A CABLE maker has strengthened its North-East base with a new energy industry contract.

JDR is designing and making more than seven miles (11.3km) of cabling for a Scottish oil field.

Bosses say the equipment will be used on Marathon Oil’s West Brae development to help provide power and connect structures based nearly 140 miles off Aberdeen’s coast.

JDR says all of the work will be carried out and delivered from its Port of Hartlepool site, which employs about 180 workers.

Scheduled to be sent to Scottish waters in the summer, the Marathon deal comes as JDR continues to expand its North-East plant with machinery to make next generation cabling.

A spokeswoman told The Northern Echo work on the apparatus, known as a helical layup machine (HLM), will help JDR produce world-leading steel tube cables for oil and gas projects.

She added it will accompany an existing machine used to make cabling for offshore energy developments, such as wind farms.

Reacting to its West Brae contract, David Currie, JDR chief executive, said it was a reflection of the company’s previous European successes, which have included deals to send equipment to the Dudgeon Offshore Wind Farm, off the Norfolk coast, Eon's Rampion wind farm, off Sussex's coast, and Germany’s Nordsee One Offshore Wind Farm.

He added: “This is a very exciting win for us and we are proud to partner Marathon Oil.

“It’s contracts like these that cement our decision to prepare for future projects with the addition of our new HLM.

“Our expansion will allow for further capacity for simultaneous manufacture, as well as expanding our steel tube and thermoplastic capabilities.”

In October last year, JDR revealed it had agreed a deal with Port of Hartlepool operator, PD Ports, to extend its factory to make and stockpile more cables.

At the time, the firm told The Northern Echo they were not ruling out further job creation, and Mr Currie hailed Hartlepool’s vital role in maintaining the business’ reputation.

He added: “This is good news for the area and, more specifically, the workforce, who are a fundamental part of our achievements.

“This investment will enable us to offer unrivalled technical expertise to design, test and deliver the next generation of subsea technology.”