Man on a mission

摘要

The Isle of Man could teach its larger neighbour a thing or two about technology development. Stuart Nathan reports The Isle of Man is an oddity. The lozenge-shaped island in the middle of the Irish Sea, 32 miles (52km) long and 14 miles (22km) wide, is not part of the UK, despite being equidistant from England and Northern Ireland. Neither is it part of the EU. It has its own parliament and its own laws. Other island communities around the UK are generally known for tourism, with relatively little industry other than agriculture and long-established, traditional sectors. But while the Isle of Man is still a tourist destination, it is steadily building up a reputation as a centre for some of the world's most cutting-edge technologies. The Isle of Man Aerospace Cluster (IOMAC) is a group of 17 companies based on the island, ranging in size from around 250 employees to three-person operations. Although small by global — and even UK— standards, these companies are involved in high-end design in the aerospace sector and production of precision components. Its development is part of a strategy by the Manx government to reposition the island's economy away from offshore finance and insurance, an expertise it built up in the early 1980s, and towards a more diversified mixture of sectors. While the UK is taking its first steps along this path, the Isle of Man's experience might provide an inspiration for its larger neighbour.