The Northwest region is home to more than 230,000 businesses.

Nearly half the Northwest's businesses are small and medium-sized companies with 10 - 200 employees. There are about 1,400 organisations employing more than 200 people in the Northwest, which together account for 30% of the region's employment.

Chemical, textile, engineering, food and drink and manufacturing industries together account for 75% of the Northwest's manufacturing output.
Tourism has an increasing role to play - over 15 million tourists annually experience all that the North West has to offer.