgow, Scotland in 1838 and now trades as Virgin Money.
Scottish Financial Enterprise (SFE) is the representative body for Scotland's financial services industry. It is a company limited by guarantee based in Edinburgh.
Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland, was ranked the 13th largest financial centre internationally and the 4th largest financial centre in Europe in 2020. The economy of Edinburgh is recognised as a powerhouse of the Scottish economy, as well as the wider UK economy, being the second largest financial centre in the United Kingdom behind London.
The British Linen Bank was a commercial bank based in the United Kingdom. It was acquired by the Bank of Scotland in 1969 and served as the establishment's merchant bank arm from 1977 until 1999.
The International Financial Services District (IFSD) is a financial district in the city of Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland. Nicknamed "Wall Street on the Clyde", it ranked in the top 40 of international financial districts, ahead of cities including Brussels, Madrid, Helsinki, Milan and Dublin.
The Royal Bank of Scotland plc is a major retail and commercial bank in Scotland. It is one of the retail banking subsidiaries of NatWest Group, together with NatWest and Ulster Bank. The Royal Bank of Scotland has around 700 branches, mainly in Scotland, though there are branches in many larger towns and cities throughout England and Wales. The bank is completely separate from the fellow Edinburgh-based bank, the Bank of Scotland, which pre-dates the Royal Bank by 32 years. The Royal Bank of Scotland was established to provide a bank with strong Hanoverian and Whig ties.
The National Bank of Scotland was founded as a joint stock bank in 1825. Based in Edinburgh, it had established a network of 137 branches at the end of its first hundred years. In 1918 the bank was bought by Lloyds Bank, although it continued to operate as an independent institution until 1959, when it merged with the Commercial Bank of Scotland to become the National Commercial Bank of Scotland. Ten years later the National Commercial Bank merged with the Royal Bank of Scotland.
JPMorgan Chase is an American multinational banking corporation with a large presence in the United Kingdom. The corporation's European subsidiaries J.P. Morgan Europe Limited, J.P. Morgan International Bank Limited and J.P. Morgan Securities plc are headquartered in London.
Barclays plc is a British multinational universal bank, headquartered in London, England. Barclays operates as two divisions, Barclays UK and Barclays International, supported by a service company, Barclays Execution Services.
Ian Quayle Jones is the co-founder and former chairman and chief executive of Quayle Munro merchant bank.
The Russian Laundromat was a scheme to move $20–80billion out of Russia from 2010 to 2014 through a network of global banks, many of them in Moldova and Latvia. The Guardian reported that around 500 people were suspected of being involved, many of whom were wealthy Russians. The money laundering scheme was uncovered by Global Laundromat, an investigation. The New Yorker says that that operation was known as "The Russian Laundromat," "The Global Laundromat," or "The Moldovan Scheme." The Herald wrote that the scheme is "thought to be the world's biggest and most elaborate money-laundering scheme."
Buchanan Wharf is a complex of five mixed use buildings in the Tradeston area of Glasgow, Scotland. The complex comprises a total of five buildings, Clyde Place House, Tradescroft, Windmillcroft, Wellcroft and Grays Hill, with main usage being designated as office buildings. The complex houses the European headquarters of Barclays Bank, as well as the headquarters of the Student Loans Company, with other buildings in the complex ranging in usage from residential accommodation and a mix of local amenities.
The United Kingdom is made up of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
SCT Scotland country