ONE of our region’s biggest success stories is celebrating a major milestone and on behalf of the Chamber and its members we all send fulsome congratulations to them.

Nifco UK, the Eaglescliffe automotive manufacturer, is 50 and what a transformative half-century it has been, not just for their business but the North-East as a whole.

Led by our immediate-past president Mike Matthews, this company is an example of everything we do best in our region, in an exemplary nutshell.

Things have come a long way for Nifco since the early 2000s when the business was experiencing tough losses.

The difference today couldn’t be more extreme.

Through the hard work and dedication to do a first class job, Nifco UK has won inward investment from Japan, as well as significant Regional Growth Fund support to create two factories that have productivity rates the envy of many and a well-deserved client list to match.

This efficiency is due to a number of factors, which all illustrate the reasons behind Nifco UK’s continued success and longevity at the top of its manufacturing league.

The main one of these is the whole culture of the business, in particular its skills and training regime and attitude towards hiring apprentices.

Mike himself started his career as an apprentice toolmaker and knows the business inside out.

He has first-hand knowledge of the advantage of ‘growing your own’ and is a passionate ambassador for all of our businesses taking on apprentices to help combat our skills shortage – looming on so many disciplines.

This business’ celebrations are part of a picture of our regional economy of which we can all be proud.

Nifco UK’s trail-blazing is matched by similar investment and success from other Japanese inward investors, most significantly up the road at Sunderland with Nissan.

Our automotive manufacturing sector is now the firm bedrock of our regional economy.

As we redefine our relationships with the world following the EU referendum, we must build upon the success of international investments such as Nifco to ensure that the North-East continues to unleash ever more of its potential to succeed in a global economy.

I am sure there will be celebrations for the next decade and onwards, when the engineers so carefully prepared and trained carry on Nifco UK’s baton.

James Ramsbotham is chief executive at the North East England Chamber of Commerce