THE boss of an expanding craft supplies business says the North-East will always remain firmly in its heart as it embarks on further international growth.

Crafter’s Companion is moving into the former Holiways Ford showroom, in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, to reach out further to enthusiasts around the world.

Work to transform the deserted site into a head office has started this week, and the switch will deliver a number of new jobs and accelerate a raft of major product launches.

The transfer, from Crafter’s existing base in Coundon, near Bishop Auckland, is expected to be complete by April.

Sara Davies, company founder, told The Northern Echo the move will also include a training centre dedicated to educating the firm’s army of demonstrators, who visit shops every week across the UK to promote the business’ products to customers.

The company is in the midst of strong growth in the US, with a Californian office helping supply products to more than 4,000 outlets in the country and generate turnover of several million dollars.

However, Mrs Davies said Crafter’s US focus, allied to a continued journey into Europe, will never come before its North-East roots, revealing its job creation will give the company 55 staff in the UK and more than 80 globally.

She said: “It’s great being based in Coundon, but we’ve been putting a sticking plaster over it for the last five years due to its size.

“Our new home, however, gives us plenty of room for expansion over the next decade and includes space to create new jobs.

“We’ll be putting bums on seats in the first month of being there; people will be coming in straightaway.

“We are recruiting for more than ten roles right now, across everything from admin support, through to marketing, product development and sales.

“A lot of the infrastructure to support the business is done here; we will never move from this region.

“We’ve taken on some very good, high-level people in the US, who will manage sales and accounts, but everything to help them do that will be from the North-East.”

Mrs Davies, who has appeared on a host of TV channels to highlight the company’s tools and gadgets, which cover everything from decoupage and embossing to cake decorating and modelling clay, said she was also keen to use its new site as a training ground for demonstrators.

The University of York graduate, who set up her business while still studying, added: “We’ve always met them at local hotels, but their training will be done from Aycliffe.

“I want them to come here and experience the brand and the culture of the business while they learn the latest techniques.

“It’s also something I think will allow our customers to feel closer to the company.

“It is these people who are inviting us into their homes every day; they are putting me on in the corner of their rooms.

“So, when our demonstrators go out, and people, who may have seen our presenters or myself on TV, ask, ‘what’s Sara really like?’ they can tell them so, because they’ve been here.”

Crafter’s expansion was approved by Durham County Council planners last month.

Last year, The Northern Echo revealed the business was branching into sewing and art-related goods and had put a board structure to drive its progress.