Canadian Space Firm Expands Operations in Scotland
June McAlarey, President & CEO of PCI Geomatics together with Sharon Pryde of Scottish Enterprise, Kevin Scullion of Scottish Development International and Scottish Government Space Envoy, Daniel Smith
PCI Geomatics (DBA CATALYST), a leading Earth Observation company with over 40 years of experience supporting major players in the space sector, has chosen Scotland’s thriving space ecosystem as part of its continued global expansion.
PCI delivers advanced Earth observation image processing solutions and transforms spaceborne sensor data into actionable climate-related intelligence. PCI is focused on supporting critical risk mitigation efforts such as detecting and monitoring critical infrastructure for ground displacement, monitoring “corridor” industries for vegetation encroachment, identifying soil moisture conditions to help prevent catastrophic failures such as landslides with greater accuracy and frequency than traditional methods. PCI’s business aligns strongly with Scotland’s growing reputation in space-enabled applications which is supported by a vibrant ecosystem of more than 30 companies dedicated to observing and protecting Earth from space.
PCI recently opened an office at the Future’s Institute in Edinburgh, marking a significant step in its UK expansion alongside its existing presence at the Harwell Space Cluster in England. The company is recruiting for multiple roles in Scotland and across the UK, signalling its commitment to the region.
Speaking on the company’s growing Scottish presence, President and CEO June McAlarey stated: “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.”
PCI has been proactive in collaborating with Scottish stakeholders, joining industry body Space Scotland and participating in a recent Scottish Earth Observation showcase at the British Embassy in Denmark. The event highlighted how satellite-sourced data can support the financial services sector, ranging from asset managers, banks and insurance companies, in addition to companies with Environmental Social Governance and supply chain sustainability requirements. Participants included Copenhagen Fintech and other financial services stakeholders interested in learning how Scottish space businesses can use satellite-derived innovation to bolster and future-proof investment portfolio decisions.
Scotland’s space ecosystem is expanding rapidly, now home to more than 180 companies contributing to a robust, ‘end to end’ capability in small satellite development. The country leads Europe in the production of small satellites and is positioned to make history as the home of European spaceflight in the coming months.
Business Minister Richard Lochhead 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 on 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.”
The UK Space Agency also welcomed PCI’s growing presence in Scotland.
“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” said Dr. Craig Brown, Investment Director at the UK Space Agency. “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.”