A QUEEN’S Award-winning electrics firm has fuelled its growth after breaking into new export markets.

Seaward Group, in Peterlee, east Durham, has sent test equipment to Japan, China and South America.

Bosses say its instruments, used in the electronics, medical and solar industries, are now used in more than 60 countries.

They expect about 60 per cent of its anticipated £16m sales to come from overseas orders, with the rise strengthening its 150-strong workforce.

It previously secured deals to supply equipment to aircraft maker Airbus and Brazilian plane manufacturer Embraer.

Rod Taylor, Seaward’s managing director, said foreign markets were intrinsic to its successes.

He said: “We’ve always had an overseas market presence and the much improved performance in the last few years reflects how we have focused on exports.

“Over the years we have established distributors in many countries, but only in a relatively small number of these markets had it been possible to achieve a respectable level of market share.

“After a review of our activities, we decided to focus on those markets offering the greatest potential return while nurturing the other countries with the expectation that at some stage, as new resources became available, they would then become a prime target.

“Our international product offering across a wide range of markets is now very strong.”

The company also has sales offices in Florida and Malaysia, and earlier this year The Northern Echo revealed it had set up a commercial centre next to its factory to bring together its sales, marketing and technical support divisions and concentrate on new product development.

The company revealed its overseas expansion at the start of Export Week, held by UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), which encourages firms to do business abroad.

David Coppock, UKTI North-East regional director, praised the company.

He added: “Seaward is a great example of the many North-East firms that have taken up the exporting for growth challenge.

“We hope more to follow in their footsteps.”

Adding to its Asian and South American growth, Seaward already enjoys a strong presence in the US, Germany and the Netherlands, and has worked in the Middle-East, South Africa, India, Vietnam, Thailand, Turkey, Spain and Scandinavia.

It was given a Queen’s Award in 2012 for international trade.