Appian Graphics needed to be closer to its customers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa to offer increased training, technical and sales support. Given that the Redmond, Wash.,-based leader in Xtended Desktop Solutions already had many finance customers in London, locating there made sense.

"Besides, London is the electronic commerce capital of Europe," said Kenneth Collingbourne-Smith, managing director of Appian Graphics Europe. "Its excellence in higher education, well-trained work force of 9 million people and transportation network make London the ideal location."

Helped by BteLocations, the company located space in London that met its requirements.

"We needed the latest communications infrastructure, which could potentially offer future Web hosting facilities; and a location, which could draw on the very best in IT skills," said Collingbourne-Smith.

UK popular with U.S. companies

High-tech companies keep coming to the UK. The UK boasts the fifth largest electronics industry in the world in terms of production. It employs some 400,000 people in manufacturing, plus 130,000 in the software and services sector. Scotland has the largest concentration of electronics companies anywhere in Europe.

The UK also is the most advanced European nation for communications technology uptake and usage, and the most deregulated telecommunications market in Europe. Consequently, major companies such as Intel, CISCO, Exodux and Charles Schwab operate facilities there, as well as many smaller companies such as Home Wireless Networks and iXL.

Making it even more attractive are the achievements by UK companies in developing third-generation (3G) mobile communications, with the breakthrough in air interface technology at the University of Surrey. All the world leaders in 3G have a research and development facility in the UK.

High-tech activity is all over the country, with certain regions grooming themselves to attract more. Yorkshire is a good example.

Recently, Arizona-based computer giant Insight Enterprises chose to set up its flagship European headquarters in Sheffield, Yorkshire, which will eventually be home to 1,700 employees in software, design, sales and marketing, and customer care. The company chose Sheffield over two other European countries after months of intensive examination.

Yorkshire's Rotherham recently attracted Boeing, which is partnering with the University of Sheffield in creating the Aerospace Manufacturing Research Center. The $2 million center will investigate new materials and methods of using metals and sit on 20 acres in a 100-acre Advanced Manufacturing Park.

Rotherham is home to a wide variety of IT and other cutting-edge companies. One, Applied Cytometry Systems, designs software that enables laboratories to test thousands of people daily in the event of a germ-warfare attack or just run multiple tests on different people's blood in a single test tube.

The South West of England is attracting high-tech investment due to its idyllic surroundings. Magna Infotech, of Danbury, Conn., has located a facility in Bristol close to existing clients. A plus was its proximity to France, as well as its low rents. The Bristol site will serve as the European headquarters for satellite offices in Ireland, Birmingham and other parts of Europe.

The region is also seeing much research on MEMS and nanotechnology. Key universities involved in high-tech are CRIST, Plymouth University; Exeter University; Bristol University; and Bath University.

High-tech parks take center stage

Several projects around the country help high-tech investment. County Durham's new NetPark, located in Sedgefield, is a flagship project designed to spur new industries and act as a magnet for investment in new technologies. Jointly led by the Durham County Council and Sedgefield Borough Council, the NetPark project is close to 2 million people who live within a 30 mile radius of the site.

BTeLocation has developed business parks with dedicated high-speed Internet and high bandwidth links. Among them are Cambridge Science Park, a highly successful research park on 22.5 acres; Blythe Valley Business Park in the West Midlands near Solihull on 170 acres; and Thorpe Park on 271 acres in Yorkshire.

Recently, the city of York landed funding from the Department of Trade and Industry to foster Internet startups at the Bioincubator building in the York Science Park. The goal is to turn the UK into the best environment in the world for e-commerce.

Anchored by the University of Manchester, Manchester Science Park, and Manchester Technopark - and corporations such as Siemens, ICL/Fujitsu, Hewlett-Packard, Oracle, Sun Microsystems, and Bull Information Systems - Manchester has become a high-tech center. One item of significance is the X-Atlantic Project, which links Greater Manchester with regions in North America. A promotion scheme called Manchester Digital also encourages economic development in digital technologies.

Technium Initiative

Wales strengthened its tech sector by launching the Technium initiative last fall. Technium is intended to generate and grow innovation-based businesses through a state-of-the-art network of up to 20 R&D incubator facilities linking businesses to specialized academic research.

The first six Techniums will be built next year for sectors such as biotechnology and opto-electronics.

The OpTIC Technium, being built in North Wales, will comprise 44,000 square feet dedicated to the optronics sector and house up to 20 incubator units, a technology center and a business support center with conference facilities. The first occupants are expected to move into the facility in December.

The Technium pilot in Swansea has proved successful. It attracted Agilent Technologies before opening its doors to business.

The telecommunications network in North East Wales functions over a fiber-optic backbone capable of delivering high bandwidth capacity. All of the most advanced communications technologies are available, including such services as ISDN, Megastream, SMDS, Cellstream, ATM, Frame Relay, Internet and video services.

The network utilizes SDH technology, providing companies with highly resilient services, which is vital to the success of modern business. Consequently, BT is able to design and build a network to a company's individual specification, ensuring that any level of bandwidth or resilience requirement can be accommodated.

Northern Ireland still a stronghold for high-tech

Northern Ireland continues to foster high-technology. Belfast has attracted Nortel Networks, a leader in networking and communications solutions. It operates a 500,000 square foot systems house at Monkstown. Newark, Del.,-based ACS International Resources Inc., an IT consulting company, is also opening a subsidiary in Belfast.

"We have developed a unique business model incorporating the benefits of available resources in Ireland and India to provide highly cost-effective IT services," said Milan Patel, CEO of ACSI.

Karen Thuermer is a freelance writer from Devon, Pa.