Canadian space firm unveils new Edinburgh office
PCI Geomatics, a leading firm in Earth observation, has opened its new office at the Future's Institute in the Scottish capital as it aims to become a key player in Scotland's space industry.
PCI Geomatics, operating under the name Catalyst, gathers and analyses information about Earth's physical, chemical, and biological systems using remote sensing technologies and uses the data it collects to provide climate-related information.
The Toronto-headquartered firm has more than 40 years of experience and joins more than 180 other companies that are already contributing to Scotland's satellite design and manufacturing industry.
READ MORE: Scottish Government 'short-changed by £1bn' by Rachel Reeves, Finance Secretary says
Business Minister Richard Lochhead welcomed the news as he said Scotland's space sector has grown at a 'phenomenal pace'.
He said 'Scotland is well on the way to becoming a European leader in the space sector. PCI's arrival adds to Edinburgh's considerable reputation as a 'data capital' and takes us closer to our ambition to capture £4 billion of the global space market.
'The number of space-related organisations based in Scotland rose by 25% within a year, with the sector's total income increasing by 65%, demonstrating the phenomenal pace of growth and scale of opportunity before us.
'This is why the Scottish Government appointed its first ever Space Envoy, Daniel Smith, last year who is boosting Scotland's global standing and helping businesses forge strategic partnerships and identify new opportunities.'
PCI said its business aligns 'strongly with Scotland's growing reputation' in space-enabled applications which includes more than 30 companies dedicated to observing and protecting Earth from space.
The company is now recruiting for multiple roles in Scotland.
PCI has also joined the industry body Space Scotland and participated in a recent Scottish Earth Observation showcase at the British Embassy in Denmark.
President and CEO of PCI, June McAlarey, said she is excited to see the business expand into Scotland.
She said: 'Scotland's rising profile in the global space economy has been unmistakable. When exploring locations to complement our Canadian headquarters, the UK quickly stood out as a strategic gateway to Europe and the Middle East.
'We now have a growing team across the UK and are excited to expand our Scottish office in the coming weeks.'
Dr. Craig Brown, investment director at the UK Space Agency, also welcomed the news as he said Earth observation technology is vital to keeping the world safe.
He said: 'Scotland's space sector attracts significant levels of private investment and is playing an important role in unlocking the value of space data for the wider economy.
'We welcome the presence of international companies like PCI as a key driver of innovation, expertise and creation.
'This new development supports our commitment to grow the space economy across the whole of the UK and to advance Earth observation technology, which is a vital tool for protecting our planet.'
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