Dyson has announced plans to create more than 900 jobs in the UK after a strong financial performance last year.
The company known for its vacuum cleaners and fans, announced strong 2021 revenue growth of 5% to £6.0 billion (2020: £5.7 billion) and profits (EBITDA) up 16% to £1.5 billion (2020: £1.3 billion).
The firm said its V15 cordless vacuum had been a “global success” with demand outstripping supply in all its international markets while it’s haircare range of driers, straighteners and stylers enjoyed growth of 57% across the Americas.
Direct-to-customer retail sales grew by 34% across the Asia Pacific region in 2021 during which the business opened 50 new stores including its first virtual reality demo store.
Chief executive Roland Kruger said it had been an “excellent year” for Dyson, despite “challenging” conditions which saw it lose production as result of the Covid-19 pandemic and the global computer chip shortage.
Mr Krueger said off the back of the results Dyson would launch its largest ever recruitment drive for engineering and digital roles to date, as it looks to take on more than 2,000 staff worldwide. 900 of the roles will be in the UK.
The move is part of a £2.75 billion investment plan announced in 2020, with the company saying it was to spend £600 million of this investment in technology, facilities and laboratories this year alone.
The vast majority of the 900 newly announced UK roles will be based at Dyson’s Wiltshire campus sites at Malmesbury and Hullavington Airfield where it created 200 research roles last year. Some roles will also be located at its software and technology hub in Bristol city centre.
Dyson said the new positions will be in its teams “at the forefront” of its development in new fields, including within electronics, data connectivity and robotics.
Across its South East Asia operations Dyson said it would expand its teams in Malaysia and the Philippines with 300 new roles, while it would officially open its new global HQ in Singapore “in the coming weeks.”
Sir James Dyson, the company’s founder and chief engineer, said:
“All over the world, Dyson’s engineers are hell-bent on creating new technology and delivering it to our millions of customers.
“We like looking at problems in the ‘wrong’ way and pioneering our own solutions. As a result, we are succeeding and growing. But to continue this exciting journey we need the best and brightest engineers and digital experts to join us.”
Today, Dyson employs 3,250 engineers and scientists worldwide, half of which are based in the UK.
The company has now sold more than 70 million cord-free machines around the world and it sold its 20 millionth haircare product during 2021.
Since 1993, Dyson has invested more than £1 billion in its Wiltshire offices and laboratories that house the early stage research, design and development of future Dyson technology.
Malmesbury is also home to the 188-strong Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology, where undergraduate engineers – who earn a salary and pay no tuition fees – learn alongside Dyson’s engineers and are awarded engineering degrees.
